cercle català de negocis

The business owners’ association Cercle Català de Negocis (CCN) insisted that neither Spain’s confederation of employer associations, CEOE, nor its Catalan member, Foment del Treball “represent anything other than themselves and the interests of large corporations linked to the Spanish Government”. After the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, asked employers to participate in the political debate, these two main employers’ associations have rejected getting involved in the self-determination process. However the CCN recalled that these large corporations only represent a tiny part of Catalonia’s business sector. The CCN stressed that SMEs account for 99% of all Catalan production and many of their owners “have mostly positioned themselves in favour of exercising the right to self-determination”. During a luncheon on Tuesday, Mas nuanced his previous statement, saying that he was “not asking for explicit statements” but “to be within” the political debate. 

The President of the employer’s association Cercle Català de Negocis (CCN), Albert Pont, stated that part of the Spanish Government’s debt is “odious” and therefore Catalonia cannot recognise this “illegitimate debt”. However, Pont underlined the “willingness” to pay for the proportionate share of the rest of the debt, which should be calculated “item by item”. In an exclusive interview with the CNA, he denounced a public debt generated “for the benefit of no more than a few companies” that “provide works, services and infrastructures” for the Spanish Government. “If Spain does not recognise the independence of Catalonia, Spain should assume its debt completely and the Catalan Government its own debt”, he warned. In addition, Pont denounced the fact that the Spanish Executive is taking away “between €16 billion and €18 billion” from Catalonia each year, a fiscal deficit amounting to “around 9%” of the Catalan GDP. “The IMF already established that fiscal deficits exceeding 4% of the GDP of a territory amounted to colonial relations”, he highlighted. Besides, he explained that “the average custom duty is between 1.4% and 1.5%”. However, Pont ruled out this possibility since a “political solution” will be reached to keep Catalonia within the EU.

Catalonia’s main SME association PIMEC and the Catalan Business Circle (CCN) have criticised the regional Government of Madrid for issuing a report not sufficiently backed-up by economic data. In addition, they have accused Madrid’s Finance Minister, who presented the report, of offering a politically-biased version by saying that companies have left Catalonia due to the self-determination debate. PIMEC and CCN stated they do not have data supporting Madrid’s statement. On the contrary, they have data proving that foreign investment has not reduced. In addition, CCN accused the Spanish Government of building a “Greater Madrid” as an economic centre, at the expense of other areas such as Catalonia. PIMEC emphasised the Catalan industrial tradition and the vigour of its economy, although admitted that taxation is higher in Catalonia than in Madrid.