New collaboration between Radio Alma and the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg

With the objective of promoting and spreading the Chamber’s and its companies members’ activity in Belgium, the Chamber will start a new collaboration with Radio Alma. The Chamber will count on a weekly program in which the members who are interested in participating will have the chance to speak to the listeners and comment their professional experience in the country.

Radio Alma, the “Mediterranean frequency”, was born in 1986 and it is a multicultural radio whose objective is to inform, integrate and encourage the contact between the different cultures which live together in Brussels with a collaboration and participation spirit. This radio addresses particularly the South European and Latin American communities; this is the reason why, apart from French, there are programs in Spanish, Portuguese, Greek and Italian. These programs are broadcasted on 101.9 FM or you can listen to them online, in http://www.radioalma.be/.

Radio Alma gives businesses an opportunity to be announced on their programs. Check the prices here.

We encourage our members to participate in this program and please don’t hesitate to contact the Chamber if you are interested in: info@e-camara.com.

General Ordinary Assembly 2016

Last June 28, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg held its General Ordinary Assembly 2016 in Brussels. The meeting was attended by numerous partners and representatives of the Spanish public institutions.

DSC_0068Chamber’s President, Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons, welcomed the attendees and showed his satisfaction due to the positive Chamber’s tendency in the last years. The Assembly started with the lecture, by the Secretary General María Catalán, and subsequent approval of the minutes of the Extraordinary General Assembly which took place on the 10th December 2015.

Once approved the minutes, the Secretary General made a presentation of the activities carried out during the 2015 year. Among them she highlighted the increase in the number of members, commercial activities and “Business Circle”’s events organized and the new partnerships carried out. Likewise, she explained the improvements introduced in the communication area, highlighting the web page redesign, the renewal of the corporate image and the creation of an exclusive Intranet for members.

DSC_0080Secretary General presented also the activities within the framework of “Programa Jóvenes BeLux”, an employment project co-financed by the Labour and Social Security Ministry. It was highlighted the success of this programme during the 2015 year due to its personalized services for job seekers.

To conclude the 2015 activities summary, the President informed on FEDECOM’s (Federation of Spanish Chambers of Commerce in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania) activity carried out. He highlighted the Company of the Year Award 2015 given by the Spanish President Mariano Rajoy to the company NH Hotel Group during the Spanish Day celebration at the Milan Expo.

After it, María Catalán submitted for approval of the Assembly the 2015 annual accounts. After a detailed explanation of the balance sheet and a profit and loss account, they were approved unanimously by the attendees and represented members.

Lastly, Secretary General introduced the candidacies received to fill the Board Member’s vacants. After a presentation of each candidate, a voting took place. They were chosen as vocals for the next three years:

Mr. Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons (Conle Finance S.A.)

Mr. Miguel Troncoso Ferrer (Gómez-Acebo & Pombo)

Ms. Nathalie Charpentier Mavrinac (Koan Lorenz)

Mr. Ángel Rebollo Piriz (Atrevia)

The Assembly ratified as well Mr. D. Joseba Arriortua as a Board Member for a period of three years.

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All General Ordinary Assembly 2016 documents are at the disposal of the members at our Intranet.

 

 

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Board of Directors meeting

Last May 19th, the Official Chamber’s Board of Directors met in Brussels.

During the meeting, annual 2015 accounts of the Chamber were approved. A specific date was also scheduled for the celebration of the General Assembly, Tuesday 28th of June in Brussels.

Furthermore, the program of the Chamber’s next months’ activities was introduced and other relevant topics for the institution were discussed along the meeting. Further discussion focused on the Chamber’s strategic plan in the mid and short term.

Brussels attacks

The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg reacts with dismay to the new terrorist attacks on European soil, this time in Brussels.

Among others, no less dramatics, the images of the attacks in Madrid (2004), London (2005), Paris (2015) have come to our minds.

Once again, the civil solidarity and the repulsion of violence were the first feelings coming from our hearts.

The many strong expressions of support the Chamber has received are an example of that human and, at the same time, humanitarian reaction.

Thank you all for your support messages.

We will continue with the commitment to work towards building a better world.

Brussels, 22 March 2016

Belgium continues to be an attractive location for investment

In the light of the recent security events and misrepresentations in some media, the international business community in Belgium feels that it is important to state that Belgium remains an attractive place for investments, a safe place to do business and a great place to live.

As representatives of the international business community, which directly employs about 700,000 people in Belgium, it is important to reiterate this statistically, Belgium is one of the safest countries in the world.

