The Autonomous Community of Aragon, located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, aspires to become a key strategic hub within Spain, while its geographical location bordering France offers significant opportunities for regional and national foreign trade. The Government of Aragon, aware of this reality, is accelerating the implementation of infrastructure and projects that will lead to unprecedented economic growth in the Community in the coming years. Thus, with the aim of positioning Aragon within the major transport and logistics corridors of Europe, projects such as the Zaragoza Logistics Platform (PLAZA) and the creation of a road and rail network for the rapid transit of goods and passengers are being considered.
Aragon surpassed the Spanish average economic growth rate four years ago, although there is still a long way to go. This is a region that wants to feel increasingly empowered, more vibrant, and more self-sufficient in the planning and management of its natural, economic, and social resources.
Economic sectors
The agricultural sector benefits from the fertility of the Ebro Valley, while also striving to make the most of the various irrigation canals that run through Aragon: the Bárdenas Canal, the Tauste Canal, the Cinca Canal, and the Monegros Canal are some examples. However, this sector currently generates the least employment in the region, specifically 5,83%. The service sector employs 60,30% of Aragon's workers, the industrial sector 24,19%, and the construction sector 9,68%.
The main industrial centers have been established along the Ebro corridor, around the city of Zaragoza and surrounding municipalities such as Alagón or Figueruelas, where the General Motors (GM) car assembly plant is located, one of the great economic and industrial icons of the region.
The industrial sector, along with the service sector, is the true engine of the Aragonese economy today, as both generate nearly 90% of the region's wealth, far exceeding the output of construction and agriculture. The main characteristic of Aragonese industry is its concentration around the transportation sector, driven by the Opel España plant and the auxiliary industry that supplies it. Since its establishment in Figueruelas in 1982, with an investment of 100.000 billion pesetas, the plant has consistently achieved positive results, enabling it to undertake new business ventures such as the production of new models for the German brand. Currently, the Figueruelas factory employs approximately 8.100 workers and produces 460.000 vehicles annually. However, despite the company's strong performance, concerns have recently arisen following suspicions that some multinational automotive companies have decided to relocate to Eastern European countries to reduce their production costs. But GM executives in Europe reassured these concerns by stating their intention to remain in Spain and reiterating their commitment to future investments in the production of a new Opel Corsa model starting in 2006.
Industrial production
Despite everything, industrial production in Aragon had shown some instability in recent years, a situation that appears to have been corrected in 2003. In that year, the industrial production index maintained a positive trend of 3,8%, above the 1,3% recorded for Spain as a whole. This also reversed the trend of job losses suffered in the sector in 2002, a year in which slightly negative rates were even recorded. The fact that the Aragonese economy grew 8% more than the Spanish economy in 2003, making Aragon the fastest-growing region last year, was undoubtedly due in part to the strength of other sectors such as construction and services. However, attracting investment remains a challenge that is expected to be addressed with the development of certain projects promoted by regional political bodies.
Total investment, according to the Business Outlook Survey on which the 2003 Aragon Economic Outlook report published by the Zaragoza Chamber of Commerce is based, has registered lower results than the previous year and also lower than the national average. The development of the Zaragoza Logistics Platform (PLAZA) and the Huesca Technology Park (Walqa) are some of the projects launched by the Government of Aragon to try to attract greater levels of foreign investment to the region.
The foreign sector
Exports from Aragon during the first nine months of 2003 increased by 18,3% in value compared to the same period of the previous year, a percentage three times higher than the national average (6,04%). Even so, Aragon still only accounts for 4,87% of total Spanish exports, far behind other autonomous communities such as Catalonia (27,08%), the Valencian Community (11,81%), and Madrid (10,65%). Regarding the type of exports, consumer goods ranked first, far ahead of intermediate and capital goods. Zaragoza and Huesca were the export drivers for Aragon, with increases of 20,54% and 15,58%, respectively, compared to 2002 (January-August). Meanwhile, Teruel reversed a positive trend of 9,81% achieved in 2002 compared to the previous year, experiencing a negative trend.
-14,49% harvested in the 2003-2002 comparison.
Aragonese exports accounted for 5,08% of total Spanish exports in September 2003. 88% of these originated in Zaragoza, with only the remaining 12% coming from Huesca and Teruel. Meanwhile, imports increased by almost 12% between January and September 2003 compared to the same period of the previous year. Intermediate goods, those used in the production process to create finished goods, were the most in demand. In September, Aragonese imports represented 3,54% of total Spanish imports, of which more than 93% went to the province of Zaragoza.
