The opening session, chaired by the Councillor for Economy and Citizen Participation, Pilar Martínez, and which served as the "starting gun" of IMEX"04, the largest international trade business meeting, also included the participation of prominent representatives from the political, economic and business world.
The president of the Editorial Board of Moneda Única, Alfredo Rambla, introduced the event, highlighting, first and foremost, the participation of the Spanish government and representatives from 61 countries worldwide, as well as numerous companies and media outlets. Furthermore, in his address, he explained that "the purpose of the Congress is to promote international business and actively contribute to improving the competitiveness of companies."
José Luis González Vallvé, director of the European Commission Representation in Spain, stated in his address that Europe is a "commercial giant" and explained that "with only 6% of the world's population, it accounts for 20% of the world's trade volume; it currently represents 14% of GDP in Europe, while it is 'only' 12% in the United States and 11% in Japan." Regarding the accession of the ten new countries to the EU, Vallvé expressed optimism about the business opportunities that will open up. "The press is discussing whether the entry of the new members could mean a loss of aid for certain areas of Spain," he continued, "but I believe that debate refers to the budgets of the European institutions, which represent 1% of European wealth. What we need to do is not argue about whether we get a little more of that 1%, but rather increase the other 99%."
The Vice President of the Confederation of Independent Business Owners of Madrid (CEIM) and President of its International Relations Committee, Jesús Martín Sanz, stated that "the best way to face the challenge of the global economy is to work towards the internationalization of the business sector in the Community of Madrid." He explained that CEIM created an International Relations Department "that is operating at full capacity, committed to supporting companies in improving their competitiveness by exporting their strengths; therefore, we couldn't miss this event, as this forum is becoming an instrument of paramount importance for all of us," he affirmed.
Francisco Pérez Mancilla, Deputy General Manager of the Corporate Division at Banco Santander Central Hispano, emphasized the bank's strong international focus, noting that it "has an extensive network of branches worldwide, alliances in Europe, its own structure in Latin America, and numerous correspondent banks around the globe." The Santander Central Hispano executive also stated that "it is the 11th largest bank in the world and the leading financial group in Spain and Latin America." He further emphasized that they offer a wide range of products and extensive experience in international trade and provide robust operational security for their transactions.
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