THESE ARE THE PRIORITY GOALS TO BE BACKED BY THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT.
UNEMPLOYMENT UNDER 10%, GDP OVER 40% IN ADVANCED INDUSTRY AND SERVICES, AND R&D IN LINE WITH THE EU AVERAGE.
Accelerating economic recovery through job creation, undertaking digital, ecological and socio-sanitary transformations as an opportunity to improve the competitiveness of the production structure and to include environmental criteria in all sector policies, not as a conditioning factor but as a competitive advantage for the creation of value.
Tapia is backing this move to reinforces the existing production structure and to make the most of the opportunities that emerge in three large transition processes: energy-climate, technology-digital and social and healthcare
One of the key challenges is the passing of the law on Energy Transition and Climate Change, the maintaining of the decision to invest 6% in R&D&I and the implementation of business grants, focusing on SMEs.
The reduction of greenhouse gas emission, the kick-start of the circular economy and bio-economIcs will concentrate on actions in favour of climate and waste management.
The Regional Councillor for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, Arantxa Tapia, has presented to the Basque Parliament the governing principles, main lines of action, goals and key projects that she will be leading during this term of government, the mission of which is:
Accelerating economic recovery through job creation, undertaking , digital, ecological and socio-sanitary transformations as an opportunity to improve the competitiveness of the production structure and to include environmental criteria in all sector policies, not as a conditioning factor but as a competitive advantage for the creation of value.
The department led by Arantxa Tapia is responsible for five of the ten objectives of the Basque Country, established by the Basque president Iñigo Urkullu for the next four years:
- Reducing unemployment to under 10%.
- Bringing regional GDP in industry and advanced services to over 40%.
- Achieving R&D convergence with EU average.
- Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30%.
- Achieving a renewable energies quota representing 20% of final energy consumption.
Arantxa Tapia explained to the Parliament how this work will be carried. The commitment is to “reinforce the existing production structure and to make the most of the opportunities that arise in relation to the three main transition processes: energy-climate, technology-digital and social and healthcare.”
Approval of the Law on Energy Transition and Climate Change, maintaining of the decision to invest 6% in R&D&I and the implementation of business grants focusing on SMEs, will be significant challenges on which a well-organised team is already working, across four council departments and eight companies:
- Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness
- Industry
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Policy
- Sustainability and the Environment
- SPRI Group (BIT – Private Equity – Sprilur – Technology Parks)
- EVE
- Neiker
- HAZI Fundazioa
- ELIKA
- IHOBE
- URA Agentzia
- EKP Euskadiko Kirol Portuak
In order to meet the Regional Government objectives, the Department for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment will work on providing the business fabric with new tangible and intangible infrastructures, such as the Data Centre, the Artificial Intelligence Centre or the 5G Network.
The new PTS Euskadi 2030, the development of the Sustainability Act and the new Law on Energy Transition and Climate Change will facilitate the increase in sources of renewable energies, in a Basque Country that is free of fracking, and keeping gas as the transition energy.
The reduction of greenhouse gas emission, the driving of the circular economy and the bio-economics will focus their actions in favour of the climate and waste management, with actions such as the creation of the new public industrial waste centre, will be key for this legislature.
Increasing food production in the Basque Country is another of the Department’s goals, driving the primary sector, as well as a local food supply chain, ensuring a greater territorial balance offering quality of life to people living and working in rural and coastal villages.
The view on gender and equal opportunities will be included in all working areas: in the technological, industrial and primary sectors. It is important to include and publicise the role of women across all sectors.
INDUSTRY
Objective: for industry and advances services reach 40% of regional GDP
Strategic context and regulations: New Industry Plan 2020-2024
Main lines of action:
- Design of new local value chains with clusters
- Driving strategic projects to stretch our industrial fabric
- Support instruments for SMEs for competitive improvements, including financing
- Reinforcing the health industry alongside the Basque Health Cluster
Special attention:
- Industry 4.0 and Advanced Services
- Modernisation and digitalisation of SMEs
- Training and preparing of professions focusing on digital skills
- Digital and non-digital infrastructures
- Modernisation, servicing and efficiency of infrastructures in industrial estates, technology parks and ports
- Providing new tangible and intangible infrastructures for the business sector
- Land
- Re-use of land and/or empty urbanised sites
- Development and expansion of space in technology parks
- Disadvantages areas and struggling businesses:
- Positive discrimination in underprivileged areas (as per EU Directive)
- Drawing up district strategies
- Re-structuring of struggling businesses
New and/or notable actions:
- Industrial Development
- Machinery Exchange Programme (Renove)
- Aids for investment (Gauzatu)
- Industry 4.0 and Advanced Services
- BDIH Konexio Programme
- Renove 4.0 plans for adaptation to robotics and digitalisation
- SMEs Cybersecurity Programme
- Infrastructures
- Basque Artificial Intelligence Centre
- New public-private Data Centre
- Completion of the ultra-fast broadband network
- Extension of the 5G network, based on the existing pilot project
- Land
- Funding scheme to evaluate and develop contaminated and derelict sites
- Disadvantaged areas and struggling businesses
- Developing the new Technology Park in Ezkerraldea Meatzaldea
- Indartu, Bideratu Berria and Bideratu COVID-19 Programme
- Strategic Projects. EXAMPLES:
- Autonomous and connected vehicles Project
- Hydrogen Strategy Support
INTERNATIONALISATION
Objective: Adapting business internationalisation to the current COVID-19 situation
Strategic and regulatory context New Business Internationalisation Plan 2020-2024
Main lines of action:
- Early competitive intelligence model
- Reinforcement of External Network
- Investor attraction to the Basque Country
- Bilateral agreements with regions in collaboration with Foreign Action
- Financial support for business internationalisation
- Increasing professional specialising on international markets
- Reinforcement and promotion of the Euskadi Basque Country brand
Key actions:
- Opening of new overseas network offices
- BEINT grants and Global Training grants
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Objective: Achieving R&D convergence with EU average in investment and results – and making the Basque Country a hub for European innovation.
Strategic and regulatory context New PCTI 2030 + RIS3 Strategy
Main lines of action:
- Excellence, market proximity and specialisation
- Honing R&D onto strategic areas of the RIS3 and niche opportunities
- Pioneering research initiatives in healthy ageing, electric transport and circular economy
- Expansion of innovation to the “last mile”
- Innovative public purchasing
- Strengthening industrial doctorates, in particularly supporting the involvement and leadership of women
Key actions:
- Interannual budget increase of +6% for R&D&I
- Promotion of 120 strategic R&D projects
- Grant schemes for NON technological innovation
- Hazinnova: grants for innovation in SMEs
INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Objective: Increasing the creation of technological businesses by 10% and place the Basque Country as a leading ecosystem of international start-ups collaborating with local industry
Strategic and regulatory context
Lines of action:
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- Promotion of entrepreneurial spirit and culture
- Assessment and guidance via BIC (business innovation centres)
- Consulting, mentoring and coaching services
- Improvement of financial and investment support tools: Ekintzaile, Aurrera and Basque Fondo
- Grants for accessing international markets
Key actions:
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- Development of a central single administrative portal
- Annual call for entries for Bind 4.0 with a total of 800 agreements between major local and international players and local start-ups.
- Support for 1000 entrepreneurial projects and creation of 450 new technology companies
Full news item here.