The underlying fundamentals which attracted our companies to set up subsidiaries and branches in Belgium have not changed. The more than 1000 companies, represented by our chambers together, have a long history of over 100 years of successful, sustained business activities in this country, and we feel it is time to recall Belgium’s unique selling points as a destination for investment:

  • The people: Belgium’s workforce is talented, highly skilled, multilingual and diverse.
  • The location: Belgium is geographically situated ideally with a strong transportation and logistics infrastructure providing access to key markets.
  • Innovation: Belgium’s state‐of‐the‐art research universities, clusters and R&D centres – for example, in food & drinks, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive, nanotechnology and clean tech – put the country at the cutting edge of technology and innovation. Belgium is also a very interesting market to test new ideas and products.
  • Quality of life: Belgium has world‐class healthcare and education systems, dining and cultural options.
  • Finally, Belgium has an open, internationally‐oriented and stable economy, anchored by the presence of many international institutions and company headquarters.

All of this combined makes Belgium the perfect environment to conduct business very effectively.

With its modest national character, Belgium seldom boasts about its own successes. Yet, Belgium is quietly progressive and many examples in the dredging, flooring, clinical trials, frozen foods, nuclear medicine and other industries confirm this.

The reality is that we enjoy comfortable, safe and professionally stimulating lives in Belgium, day in day out. We work, our children go to school, we take public transport, we dine in high quality restaurants, we enjoy easy access to a vibrant cultural life, entertainment and nature, and we benefit from a wide range of high standard housing options.

Speaking on behalf of the international business community, we continue to say YES to Belgium and we are committed in the long run.

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Belgium – Spain Foreign Trade Statistics

Hereafter you can check the latest foreign trade statistics between Belgium and Spain for July 2015, as well as a comparison with the preceding years. The document has been elaborated by the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency. Click here for more information.

Belgium – Spain Foreign Trade Statistics

Hereafter you can check the latest foreign trade statistics between Belgium and Spain for last July 2015, as well as a comparison with the previous years. The document has been elaborated by Belgian Foreign Trade Agency. Click here for further information.

 

General Ordinary Assembly 2015

Last 24th of June the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg celebrated the General Ordinary Assembly at the NH Grand Sablon in Brussels. The meeting was attended by many partners and by David Martínez Hornillos, the Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of Spain, and Felipe Formariz, Counselor of Tourism.

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The President of the Chamber, Juan Rodríguez-Villa, welcomed the attendees and welcomed the large audience, a symptom of the good activity of the Chamber of Commerce the last years.

gente_sitios_retocadaSubsequently, the Secretary General , María Catalán, presented the activities undertaken during the year 2014, highlighting the significant increase in the number of partners, the organization of events and increasing trade missions successfully completed. She also presented the activities under the employment project funded by the Ministry of Employment and Social Security and the results obtained from the beginning of its development in March 2014.

The Treasurer, Miguel Ángel Arrimadas, presented the balance sheet and income statement for the year 2014, noting the positive continuity of the financial status of the Chamber of Commerce since 2011.

Subsequently, the General Secretariat presented to the audience the applications received by the partners to join the Board of Directors of the Chamber.

 

After a presentation for the audience of each of the candidates, they proceeded with the vote. Finally, they were renovated and appointed for a period of three years:

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  • Óscar Abril Arranz (Everis)
  • Sergio de Miguel-Jessel
  • Bert Dehandschutter (Racine & Vergels)
  • José Luis Rodríguez (BBVA LuxInvest)
  • José Gracia (Meteora)
  • Ramón Lozano (Gas Natural)
  • María Recalde (CECA Bank)
  • Guillermo Sanz Murat (Santander)

Finally, the Chairman reported on the activity of FEDECOM (Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Spain in Europe-Africa-Asia-Oceania), highlighting the event organized in the Expo in Milan, where the Federation awarded the Company Prize Year to NH Hotel Group and the Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, presented in honor the President and CEO. Also the Vice President, Pablo López Álvarez, reported on upcoming events planning in the Chamber of Commerce.
After the General Assembly attendees could enjoy a cocktail in the halls of the Hotel NH Grand Sablon.

Meeting of Board of Directors of AISBL FEDECOM & Higher Council of Spanish Chambers of Commerce

On 15th May, a meeting of Board of Directors of FEDECOM was held in Brussels, where the main issue focused on the present and the future of the Official Spanish Chambers of Commerce abroad within the framework of the Basic Law of 1 April 2014 of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Navigation.

Members of the Board of Directors of FEDECOM attended the meeting as well as other representantives of the Federated Chambers of Commerce. Javier Cantero, Director General of Higher Council of Chambers and Juan Talavera, International Department, also attended as guests.

The new adopted Law of Chambers and its repercussion on official chambers abroad was debated. The law provides the connection between the Chamber of Spain and the net of the official Chambers abroad, with the main aim of taking part in the Internationalisation Plan for Spanish companies. Moreover, the possibility of representation of the Chamber of Spain in relevant territorial areas was also suggested.

Furthermore, Joseba Arriortua was appointed as Deputy Chairman of FEDECOM and María Catalán was appointed as General Secretary of the Federation during the meeting, both unanimously.