Consellera Romero made these remarks at the Economists' Day held this morning in Barcelona, where she engaged in a discussion with Carles Puig de Travy, the Dean of the College of Economists. During the dialogue, she highlighted the government's development of the 'Catalonia Leads' Plan, aimed at creating the necessary levers to ensure that the Catalan economy remains at the forefront of the Spanish economy and can contribute to Europe's response to global challenges.
Regarding talent, the consellera praised the role of Vocational Training (Formación Profesional), stating that it is crucial for training the professionals of the future, particularly in an industry that requires a stronger workforce. She asserted that Vocational Training is a priority for the government, which seeks to address the needs of the productive sector, while also calling on businesses to support dual Vocational Training. 'We need more young people studying Vocational Training and gaining experience in companies,' she stressed.
Public-private collaboration in infrastructure
During her speech, Romero also discussed the importance of public-private collaboration. 'To be more competitive in an increasingly globalised world, the public sector cannot do everything alone; we must work together with the private sector.' In this context, she noted that the government has recently approved the rollout of the Generalitat's public-private collaboration strategy, which provides departments with a specialised sub-directorate to advise on such projects. 'International organisations like the OECD tell us that we can save up to 5% on investments if they are well designed and effectively collaborated on with the private sector,' she explained.
Financing model awaiting new government
Finally, the consellera referred to the new financing model proposal that, after 14 years, has 'come close' to being processed in Congress due to the upcoming elections on 29 November. For the head of the Catalan government's finances, 'this is a key issue not only for Catalonia but for all autonomous communities, as it finances the competencies we have transferred, such as health, education, and social services.' She expressed hope that the new government resulting from the elections will advance the new financing model proposal, which she described as 'fairer and more equitable' than the current one, and which would provide an additional €4.7 billion for Catalonia.
