The Chamber of Commerce has just published a note that questions a fundamental aspect of thePhoenix Report. To simplify, the report states that the Catalan economy has a productivity problem that makes it unsustainable, and that the main cause is one: the disproportionate growth of a few unproductive export sectors that can grow thanks to the massive incorporation of labor remunerated with low wages. On the other hand, the Chamber's document concludes that the productivity problem – which no one doubts – would not be concentrated in this type of sector, but rather would be generalized throughout the Catalan economy. For his part, Enric Fernández, chief economist at CaixaBank, agreed with this from "an article in ARA in which he affirmed that “the data […] confirm [that] the productivity problem is transversal”.The first problem with this conclusion is that it is wrong. The second is even more serious, and that is that it leads to inaction. To make ourselves understood: the debate is whether the illness has a localized cause that allows for a focused intervention or if the evil is diffuse and, therefore, what the sick person needs is rest and good food.Why is the conclusion false? The Chamber bases it on the analysis of the productivity of the different sectors of the Catalan economy. For lack of better data, it considers the ten macrosectors provided by Eurostat. It is a path that the authors of the Fènix Report embarked on and which did not lead us very far. So that the reader can grasp the problem, the ten macrosectors are so diverse that it makes no sense to compare their productivities (apparently, that of real estate activities would be five times higher than that of industry!). To top it off, tourism is not one of these ten sectors. The Chamber systematically identifies it with the sector “Wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food service activities”. This is a very risky identification, as this sector is five times larger than tourism (for example, only 8% of retail trade is aimed at tourism). A more fertile approach must start from the fact that the productivity of an economy is determined by that of its exporting activities, even if these only represent a relatively modest fraction of the total. It may seem paradoxical, but this fact is what explains why, even though string quartets, McDonald's workers, chambermaids, and airport firefighters do exactly the same thing in the same way everywhere, they are much more productive in Switzerland than in Catalonia (and therefore earn much more there).Starting from this point, Catalonia's productivity is determined by that of its manufacturing and its tourism, as this is fundamentally what we export.

China's decision to restrict the export of rare earths, permanent magnets, and other critical minerals to Japan has turned an industrial dependency known for years into a top-tier problem for the Japanese economy. These materials are indispensable for manufacturing semiconductors, electronic components, batteries, electric motors, or defense systems, so any interruption in their supply threatens some of the most competitive sectors of Japanese industry.

The Leche Pascual group has initiated this Friday a regulation of employment (ERO) to lay off the 80 workers from its Gurb (Osona) plant, partially dismantled for months after the company reached an agreement with Casa Tarradellas for the sale of the factory.

Ebro presented this Monday morning its new production line at the Zona Franca plant. With the so-called M1, which has been operational since the beginning of the year, the company can triple its previous production: while the M0 – shorter and with fewer processes – allows manufacturing 6 cars per hour, the new line will be able to manufacture up to 20 vehicles in the same time. However, for now, its productivity will not be exploited at 100% and, as explained by the president of Ebro EV Motors, Rafael Ruiz, it will be expanded as demand increases. Specifically, currently, on the M1 – where models s400 and s700 are produced – only one shift is working, while on the M0 – where s800 and s900 are made – two shifts are working. If the new line were open 24 hours – which would be equivalent to three shifts – it would be capable of producing up to 130,000 vehicles per year.

“Industry must reach 25% of GDP". It has been more than a decade since different Catalan executives have set out to boost the country's industrial sector again. The data, however, indicate that far from achieving the expected growth, the weight of industry in our economy is stagnant: since the beginning of the great crisis of 2008, its contribution has remained around 17% of the total. The last major effort, in fact, was staged this past week. On Monday, Salvador Illa and Miquel Sàmper, along with employers' associations and unions, sealed the new National Pact for Industry (PNI), which foresees investing a minimum of 4,463 million euros in the sector in the next four years.

The president of Pimec, Antoni Cañete, took advantage of the presence of the Minister of Industry, Jordi Hereu, at an event of this employers' association in Rubí to call for a law aimed at preventing obstacles that hinder the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This law to promote business growth should serve to encourage SMEs to gain size, productivity, and competitiveness. Hereu, who in the same event advocated for increasing the weight of local industry and trade, argued that public policies should be directed towards business growth, strengthening the size, productivity, and competitiveness of the SME fabric to face global challenges.

The Catalan paper group Miquel y Costas presented this Thursday its new investment plan worth 130 million euros until 2029. Specifically, as the industrial company has detailed, over the next three years it will allocate up to 47 million euros to technological improvements in the production process. The group also plans to allocate 33 million to infrastructure, 30 million to sustainability, and 20 million to automation and digitization of processes. Among all the planned investments, the opening of two biomass plants in Catalonia stands out.

