Canary Islands Agreements for Social Concertation
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 31 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) – The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo; alongside the Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jéssica de León, and the Director General of Employment, José Ramón Rodríguez, concluded the VII Social Concertation Agreements of the Canary Islands on Wednesday in collaboration with the leaders of the trade union organisations CCOO and UGT, as well as the employers’ organisations CEOE and CCE.
As part of this agreement initiated in 2019, the Government of the Canary Islands has signed five key agreements for the islands with the four most representative trade union and business organisations. These agreements include the Canary Islands Strategy for Active Support to Employment 2021-2024; the Agreement on Equality and the Salary Gap; the Canary Islands Dual FP Strategy 2022-2026; the Canary Islands Strategy for Safety and Health at Work, 2023-2027; and the Agreement on Administrative Simplification, which was approved on Wednesday and entails specific measures to streamline bureaucratic processes.
The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, highlighted the importance of dialogue in achieving progress such as the VII Agreement for Social Concertation in the Canary Islands. He emphasised that vital agreements have been reached to promote stable and quality employment in the islands, thanks to the Canarian approach to governance.
These agreements, also endorsed by the Vice President of the Canary Islands Government and Minister of Economy, Industry, Trade and Self-Employment, Manuel Domínguez, involve various ministries such as the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports; Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Families, among others.
The Minister for Tourism and Employment, Jéssica de León, underlined the goal of creating a more competitive Canary Islands with improved living conditions and enhanced employment opportunities. She announced the initiation of negotiations for the eighth Social Concertation agreement, which will outline the future economic activity of the autonomous community in the coming years.
De León also emphasised the need for political initiatives that involve all sectors of society to garner support for key proposals from parliamentary groups, social groups, and employers. He cited the Law on Sustainable Management of the Tourist Use of Housing as an example.
The secretary general of CC.OO in the Canary Islands, Inocencio González, considered the closure of the VII Social Concertation as positive and necessary, expressing optimism for the upcoming VIII Concertation. His UGT counterpart, Manuel Navarro, praised the fruitful agreement, particularly highlighting the benefits of administrative simplification for businesses.
The president of the Canary Islands Confederation of Businessmen (CCE), Pedro Ortega, valued the Social Concertation as a fundamental tool to achieve lasting agreements for the benefit of the entire Canary Islands. He commended the evolution and adaptability of the Concertation to meet the needs of companies and workers, addressing essential aspects of society’s concerns.
Lastly, the president of the CEOE, Pedro Alfonso, elaborated on the significance of the administrative simplification agreement, identifying it as a crucial step towards enhancing the islands’ competitiveness.
Administrative Simplification
The VII Social Concertation concluded with the signing of the Agreement on Administrative Simplification, aimed at reducing bureaucracy in administrative processes to stimulate investment, entrepreneurship, economic development, and job creation. The agreement outlines measures such as reducing the number of required documents, promoting coordination between administrative departments, advancing electronic administration, ensuring uniformity in administrative criteria, and enhancing regulation.
Additionally, the establishment of the Observatory of Administrative Simplification has been agreed upon. This body will monitor and analyse procedures within the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands continuously, proposing strategies to enhance public administration efficiency.
