Breakfast with members: business strategies to implement in order to promote economic recovery after Covid-19

On May 4th, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized a breakfast between members about the different corporate strategies to set in place for economic recovery after the Covid-19 crisis. This breakfast was presented by the President of the Chamber, Juan Rodríguez Villa-Matons, and moderated by the Secretary General Marta González Benguria. Representatives of various companies members of the chamber from very different sectors shared their impressions and strategies to overcome this situation and to rapidly recover after Covid-19.

First of all, it was highlighted the great effort carried out by many of those companies to help Spain in the most difficult moments both with enormous donations as well as in cooperation to bring medical material to confront this pandemic. All the participants agreed in the giant impact this crisis has had in all the economy, especially in the Horeca and those working with mass participants. This impact is being very cruel among the smallest business of the sectors paralyzed, as many of them had to shut down and it is not very clear whether they will be able to open again. Additionally, their was a common agreement in the inflection point this pandemic will be in terms of business models and the difficulties to rapidly adapt to a massive teleworking of big percentages of the staff.

Topics like digitalization and the use of technologies like AI have been exponentially accelerated in almost all sectors. This new realities, in addition with the new experience of massive teleworking, draw a picture of a near future with a great use of technology to allow normalized teleworking and opens new opportunities for business. This reality also forces all of us to adapt if you do not want to stay out of this technological wave. Contingency plans were also highlighted to overcome this kind of crisis with the assistance of this new technologies from a realistic perspective.

The attendants also pointed out the critical importance of the measures taken by the European Union even if the common budget negotiations are stuck and there are debates regarding the format of this economical aids. Despite the uncertainty, most part of the answers against this crisis have been rapidly taken. This new reality has its positive side in the EU ambiance as some previously unaccesible people and information are now more available and great amounts of money for investigation have been mobilized in a record timing.

 
From the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg we want to sincerely thank all of the attendants. In the view of the enriching debate we had, we have agreed to repeat this kind of event when the path to go back to this “new normality” is more clear.

Breakfast-debate with MEPs Jordi Cañas and Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero: priorities of INTA committee

On April 8th, The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg hosted the first event in the series “Breakfasts with the Eurocámara”, a meeting platform between Spanish companies and the European Parliament, on “The priorities of the International Trade Committee (INTA) for the new legislature” with the MEPs and members of the International Trade Committee (INTA) Jordi Cañas Pérez (Renew Europe) and Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero (S&D). Given the exceptional circumstances due to the spread of COVID-19 in Belgium, this breakfast debate was held online for the first time and was attended by representatives of member companies of the Chamber, business leaders, representatives of the Autonomous Communities and other organizations.

 

 

Pablo López Álvarez, Vice President of the Chamber and host of the event, began by making a presentation of the speakers, thanking them for their participation as well as to all the attendants. Before moving on to the speeches, he gave a brief introduction on the current historical situation we are experiencing and which, without doubt, has radically changed the EU’s trade agenda.

 

 

MEP Jordi Cañas began by making a deep historical and geopolitical reflection on the current context, which seems to announce a fall in commercial and economic terms unprecedented since the Second World War on the continent. This health crisis has highlighted the different social tensions that already existed and which generate rejection of international trade in certain social circles throughout the European Union. In addition, the INTA committee faces two major challenges. On the one side, the need to give a definitive resolution to Brexit and on the other hand, the need for negotiated solutions to transatlantic trade tensions. Under these circumstances, however, both the European project and the role of the EU as a global actor are more at stake than ever, and it is therefore worth reflecting on where we want to move forward as a union.

 

MEP Immaculada Rodríguez-Piñero first thanked the enormous effort that many Spanish companies are making to redirect their production towards the manufacture of vital medical products in these circumstances, providing gowns, masks, disinfectant gels and respirators. This current crisis undoubtedly highlights the need to reorganize the governance of globalization with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international organizations to make it functional again and to serve as a means for negotiating resolutions of trade disputes. A strong reaction by the European Union to the imminent economic recession is also required, one that is truly solidary, without conditions, and one that revitalizes the European industrial network to avoid excessive dependence on certain products. As far as the priorities of the INTA Committee are concerned, some topics are frozen like the final resolution of Brexit, where greater transparency on the British side is missing, or the negotiations with the US for the negotiated solution of numerous problems that significantly affect the Spanish countryside and the investments of Spanish companies in Cuba as a result of the Airbus ruling.

During the Q&A session, the participants were able to ask the speakers on numerous issues of interest. Thus, various topics were discussed, such as the process of ratification of the trade agreement with MERCOSUR, which could represent an important precedent in the relations between the EU and Latin America, the complex situation faced by the naval sector, the European standards in sanitary products or the necessary visibility of the social economy also in trade agreements.

 

Afterwork with members

Last May 16th, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized, in collaboration with Eurostars Montgomery Hotel,  an afterwork for the members at this hotel . The afterwork is an initiative of the Chamber that seeks to promote networking and generate new business opportunities among its members.

more than thirty participants  attended to the event, including members of different companies associated to the Chamber, as well as representatives from different Spanish public institutions. It was a good opportunity to visit the Eurostars Montgomery Hotel, located in the European quarter of Brussels, after its remodelling.