“More industry, but, above all, of better quality”: Salvador Illa and the country's main economic agents have sealed this Monday the new National Pact for Industry. The roadmap until 2030 foresees an investment of almost 4,500 million euros in 190 actions comprised in five major areas, such as innovation or employment. During his speech, the President of the Generalitat emphasized that the agreement "is not a sectoral pact" but a "national and future pact". The text has been agreed with the two main employers' associations in the territory, Foment del Treball and Pimec, and the two majority trade unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and UGT. The objective: that by 2030 industry represents 25% of Catalonia's gross domestic product (GDP), the macroeconomic indicator that measures the monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a territory.

The last year at the defense company Indra, whose main shareholder is the State, with 28% of the share capital, has been marked by changes in leadership and a failed operation – the possible merger of Indra with the company Escribano Mechanical & Engineering (EM&E Group)–. Regarding all this, and more, were the questions posed this Tuesday in the National Security Commission of Congress to two officials who have been involved in both controversies: Belén Gualda, president of the State Industrial Participations Company (SEPI, the investment arm of the Spanish government), and the director of the Office of Economic Affairs and G20 of the Spanish government, Manuel de la Rocha.

The Basque group Aernnova has sold one of the two company branches of Serra Soldadura at auction, the Barcelona industrial company it has owned since 2008 and for which it has filed for voluntary liquidation. According to the works councils of Serra Soldadura, the sale will only serve to safeguard 10 of the 190 jobs the company has.

Pronovias begins a new phase with the fund Cap Capital as owner, which is the one that has been chosen in the selection process by the commercial court number 9 of Barcelona. The British fund was the last to enter the bidding for the company founded by the Palatchi family, which was immersed in insolvency proceedings.

Europe suffers from a technological lag. This seems indisputable. But when did it miss the boat? In reality, not so long ago. In the mid-20th century, it was still at the forefront, and in certain sectors, it maintained advantageous positions almost until the dawn of the 21st century. Then it collapsed.

Around 150 workers have been evacuated due to the large-scale fire that is burning this Friday the factory owned by Montesa Honda in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda (Vallès Occidental), both from this company and from nearby factories, according to the Local Police of the municipality.

China being the world's factory is starting to become a problem for the rest. Especially now that what they produce is essential, and with superior technology to ours; the times when the country did reverse engineering are long gone. Trump complained, and now the European Commission also does, which has set out to reduce a growing trade deficit between the Union and the Asian giant.

The European pharmaceutical sector is losing competitiveness compared to the US and China. This was warned by the president of AstraZeneca in Spain, Laura Colón, during a round table within the framework of the Annual Meeting of the Cercle d'Economia, in Barcelona. This situation, influenced by issues such as excessive regulation and bureaucracy, is combined with the lengthening of life expectancy which, in large part, is due to new drugs. "We must ensure that governments realize the value of drugs and that they are not just a cost," she warned.

The Minister of Industry and Tourism of the Spanish government, Jordi Hereu, boasted about the capacity of Spanish industry. In his speech at the 41st Meeting of the Cercle d'Economia, Hereu celebrated that the state's productive sector "holds its ground", and survives the multiple geopolitical threats that surround it.

The company Guala Closures—specializing in the manufacture of bottle caps— has notified its staff of its intention to file for a collective redundancy procedure (ERO) at its plant located in Olèrdola (Alt Penedès). According to union sources, the company plans to lay off 82 of the 87 employees working at the center.

The Catalan multinational Fluidra reinforces its digitalization strategy with the purchase of Datapool, a platform developed by the French company Ecotropy that allows reducing operational costs linked to the use and maintenance of swimming pools.

Pere Mier (Figueres, 1952), a prominent figure in the technology world, with origins in the family business Mier Comunicacions and former president of employers' associations Ametic and Proespacio, among other roles, has been president for a few days of Open Cosmos, the company founded by a Majorcan, Rafel Jordà, and two Catalans, Aleix Megías and Jordi Barrera, and dedicated to the design, production, and operation of satellites. Mier explains from the company's headquarters in the Sant Andreu neighborhood of Barcelona that his role will consist of consolidating a group that is "among the fastest growing in Europe," based on "the democratization of access to space" to make it easier and cheaper. He adds that he will also play a role in the development of the defense and security industry within the Old Continent's objective of gaining strategic autonomy, because "space technologies are dual by definition."