El Club of Spanish Exporters and Investors has launched an urgent appeal for revitalize export capacity of the Spanish business community, with special emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. The organization has detected a exhaustion of the export drive In Spain, reflected in a negative contribution of 0,4 points of external demand to year-on-year GDP in the first quarter of the year.
Among the priority measures, the Club proposes a substantial increase in the budget allocation of financial instruments supporting internationalization, especially with regard to export credits for infrastructure projects in third countries. "This measure would allow Spanish companies diversify markets and mitigate risks in a complex international environment", stated Antonio Bonet, president of the Club.
It is also considered imperative to implement reforms aimed at improving the external competitiveness of companies, which implies a reduction of tax, labor and regulatory burdens that currently hinder export activity.
The Club warns that Spain's export momentum is fading. In the first quarter of the year, the contribution of external demand to the year-on-year GDP growth was negative by 0,4 percentage points.
The data analyzed by the Club reveals a Worrying drop in Spanish exports as a percentage of GDP since 2022, despite the good performance of services exports. The export of goods, in particular, has been stagnant for more than two yearsIn 2022, goods exports accounted for 28% of GDP, a figure that has fallen to 24% today. Export concentration is also a challenge: Fewer than 30.000 companies regularly export goods for more than 50.000 euros per year, and the 66% of exports are concentrated in just 1.000 companies. Added to this is the fact that only a 8,5% of exported products are high-tech, half of the European average (18%).
To address these structural challenges, the Club advocates a transformation of the productive fabric that facilitates business growth. "According to the latest data we have, in Spain there are almost 3 million companies, of which 2.969.238 are small and medium-sized enterprises and 6.252 are large. Increasing the average size of companies would allow for greater investment in R&D&I. "and a better position to compete in international markets," the president of the Exporters Club emphasized.
Additionally, a claim is made review of the tax and labor regulatory framework to avoid penalties to business growth. The Club points out, for example, the worrying increase in absenteeism as a factor contributing to the deterioration of Spain's international competitiveness.
On the financial front, the proposals include Increase the allocation of the Fund for the Internationalization of Business (FIEM), strengthen the line of feasibility studies, reform the Reciprocal Interest Adjustment Contract (CARI), and provide key entities with greater human resources such as CESCE, ICO and COFIDES. A request is also made for increase in the ICEX budget for the promotion of exports.
With these proposals, the Club of Exporters and Investors reiterates its commitment to strengthening its international presence of Spanish companies and with the consolidation of a more competitive and open economy to the world
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