Sàmper announces a €37.5 million package to address the tariff crisis
Before the summer, companies will be able to access aid of up to 80,000 euros to internationalize.
BarcelonaThe Regional Minister of Business and Employment, Miquel Sàmper, announced this Wednesday an initial package of aid and measures totaling €37.5 million to help companies respond to the tariff crisis triggered by US President Donald Trump. This initial package is "double the budget for the previous year," the minister noted.
This aid is being implemented within the framework of the Respondemos Plan (We Respond Plan) through Acció (Acció)—the competitiveness agency of the Generalitat (Catalan Government). Before the summer, companies will be able to access aid of up to €80,000 to expand internationally. "Catalonia is clearly the autonomous community with the greatest interest in the United States," Sàmper recalled.
"Faced with this global situation, we must be prepared; we'll see how it ends," Sàmper noted. And he addressed companies: "Those of you who export must start looking at other markets beyond the United States and not depend solely on a market that has been doing very well for us until now; we must maintain this market, but not put all our eggs in one basket," he insisted. In this regard, the minister pointed to Asian countries, specifically China, India, and Japan, among others, as good options.
The announced aid will consist of multi-location aid for the creation of subsidiaries abroad (9 million), international promotion aid (8 million), internationalization vouchers (2 million, with a maximum aid of 10,500 euros per company), and business diversification. Likewise, Acció explained that a new export initiation program and a business growth service will also be launched later.
Global photo
Trump has currently imposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, excluding products included in the USCMA; he is negotiating with China, on which he had imposed tariffs of over 145%. There is a universal imposition of 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel and 10% on all products except pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, copper, and wood. "But not just because of these products," noted Acción's Strategic Intelligence Manager, Antoni Fita.
Regarding Catalonia, Fita points out that, as things stand now, pending negotiations between countries, the direct impact on Catalan companies that export to the US, some 3,160, would be around €4.35 billion, 4.3% of the total. The most affected sectors will be chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, agri-food, and metallurgy.