New agreements between Latin America and the European Union promote a period of growth and opportunities for bilateral trade.

 

The second day of the 52th General Assembly of the Ibero-American Association of Chambers of Commerce (AICO), which takes place in Gran Canaria, reaffirmed the promising future of cameras , the fundamental drivers of the Ibero-American economyThe event was attended by key Spanish institutional figures: the Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, and the Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World, Susana Sumelzo Jordan.

 

Luis Padron, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria, emphasized that the Ibero-American chambers promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and that "They share the same challenges and public-private and interregional cooperation synergies.". Consequently, Padrón conveyed a clear request: “from AICO we ask to build a solid, strong and realistic Ibero-American agenda”.

 

Opportunities in Bilateral Trade and Investment

 

In her presentation on "Economic Relations between Spain and Latin America", the Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, placed special emphasis on the bilateral trade and big opportunities that are opening thanks to the New agreements launched by the European Union and the Latin American countries.

 

In addition to trade agreements, the Secretary of State highlighted the significant impact of the foreign direct investment in the job creation and economic development on both sides of the Atlantic. He also stressed the importance of institutional and multilateral dialogue through key quotes such as Ibero-American Summit and EU-CELAC Summit to promote cooperation in crucial areas such as innovation, sustainability and shared growth.

 

Road to the 2026 Ibero-American Summit

 

For her part, the Secretary of State Susana Sumelzo Jordan participated in the presentation “Road to the Ibero-American Summit 2026”, together with José Frederico Ludovice, Deputy Secretary of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB). In her speech, the Secretary of State highlighted the crucial role of companies on the way to this next appointment.

 

La Ibero-American Summit will take place on days November 4 and 5, 2026 in MadridThis event, announced by Minister José Manuel Albares in New York, aims to generate tangible results that improve people's lives, such as the potential creation of Ibero-American Disaster Response Fund and homologation of university degrees. Preparations and preliminary work have already begun and include more than 25 ministerial meetings, forums and gatherings in different cities in Spain.

 

The Chambers as transnational bridges

 

Prior to the interventions of the Secretaries of State, the panel “Dialogue of Chamber Presidents” put the focus on the business leadership and direct action of the chambers as key entities in the economic revitalization of their territories and in the building transnational relations.

 

Participating in this dialogue were Angel Asensio, president of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and vice president of AICO, and María Teresa Vial Álamos, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Santiago de Chile, accompanied by Luis Padrón. The debate highlighted the lessons learned from the Madrid Chamber of Commerce to inspire other entities to facilitate the SMEs' exit to international markets. Likewise, the example of Chile's trade openness and the role of the chambers in supporting companies seeking diversify exports and reduce dependence on certain markets.

 

The three presidents agreed in highlighting that the chamber networks and their cooperation have become effective bridges between regions, and that their work goes beyond the simple signing of formal agreements.

 

The day also included the participation of Adolfo Díaz-Ambrona, Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, who addressed the Ibero-American drive in the arbitration and international mediation.

 

The closing was carried out by Natalio Mario Grinman, president of AICO, who reaffirmed the strategic value of Gran Canaria , the nexus between Europe, Africa and America. Grinman highlighted that this meeting is the most important of the Ibero-American Association of Chambers of Commerce held in its more than 50 years of existence.

 

Subsequently, the Assembly per se was held, which brought together the partners of more than 40 cameras de 14 countries more than 200 Subscribers in Gran Canaria.

 

Arbitration and Megaprojects

 

In a parallel event to the AICO Assembly, the Commercial Arbitration Conference "Contemporary Challenges in Arbitration and Opportunities in the Global Arena", within the framework of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission (CIAC). In Tuesday's session, the panel on the mega-construction projects in arbitration, discussing how to handle aspects of quality and construction defects, in addition to the latest innovations in damage quantification through the Hot Tubbing (joint expert sessions) in international arbitration.