Transport and infrastructure
The map of the Autonomous Community of Aragon has changed considerably in recent years in terms of transport infrastructure. Since the mid-2000s, 168,6 kilometers of highways and motorways have been opened, representing an investment of €433 million, and a further 171,4 kilometers are currently under construction, at a cost of €527 million. A significant portion of the effort is focused on the Autovía del Mudéjar (Mudejar Highway), the Somport-Sagunto route, which will connect the Spanish Levante region with France, traversing the entire Community from south to north and north to south. However, sections are still being put out to tender, and the Government of Aragon has indicated that 2007 is the year of completion for this road. Another major project is the Pamplona-Huesca-Lérida highway, whose initial studies were carried out two years ago. It is expected to meet the needs of the northern part of Aragon, with established traffic between Huesca and Lérida, as well as opening up the region to the Basque Country from Pamplona.
The AVE
But Aragon's most important asset is the arrival of the High-Speed Train, the AVE. On January 18th, the line reached its 100th day of operation, and more than 540.000 passengers had already opted for this comfortable and fast alternative, although still slightly more expensive than other options. It's worth noting, however, that both AVE and TALGO Altaria trains run on the High-Speed line, and so far the latter have been the most used. New AVE units are expected to arrive this year, increasing speed and reducing travel time, which currently takes one hour and forty-five minutes between Zaragoza and Madrid. But Zaragoza isn't the only major beneficiary. High-Speed Rail reached Huesca in December 2003, and within a month of operation, the Altaria Madrid-Huesca train had increased passenger numbers between the Spanish capital and Huesca by 27% compared to the same period the previous year.
Regionalization
The transport network will be fundamental to the regionalization process that the Autonomous Community of Aragon has been undergoing since 1999, the year this initiative gained real momentum. The objective of this process is to correct inequalities in a territory plagued by depopulation and a lack of infrastructure, in order to provide equal opportunities to all Aragonese inhabitants regardless of where they live. Thus, Aragon began to structure itself into districts, which have been provided with legislative support from the regional government. The 32 districts that make up the territory have already been established, pending a decision on whether Zaragoza and its metropolitan area will become the thirty-third district. Some of the districts have already defined aspects such as their capital, composition, powers, governing bodies, responsibilities, and the mechanisms for their organization. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve a better provision of transport infrastructure and to make the most of the historical, natural and cultural heritage of the Community with the ultimate goal of ensuring that these measures guarantee the survival of the different municipalities.
Tourism
Aragon is an ancient land of unique character, with a rich history, diverse art, distinctive folklore, and breathtaking landscapes. Numerous fascinating routes crisscross the region, offering visitors a wide array of opportunities for reflection and admiration: the Cistercian Route, which takes in the monasteries of Rueda, Veruela, and Piedra; the Goya Route, passing through Zaragoza, the Charterhouse of Aula Dei, Remolinos, Fuendetodos, Muel, Calatayud, and Huesca; the Museum Route; the Romanesque Route of the Cinco Villas; the Mudéjar Route; the Wine Route… these are just a few examples.
Furthermore, Aragon, thanks to its topography with the Pyrenees as a backdrop, is the ideal setting for the development of active and adventure tourism. The region has also developed a strong infrastructure of spas and hotels. But undoubtedly, one of Aragon's main tourist attractions is its snow sports. Recognizing this, the regional government and the financial institution Ibercaja created the company Aramón to consolidate the strategic decisions of the Cerler, Formigal, Panticosa, Javalambre, and Valdelinares ski resorts into a single business decision-making unit. In addition, the Astún and Candanchú ski peaks are also prominent within the region. Aragon's snow offerings are so extensive that last Christmas, numerous access roads to the ski slopes were overwhelmed by the huge influx of tourists. This tourism boom perhaps explains the inflationary trend experienced by hotels last year. Thus, hotel prices in Aragon increased by 5% during the first ten months, compared to the 4,6% experienced during the same period in 2002.
The Information Society in Aragon
The study conducted by the Economic and Social Council of Aragon, entitled "The Information Society in Aragon," confirms the delay in the development of adequate infrastructure and in Aragonese access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The report concludes that "the leadership and impetus of public authorities, especially the Government of Aragon, are irreplaceable in achieving universal access to ICTs." Furthermore, it highlights that Aragon's participation in ICT access is lower than it should be, given its population and economic weight, despite having a larger number of computers than would be expected according to these criteria. In contrast to these assertions, it is worth noting that the development of the Information Society in Spain only reaches satisfactory levels in the Community of Madrid, for obvious reasons of administrative concentration and the presence of company headquarters, many of which belong to the New Economy sector.
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