The Economic and Social Council of the Province of Alicante (CESPA) held a regular session this morning, featuring representatives from UGT, CCOO, and the Confederation of Business of the Valencian Community (CEV). The meeting focused on analysing the socioeconomic conditions in the region and presenting various proposals for improvement.
Key issues discussed included the challenges of accessing housing, the quality of employment, and the lack of infrastructure, particularly regarding public transport. Other topics included technological transformation, the demand for skilled labour, the state of public services, and social cohesion. The session was presided over by the first vice-president, Ana Serna.
UGT and CCOO were the first to speak, highlighting the positive employment levels in Alicante, with over 914,000 active individuals and more than 21,700 new contributors. However, they expressed concern about the quality of jobs and the existing wage gap, noting that the average salary is below €19,500, which is increasingly inadequate given the rising cost of living.
In this context, they raised alarms about housing access, describing it as a social and labour emergency, with many individuals spending between 60% and 70% of their income on housing. They called for increased inspections of tourist accommodations and the expansion of social and affordable housing options. Additionally, they advocated for regular migration, a fair digital transition, and the promotion of reindustrialisation in the province, alongside improvements in public services and equitable taxation.
Regarding infrastructure, they deemed the Torrellano variant, the Coastal Train, the Mediterranean Corridor, and the modernisation of the Alicante-Murcia commuter train as essential projects. They also proposed concrete actions such as establishing a specific commission for housing and social services and conducting an audit of funds from the Programme Contract in municipalities.
Meanwhile, the CEV presented a sectoral report on the business landscape in Alicante, which was prepared at the end of 2025. This report provides an overview of the challenges facing sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, construction, commerce, hospitality, tourism, logistics, transport, innovation, digitalisation, and industry.
The Confederation highlighted that Alicante has a solid productive base but warned of significant challenges, including a shortage of skilled personnel, rising costs for raw materials, energy, and labour, bureaucratic hurdles, low public investment—Alicante ranks second to last in state investment—and the difficulties businesses face in achieving a digital and green transition.
Similar to the syndicates, the CEV emphasised the need for strategic infrastructure, including the Mediterranean Corridor, connections to ports, airports, and industrial estates, the Tajo-Segura water transfer, a robust electrical grid, and points of connection and protection against adverse weather events.
They also identified priorities such as an employment plan and dual vocational training, affordable housing in high-demand areas, multi-year investment programming, reduced bureaucracy, credit access for SMEs, and stable public-private collaboration. Furthermore, they proposed establishing a provincial table with syndicates and administration to analyse absenteeism and productivity, creating a provincial industrial symbiosis hub, and increasing female participation in STEM careers.
Both syndicates and the business confederation have called for more frequent CESPA meetings, a commitment that the first vice-president has agreed to uphold.