The attendees enjoyed an aperitif in a relaxed and ideal environment to interact and generate business opportunities. This fourth edition of the afterwork was, once again, a success and the Chamber wishes to continue with this initiative.

 

Breakfast between members in Luxembourg

On October 25th the Chamber organized a breakfast between members in Luxembourg. The event took place in the offices of the MEBS company. The breakfast counted with the participation of a dozen associated companies.

The Vice President of the Chamber, José Luis Rodríguez Álvarez, thanked the MEBS for the organization of breakfast and introduced the interventions of the participing companies.

Representatives of MEBS, Renta4, Intertrust, Igmasa, Banco Sabadell, CaixaBank, Caldia, The Information Lab, as wll as other partners in their personal capacity had the opportunity to present the activity of their respective companies in Luxembourg and to do networking in a relaxed environment.

04/10 – Afterwork with members

Last May 4th, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized an afterwork among the members of the Chamber at the Hispania Brussels restaurant. The afterwork is an initiative of the Chamber that seeks to promote networking and generation of new business opportunities among its members.

The event had more than thirty participants, including members of different companies associated to the Chamber as well as representatives from different Spanish public institutions. During the event Tennium, the Spanish company focused on the tennis industry, had the opportunity to present the European Open ATP 250, that will take place between the 14th and 21st of October in Antwerp.

The Chamber offered an aperitif to the attendees, allowing them to interact and enjoy an ideal environment to generate business opportunities. The third edition of the afterwork was, once again, a success and the Chamber wishes to continue with this initiative.

 

 

Afterwork with members in Luxembourg

Last July 12th, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized an afterwork among members of the Chamber in Luxembourg. The event took place at Hotel Meliá Luxembourg. The after-work is an initiative of the Chamber that seeks to promote networking and generation of new business opportunities among its members.

The event had many attendees, among them members and supporters of the Chamber.

The event counted with the collaboration of Hotel Meliá Luxembourg, which presents its services to all the attendees. Besides, it offered an aperitif, allowing them to interact and enjoy an ideal environment to generate business opportunities.

From the Chamber, we would like to thank Hotel Meliá for its support. We hope to keep on working next to them in future editions and events hold in Luxembourg.

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Afterwork with members of the Chamber

Last May 17th, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized an afterwork among members of the Chamber at the Hispania Brussels restaurant. The afterwork is an initiative of the Chamber that seeks to promote networking and generation of new business opportunities among its members.

The event had more than forty participants, including members of different companies associated to the Chamber, Spanish public bodies and this time it was attended by representatives of Latin American embassies in Belgium.

The Chamber offered an aperitif to the attendees, allowing them to interact and enjoy an ideal environment to generate business opportunities. The afterwork was, once again, a success and the Chamber wishes to continue with this initiative.

 

In collaboration with:  

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Breakfast between members of the Chamber in Luxembourg

 

Last 26th of April, a breakfast between the members of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg was organized.

The breakfast took place in the office of our Member PwC in Luxembourg. Mr. Jose Luis Rodríguez, Vice-President of the Chamber, and our representative Members of PwC, Renta4, Intertrust, Adepa, Mebs, Igmasa, Cuba Desk, Mostajo Architecte and Abogados Ruiz de Peralta attended the event.

The breakfasts organized by the Chamber are a tool to promote networking and to encourage the creation of business between our Member companies.

We would like to thank Christian Albarracín, Partner of PwC, for having made this breakfast possible.

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First afterwork with members

The past 21st September, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized the first afterwork with members of the Chamber at the restaurant Hispania Brussels. The afterwork is an initiative of the Chamber which aims to encourage networking among members and the generation of new business opportunities.

Members from different companies associated to the Chamber participated on the afterwork. Once all the attendees arrived to the venue, the Secretary General of the Chamber, María Catalán, said a welcome word, thanking the attendees participation. Afterwards, she introduced the translation company Lextrad.

After that, Marina Lanckmans, Founder – Director of Lextrad, introduced the company and its services. During her intervention, she explained the responsibilities every translation company has and she highlighted the importance of owning an exhaustive knowledge of the working languages, their cultural, sociological, economic and political contexts with the aim of providing an excellent translation service.

Finally, the Chamber offered the attendees an appetizer, allowing them to interact a bit longer and enjoy an ideal environment to generate new business opportunities. The afterwork was a complete success and the Chamber wishes to continue this initiative regularly.

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Second Breakfast with Members of the Chamber in Luxembourg

Last May 11 a new breakfast with members of the Chamber took place in Luxemburg at the FIDUCIAIRE PREMIER LUXEMBOURG S.A. premises. The event was attended by new members, as well as companies that have been part of the Chamber for years.

Representatives of Fiduiciaire Premier, IN ART Fund Art, Ruiz de Peralta Abogados, LuxHotels, Arendt, AndBank, Prepare China, PwC and also other partners in their personal capacity had the chance to share a coffee and chat in a privileged atmosphere, in the middle of the Petrusse Valley.

All of them introduced their companies’ activities and agreed on the relevance of this kind of events to promote networking and increase the number of contacts in different sectors.

Time and date of our next breakfast in Luxembourg will be announced soon.