Lunch-conference: “Coaching as a tool to empower Leadership”

On the 22nd November, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized a lunch-conference about “The coaching as a tool to promote leadership”. The objective of the workshop given by the personal and business coach Marta Cela, was to offer guidelines to lead and to inspire work teams, to help to develop their potential and to improve their skills to make better results.

During the conference, the assistants had the opportunity to stand out, via the coaching, some of the most basic and fundamental skills of the leadership as: the effective communication, conflict management, the motivation and clear objectives.

The conference had both, theoretical and practical content, allowing the maximum interaction between the attendees.

Dag van Spanje

On October 20, the Chamber organized, in collaboration with the Spanish Office of Tourism in Belgium, the Day of Spain (Dag van Spanje) in the central Groenplaats of Antwerp.

Through this unprecedented day in Antwerp, Spain was presented as a tourist destination (it is the third most visited country by Belgians on holidays), and the gastronomic and leisure offer that surrounds it. On the other hand, it highlighted the leading companies and the innovation that exists in our country and employment and training opportunities.

The regions of Murcia, Aragón, Ibiza, Mallorca, Galicia, Castilla y León, Navarra y Tenerife
were present during the day in a space dedicated to the tourism promotion of Spain. Representatives of the eight destinations made their cultural and tourist offer known to the Belgian public, providing detailed information on the different travel options. Also, the participants were able to discover the hotel offer of the Iberostar company and the airports of Antwerp and Ostend-Bruges, who informed about the possibilities of traveling to Spain from Belgium.

The main sponsor of the event, TUI tour operator, presented a wide range of activities in its space, including a virtual reality proposal, a cycling competition and informative positions of the airline.

Spanish sport was also represented thanks to the participation of LaLiga and the Circuit de Catalunya. At their stands, the attendees could experience, respectively, becoming one day professional soccer players and Formula 1 drivers, in addition to following the live broadcast of LaLiga matches that day. Both adults and children enjoyed both experiences.

Interested in working or studying in Spain? They also had their space in the Eures area, portal for professional mobility, the Ministry of Education and the agency for language immersions in Spain Olespañol.

In the gastronomic area, Freixenet participated, the Vista la Tienda import store and Las Mañas restaurant. The participants could enjoy a day in which they felt, tasted and explored the Spanish culinary richness through typical Spanish dishes such as paella, red peppers or patatas bravas.

 

The little ones also had their space in the Day of Spain. In the area dedicated to their entertainment, they enjoyed playing the Camino de Santiago, taking photos with Don Quixote or participating in a face painting workshop. With the game, energized by the Association of the Camino de Santiago de Flandes, they felt like pilgrims for a few hours, completing their credentials and answering questions about Spain.

Next to this area, the parents were able to discover how to make their trip easier thanks to Easybabytrip, a Spanish startup that offered the public equipment for traveling with children.

The day was completed with a permanent cultural program.

The artist Carolina Tafalla made reflect on the perception of friendship through the situational happening “Amigo”. At the same time, the well-known muralist Miguel Ángel Belinchón, Belin, hypnotized by painting live a post-neo-contemporary canvas that he ended at the end of the day.

They were joined by musical performances. La Peña Al Ándalus, started strongly at noon with a flamenco show. Then La Negra Albina and her performance not only made for a good time, but also impressed the audience with her Cumbia Psychotropic-Funk style. In the afternoon, Pepa Niebla delighted the audience with her international jazz. The day culminated with the performance of Alex Torres, DJ who managed to create a more relaxed atmosphere with his electro style.

More than 15,000 attendees visited The Day of Spain (Dag van Spanje) throughout the day valued it very positively, and the participants were very satisfied with the results of the event. The Chamber and the Spanish Tourism Office thank the Embassy of Spain in Belgium and all the participating companies for their contribution to make the event a success.

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The Embassy of Spain in Belgium celebrates the National Holiday

On October 12, the Embassy of Spain in Belgium organized a reception at the Royal Museums of Art and History of Brussels on the occasion of the celebration of the National Holiday.

The reception was attended by local authorities, diplomats, businessmen, European officials and representatives of Spanish public institutions, among other personalities.

The Ambassador of Spain in Belgium, Hon. Ms. Beatriz Larrotcha Palma, thanked the attendees for their participation in the National Holiday and highlighted bilateral relations in tourism, business and institutional between Belgium and Spain.

He also thanked the companies and sponsoring institutions for their collaboration in organizing the event.

The event, in collaboration with the Official Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Belgium and Luxembourg, was sponsored by Food of Spain, Airbus, ElPozo, Everis, Iberdrola, Indra, LaLiga, Santander Bank, Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, Interparking , Freixenet, Atrevia, Quality Media Production, Mediterranean, Chamber of Commerce of Spain and Bodegas Verum. Also, the offices of the Autonomous Communities in Brussels contributed to the success of the act thanks to the contribution of products and typical wines of each region.

