THE The Aragonese economy will continue to grow, but in a more moderate way.according to the analysis carried out by the Economic Situation Commission of CEOE Aragón.
During the first half of the year, the economy recorded higher growth figures than initially expected, both in Aragon and in Spain as a whole. And, for the second half of the financial year, Sustained growth is expected, although slightly more moderate..
With this development, it is estimated that the year will close with data similar to those of the country. Current forecasts are between 2.7% and 2.9%.explained the President of the Commission, Félix Longás.
On the positive side, it should be noted that companies have influenced the control of inflation and the downward trend in interest rates and their ability to stimulate domestic demand. However, the last part of the year will not benefit from such a positive contribution from services and tourism.
International impact
In addition, there is the weak growth of strong European economieswhich are Aragon’s main customers such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom or Italy.
This “has a negative effect” on national and Aragonese forecasts, especially in the industrial sector of production of capital goods and their exports. However, companies have confidence in the diversification and strength of the Aragonese foreign sector, “whose performance is clearly better than that of the national sector throughout the year,” added Longás.
The persistence of international war conflicts and internal factors such as government policies, particularly on taxation and labour relations.
The Aragonese industrial specialization means that Aragonese companies are particularly looking forward to the policies that will be implemented in the new European legislature and in which they consider that the industrial strengthening of the EU advocated by the ‘Draghi report‘.
A point on which the new Commission and its announced commitment to strengthening the competitiveness and global positioning of the European economy in relation to its international competitors seem to align.
It is also considered essential that the green and electric transition “is also carried out with criteria of economic sustainability”, as well as bureaucratic simplification and digitalization at all levels of administration.
In this sense, the evolution of the Open crisis with China over car tariffs and the effect that the Chinese response will certainly have on the pork sectorThis last sector is fundamental in the Aragonese economy, since it represents almost 14% of Aragon’s total exports.
Scope of work
Other points that concern Aragonese businessmen are: lack of manpoweraccording to what is reflected in the CEOE Aragón competitiveness survey of the second semester.
On the workers’ side, Félix Longás advocated the continuation of the negotiation on the reduction of working hours“which would affect sectors and the size of companies very unequally”, which is why it requires “more flexibility and time for analysis to reach the agreement”.
Longás doubted its effect on productivity because “if our teams are already working at full capacity, we do not understand how they say that with shorter hours, productivity will not suffer.”
