ATEVAL presents its action plan for 2003, a sector with an export tradition

The Valencian Community Textile Business Association, ATEVAL, has presented to its members the calendar of Foreign Promotion Actions, within the Sectoral Plan for 2003 prepared by the National Committee for Foreign Promotion of Home Textiles, "Home Textiles From Spain", which has been approved by ICEX, the organization that will support the actions planned in the plan.

The Spanish Intertextile Council, CIE, sponsors this Foreign Promotion Plan which, as in previous years, will be coordinated by ATEVAL.

The most noteworthy activities for the first half of the year include organizing reverse trade missions for international buyers and journalists during the Valencia Textile and Home Show, and a group participation in the Domotex trade fair in Hanover, both in January. In March, a group participation will take place at the Domotex-Chinafloor trade fair in Shanghai, and a trade mission with an exhibition in Japan is planned for April. In May, in addition to organizing the official pavilion at the International Furniture and Decoration Show in Mexico, a group participation will be held for the first time at the Meble trade fair in Poznan, Poland. The first half of the year will conclude with the presence of Valencian companies at Expohabitat in Moscow in June.

The second half of the year will begin with a group participation at the Decosit trade fair in Brussels. October will see a group participation at the Index trade fair in Dubai, an official pavilion at the Intertextile trade fair in Shanghai, and a trade mission with an exhibition in Australia. Finally, in November, the official pavilion at the Mebel trade fair in Moscow will be coordinated.

In addition to trade missions and group participation in International Fairs, ATEVAL- Home Textiles From Spain will carry out other commercial promotion activities such as an international advertising campaign, the preparation of a directory guide for the promotion of companies and the organization of seminars of interest to the sector.

International promotion activities are fundamental for the home textiles sector because a large part of its production is destined for export. Thus, according to provisional data for 2002, in the case of Valencian textiles, 40% of its production was destined for foreign markets, representing a value of €1.041 million.

Benefits of eliminating the IAE

The reform of the Economic Activities Tax (IAE) will mainly benefit the construction sector and the trade and professional services sectors, which together account for more than 50% of companies and are very intensive in micro-enterprises, according to estimates from the General Directorate of SME Policy, based on data from the INE and the Mercantile Registry.

Of the 2.641.759 companies, 2.430.214 will benefit from this reform (92%), which provides for exemption from the IAE tax for all individuals and companies with a turnover below one million euros.

Peugeot opens market in Slovakia

The new plant will be a direct competitor to the one located in Madrid and will become PSA Peugeot Citroën's eleventh in Europe. Starting in 2006, it will begin producing around 300.000 vehicles annually, as part of the company's project to expand its investments in Eastern European countries, specifically the former communist states aspiring to join the EU. The reasons: low labor costs, logistical advantages due to their proximity to Germany, and significant state aid.

Cepyme helps 30.000 companies to negotiate abroad

This refers to the agreement signed between the business confederation and the Aragonese government to promote investment in countries such as Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The objective is to provide new opportunities for some 30.000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region, given that the products and services offered by Aragonese companies perfectly match the demands of these countries.