The Embassy of Spain in Luxembourg celebrates the National Holiday

 

On October 9th, the Embassy of Spain in Luxembourg celebrated the National Holiday. The reception, which took place in the Cercle Cité of Luxembourg, was sponsored by the Official Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Belgium and Luxembourg, Bankinter, Banca March, Renta4, CAF, LaLiga, Adepa and PwC.

The event counted, among others, with the presence of representatives of the Luxembourg Government, members of the international diplomatic corps, officials of the European institutions and Spanish residents of the Grand Duchy.

The Ambassador of Spain in Luxembourg, Hon. Mr. D. Bernardo de Sicart Escoda,thanked the attendees for their participation in the National Holiday, and the Chamber and the sponsoring companies for their collaboration in organizing the event.

José Luis Rodriguez Álvarez, Vice President of the Chamber, attended the reception in the company of other members of the Board of Directors.

Hispania Brussels delighted the attendees with a Spanish haute cuisine catering.

The Embassy of Spain in Luxembourg and the Chamber are grateful for the collaboration of the sponsoring companies:

                                                     

 

EXPOGAST & B2B Business Meetings

EXPOGAST will take place in Luxexpo The Box from the 24 to the 28 of November. Every four years EXPOGAST gives expression to the real art of living the crafts of gastronomy are vital to the enhancement of our life and of our heritage. EXPOGAST is at the same time a commercial exhibition, a gastronomic restaurant, a worldwide culinary event of international prestige and a platform of activities that aim to celebrate an authentic way of life: gastronomy and the culinary arts. More information: https://expogast.lu/ 

Within the framework of EXPOGAST, the Chambre de Commerce du Grand-Duché of Luxembourg and Entreprise Europe Network organizes the 1st edition of a B2B business meeting event on 26 and 27 November.

For professionals in the sector, the advantages of participating in this event of B2B business meetings are the following:

  • Optimize and generate value added to the participation in the fair.
  • Access to an international contacts network.
  • High level business meetings.
  • Identify new business opportunities and culinary trends.

The Official Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Belgium and Luxembourg, as a collaborating entity in the organization of the B2B event, offers its partners and its network of contacts the preferential rate of 50 euros to participate in the event.

The registration procedure is the following:

  • Access the web: http://www.b2fair.com/Registration/expogast2018/regSelectPartner 
  • Select as “partner organization” the Official Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Belgium and Luxembourg.
  • Complete your company profile. Afterwards, the access codes will be sent to a private area through which you can select the companies with which you wish to meet.
  • You will receive your agenda of business meetings a few days before the event.

The Chamber accompanies ONCE and Ilunion in signing the loan with the EIB

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing ILUNION with EUR 35 million in financing with the objective of creating jobs for people with disabilities and investing in improving energy efficiency.   This is the first loan made by the EIB to a social economy enterprise in Spain and it receives the backing of the Investment Plan for Europe, known as the ‘Juncker Plan’.

The agreement was signed in Brussels last 25 of September by Vice-President of the EIB, Emma Navarro, and President of ILUNION, Alberto Durán, during a ceremony attended by Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, and President of the ONCE Group, Miguel Carballeda. Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons y Pablo López Álvarez, President and Vice President of the Chamber also participated in the act.

 

The project promotes social inclusion and will create 200 jobs, which highlights the potential of the social economy as a generator of employment for people with disabilities.

More information: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/news/first-eib-loan-social-economy-enterprise-spain-ilunion-receives-eur-35-million-under-juncker-plan-2018-sep-25_es

Workshop in Spanish taxes for individuals living abroad

Last 27 th of September, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized, in collaboration with its member BLAW & TAX, a conference about the “Spanish Taxes for Individuals Living Abroad”. The event gathered members of the Chamber, officials of the European institutions and representatives of Spanish companies in the Grand Duchy,

The Vice President of the Chamber, José Luis Rodríguez Álvarez, welcomed the participants and introduced the speaker. 

The conference was run by Inmaculada Pineda, partner of BLAW & TAX, a firm specialized in international taxation and legal-tax consulting at national and international scope related to corporate aspects.

The conference focused on two main points: fiscal residency and its implications, regarding the taxation and fiscal benefits provided by the Spanish domestic legislation.

First, the speaker presented the alternative rules that determine that the tax residency is located in Spain. The right identification of the fiscal residency is fundamental when determining the tax obligations of the natural persons.

Thus, the Spanish regulation incorporates the criteria of residence, location of economic interests and the presumption of tax residency in case the spouse or the children are tax residents in Spain.

