José Manuel Albares highlighted how the Council Foundations support business internationalisation and strengthen the alignment between foreign policy and national economic interests
The event, organised by the Directorate-General for Economic Diplomacy on the occasion of the presentation of the report “An Updated Vision of Spanish Economic Diplomacy”, prepared by the Spanish Exporters and Investors Club, brought together institutional, diplomatic and business representatives to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Spain’s external economic action in an international context marked by geopolitical uncertainty and growing economic interdependence.
The session was opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, who underlined that Spain is addressing the current international landscape from an active position, committed to multilateralism and free trade. He highlighted the essential role of foreign policy in supporting international economic action and recalled that Spain has led growth among Europe’s major economies for the past five years, while maintaining positive performance in non-energy goods exports and consolidating its position as one of the leading destinations for foreign investment. In this regard, he emphasised the role of the Ministry, the diplomatic network and the Fundaciones Consejo as key tools for supporting business internationalisation and strengthening the alignment between foreign policy and national economic interests.
Antonio Bonet, President of the Spanish Exporters and Investors Club, then presented the report’s main conclusions, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation between public administrations, improve coordination with European partners and reinforce institutions such as the Fundaciones Consejo, the Casas and the Forum of Leading Spanish Brands. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening economic intelligence, advancing towards long-term strategic planning and improving communication between the Administration and the private sector. Bonet also underscored the value of meetings between ambassadors and companies as essential spaces for information exchange and strategic coordination, particularly in the field of economic security.
During the subsequent round table, the Spanish Ambassador to Brazil, Mar Fernández-Palacios, highlighted the importance of permanently monitoring the local situation, ensuring coordination among the different departments of the Embassy and providing continuous support to Spanish companies abroad. She also advocated for greater coordination between the various branches of the Administration and stressed the need to reinforce European coherence vis-à-vis third countries.
Representing the private sector, Trinidad Jiménez highlighted the work carried out by embassies and central services in providing institutional support to companies, both large corporations and SMEs. She stressed that the current context requires moving beyond a purely commercial logic towards a geoeconomic vision capable of anticipating risks and opportunities, understanding the complexity of international investments and incorporating new technological profiles linked to the dual green and digital transition. She also highlighted the importance of legal certainty and constant coordination between public and private stakeholders.
Along the same lines, Sofía Osborne emphasised the impact of public policies on business competitiveness and defended the role of the State as guarantor of a stable environment based on legal and fiscal certainty and the protection of intellectual property. She also stressed the importance of strengthening the Spain brand as a strategic asset and fostering more reliable and sustainable long-term trade relations.
For his part, Manuel Valencia reflected on the growing interrelation between politics and economics in an increasingly complex and vulnerable international context. He highlighted the importance of maintaining fluid dialogue between the public and private sectors, particularly in areas related to financing, political risk management and the international expansion of the Spanish economy.
The closing remarks were delivered by Diego Martínez Belío, who reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to an open and pro-European economy, stressing the importance of strengthening diplomatic and political presence in Europe, Latin America and other emerging markets. He also encouraged Spanish companies to explore new opportunities in Africa and recognised the fundamental role played by trade offices, embassies and central services in supporting business internationalisation.
