The former president of Catalonia Jordi Pujol, the scientific Jordi Camí, the macroeconomist Jordi Galí, the entrepreneur Ferran Soriano and the architect Benedetta Tagliabue will discuss priorities for internationalising Catalonia. The panel debate will take place on Tuesday 25 January, at 19.30, at the MACBA Auditorium in Barcelona.
The Japanese company has finally chosen to manufacture the new van in a factory in the Catalan capital. The decision comes after workers agreed to a change in their labour conditions including a freeze on salaries until 2014.
Prices increased by 7 decimals last December. The monthly price increase was of tobacco and transport.
The new Minister for Business and Employment is an independent, expert in Managerial Economics and austerity measures. He was the Director of ESADE Business School’s Economics Department (1992-2000), where he was teaching until now. He has a PhD in Economics and a Bachelors degree in Law. Mena has experience in the private sector consultancy and banking, especially in the area of Tourism and Analysis, as well in international markets, particularly in emerging economies.
Mas-Colell was a professor at Berkeley and Harvard universities. Most recently, he chaired the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics and was a professor at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. He is a specialist in microeconomics and some of his publications are world-renowned references on the subject. Mas-Colell had already been Minister of the Catalan Government between 1999 and 2003, in charge of universities. Now he will be Minister for the Economy, Budget and Universities, stressing the importance of innovation and research.
The price increase is the result of the start of the winter season, in particular regarding clothing and shoe sales.
The Japanese company rejects the candidacy of its Catalonia factory for manufacturing the new car because it is not 'competitive'. The deputy CEO of Nissan in Spain blames the unions for not accepting new labour conditions which would have accommodated Nissan's interests.
The decrease in the number of jobless has been fuelled by an improvement in the industrial and construction sectors. In Spain, unemployment has risen to more than 4 million people.
In 2008 and 2009, fairs in Catalonia generated 2,372 million euros and 30,000 workers, according to a study by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Despite the crisis, 2009 saw more fairs than 2008, and 441 are already planned for 2011.
The professor of business direction and administration for IESE, Pedro Nueno, assures that conversations between the Catalan Government and the Chinese auto manufacturer Chery are “fully underway”.
The number of new businesses in Catalonia grew 4.7% from August to September, with a total of 843 new businesses around Catalonia. 146 companies closed this September, 12% more than in September of 2009.
Catalonia saw its prices rise by 8 decimals in October, contributing to an annual inflation rate of 2.6%. Prices for apparel and footwear rose by 10.4 points in Catalonia, playing a heavy role in the overall increase of prices.
The Catalan transport infrastructure service company received a net profit of 561 million euros during the first 9 months of 2010. This figure is a 4.2% higher than the same period in 2009.
Unemployment has increased in the service and agricultural sectors. However, it decreased in the industry and construction sectors. Unemployement has increased throughout Catalonia, although Lleida is the most affected province. Unemployment has also increased in the rest of Spain.
The 3rd term (July-September) ended with less people unemployed in Catalonia, concretely 6,700 people less. The unemployment rate has decreased 3 decimals and is now 17.41% of the active population. In addition, Catalonia represents half of all the new jobs created in Spain this term, with 34,500 jobs created. It is the first time in the last year that unemployment has dropped for the whole of Spain.