Inmaculada Pineda made a parenthesis to explain carefully the well-known model 720 which establishes the informative obligations on the assets located in the Spanish territory.

This declaration must be about three blocks: the accounts in financial institutions, the accounts in financial assets in general and real right on real estate.

Then, Inmaculada Pineda referred to the situation of tax havens and the rule of “tax quarantine”, according to which the person continues to pay taxes in Spain during the transfer year and the following four years.

Afterwards, the conference focused on the OECD Conventions and, especially, on those established with the aim of avoiding double taxation. These conventions are of great importance because they have primacy over the Spanish domestic regulations.

In addition, particular cases were addressed on the maintenance and the change of residence and its related obligations.

Then, Pineda explained the tax benefits incorporated in the Spanish regulation. These are mainly developed in the articles 7.p) of the Spanish Income Tax (LIRPF) and 9 of the Spanish Income Tax Regulations (RIRPF). She emphasized the fact that they are incompatible with one another and that it is usually necessary to analyze each case to be able to choose correctly between the two options.

The conference attracted great interest from the participants, who were able to raise their questions at all times to the rapporteur.

From the Camera, we appreciate the collaboration of BLAW & TAX in the organization of the conference.

04/10 – Informative Session of Grupo CEF.- UDIMA and administrative oppositions of the EU

Grupo CEF.- UDIMA  has the pleasure to invite you next Thursday October 4th at 18:00 in the Meliá Luxembourg Hotel to an informative session delivered by Ana Landeta, R&D Director in the UDIMA University, who will present the education range proposed by the Grupo CEF.- UDIMA .

During the session, the following topics will be covered:

The session will proceed in spanish.

To attend the informative Session please register here.

 

 

Energy for Europe: Innovating for a sustainable future

Repsol, sponsor member of the Chamber, has the pleasure to invite you to the fourth edition of Repsol’s annual conference “Energy for Europe”, which will take place on Thursday 27th September 2018 at the Bibliothèque Solvay in Brussels.

The event is entitled “Energy for Europe: Innovating for a sustainable future” and will include a keynote speech from a high-level European Commission representative, followed by a panel discussion. The panel will look at the impact of today’s low-carbon successes on the future of energy, how to safeguard competitiveness, and what role sustainable finance could play.

More information will follow shortly. Should you wish to register, please reply through this link.

We are looking forward to your participation.

Conference on future priorities and budget of the EU: Do they benefit Spain?

On June 26, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized, in collaboration with its member Schuman Associates, a conference on “The future priorities and budgets of the EU: Do they benefit Spain?“. The event was attended by several members of the Chamber and representatives of Spanish public institutions in Brussels.

The conference was given by Ruth Estrada, partner of Schuman Associates, a consultancy based in Brussels with more than 25 years of experience in financing and European Public Affairs.

As can be seen from the title of the conference, the exhibition focused on the new multi-year financial perspectives of the EU, which are prepared every seven years. This budget proposal is the first that is made without the participation of the United Kingdom.

These new budgets present several changes compared to the previous ones. In fact, the number of programs has fallen from fifty-eight to thirty-seven, multiplying the investment in digitalization, Erasmus program and security and defense programs, as well as borders contol.

In relation to these initiatives, one of the main novelties exposed by Ruth Estrada is that these budgets look for a centralization of the financing by increasing the control of Brussels.

As a consequence of this centralization, the European cohesion policy will also be seriously impacted, reducing funding for these policies by 10%, which will be compensated through centralized policies.

Estrada also explained the budget distribution foreseen for the new Horizon Europe (which will continue the work begun by Horizon 2020). This horizon plans to allocate more than ninety four trillion euros to programs grouped in various pillars, such as: the research and development of infrastructures, global challenges and industrial competitiveness and the strengthening of the European research area through the creation of a European Council of Innovation.

Likewise, the co-financing of Brussels in European projects will be significantly reduced, which will affect investment in regional policies, mainly affecting southern and eastern European countries.
Therefore, the five objectives through which investments in structural funds are conducted will be the search for a more digital, greener, better connected, more social and closer to citizens Europe.

As the speaker emphasized, sectors such as tourism and urban development are left out of the main core of these budgets. It is for this reason that Spain, although benefiting in many aspects, will try to introduce these matters in the possible modifications that may be carried out in the proposal. The final decision is scheduled to be approved in May 2019.

After the intervention of Ruth Estrada, numerous attendees had the opportunity to ask questions or comment on the draft budget of the European Union.

To conclude, the speaker informed on the reports published by Schuman Associates in relation to the multiannual financial framework 2014-2020, suggesting its reading for all those interested in European funding and the novelties that are proposed for the coming years:

More information on MFF reports: http://www.schumanassociates.com/newsroom