SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 3rd April. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Leading the first session of the Trade Observatory in this term was Manuel Domínguez, the Vice President and Counselor of Economy, Industry, Commerce, and the Self-Employed of the Government of the Canary Islands. It was agreed to convene a dedicated meeting to discuss revisions to the Trade Law.
“I have called upon all members to contribute their thoughts and suggestions in an upcoming meeting, aligning with current legislation. Our aim is to collaboratively prepare a Trade Law that truly reflects the needs of the Canary Islands,” said Manuel Domínguez.
The Economy Minister elaborated on the government’s goal of empowering this entity to generate top-notch proposals and initiatives aimed at reestablishing the connection with consumers in the commercial sector. He also emphasized that the observatory should function across various government departments to address issues such as duty-free shopping, an appliance renewal scheme, the REA, and the AIEM, despite not falling directly under the Ministry of Economy.
During the session, the Vice President outlined the Canary Islands government’s trade strategy, highlighting “three core pillars: fostering, energizing, and boosting commercial activities through open commercial zones, traditional markets, and rural areas; investing in education by offering advanced courses in collaboration with the two Canarian universities; and promoting digital transformation to position the Canary Islands as a smart commercial destination. To support this, the Ministry of Economy has been granted 22 million Euros in FEDER funds until 2027, with an allocation of 4.7 million Euros for the year 2024.
The Trade Observatory operates as an independent body comprising representatives from the seven island councils, the Canarian Federation of Municipalities, the four Chambers of Commerce of the islands, major retail organizations in each province of the Canaries, supermarket business groups, consumer associations in Las Palmas and Tenerife, the universities of La Laguna and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as well as esteemed experts with professional experience in the commerce sector.
