Erasmus and politics at the Economic Circle

BarcelonaIt is no coincidence that the award for European construction at the closing of the 40th Annual Meeting of the Círculo de Economía (Economy Circle) in Barcelona went to Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice President and European Commissioner for Social Rights, Skills, Quality Employment and Training. She represents the organization responsible for the Erasmus program and was recognized with a speech by the Minister for the European Union and External Action, Jaume Duch.

Highlighting the Europeanism with which the Circle was born, its president, Jaume Guardiola – whose mandate ends with this annual meeting –, wanted to emphasize this profile that is in the DNA of the entity since its birth in 1958. A notable issue is that the Eras European, and has added more than 16 million participants since its creation in 1987.

And this is a fundamental pillar, in a conference in which the call has been for Europe to wake up – in a world convulsed by conflicts and by the protectionist policy of the United States – as a space of stability. A space also claimed by the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, who closed the three-day meeting. The Catalan president took the opportunity to deliver his message of commitment to shared prosperity to the business leaders and executives present at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya and emphasized the country's growth forecasts in a context of slower global growth.

Isla also reiterated his commitment to recovering lost ground in renewable energy, aiming to account for 54% of the supply by 2030, as well as his commitment to housing as a tool to combat inequality. In the final conversation with Isla, Guardiola took the opportunity to criticize him, especially regarding housing policy, which he believes fails to take the private sector into account.

Taking advantage of the meeting's theme, the other goal explained by the President of the Generalitat is for Catalonia to return to Europe, to be present and to play an important role, or "the role that corresponds to it," he said. Aside from the issues that have been planned for these meetings despite not being part of the agenda - such as BBVA's takeover bid for Banc Sabadell, which Isla also spoke about ("I would prefer it not to come out," he stated when asked) - the role that the Old Continent should assume has once again been discussed during the sessions.

And once again the need to strengthen the common defense policy, with greater autonomy from the US, and to overcome the challenges of inequality and fake news. These are issues that leading figures and specialists have discussed, imbued with the pro-European spirit of programs like Erasmus.