SPAIN THIS WEEK

Monday, 28 November 2016

25/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy stresses that great State pact on gender-based violence "has started to take shape" At the award ceremony on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which took place at Moncloa Palace, the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, remembered "those women who are still living the nightmare of abuse", but stated that "there is a way out" of their situation on which "they can count on the support of everyone to make this happen".

24/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy holds meeting with social stakeholders The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, accompanied by the Minister for Employment and Social Security, Fátima Báñez, met at Moncloa Palace with the General Secretaries of the trade unions CCOO, Ignacio Fernández Toxo, and UGT, Josep María Álvarez, and with the Presidents of the employer associations CEOE, Juan Rosell, and CEPYME, Antonio Garamendi.

23/11/2016 ​"We have improved the situation of those in work and intend to continue doing so", in addition to creating more jobs, says Mariano Rajoy The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, defended the employment policies carried out in recent years at the government control session in the Lower House of Parliament, because "they have worked" and urged all the parliamentary groups to make proposals to improve the quality of the labour market.

22/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy associates improved pensions and social spending with policies to create jobs The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, offered to speak with all the political forces to help strengthen the Welfare State at the government control session in the Upper House of Parliament. Moreover, he stressed that a unilateral referendum in Catalonia would be an anti-democratic imposition and against the law.

22/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy highlights consolidating recovery and achieving major national agreements as priorities Speaking in the corridors of the Upper House of Parliament, the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, said that he has no intention of raising the main taxes: Personal Income Tax (IRPF) and VAT (IVA). Furthermore, he defended maintaining the policies to meet the deficit targets and control public spending.

22/11/2016 President of the Government receives Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil, José Serra, at Moncloa Palace.

25/11/2016 Government reduces administrative burdens and steps up fight against corruption in public procurement The new legislation on public procurement includes a commitment to electronic means, facilitates access to SMEs, increases transparency and places greater emphasis on environmental, social and innovative policies. With the same aim of optimising resources, the government has approved three contracts on the centralised procurement of public administration services.

24/11/2016	Spanish economy posts growth of 3.2% year-on-year and creates almost half a million jobs
23/11/2016	State Secretary for Culture, Fernando Benzo, opens exhibition entitled 'Sorolla en Paris'
23/11/2016	Meeting in Madrid between the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain and for Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil
23/11/2016	Break-up of major smuggling operation engaged in bringing drugs into Spain by sea destined for Libya and Egypt
22/11/2016	E-Commerce in Spain amounted to 20.75 billion euros in 2015
22/11/2016	National Police arrest member of terrorist group ETA, Garikoitz Ibarlucea, at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
22/11/2016	Contributory pensions amount to 8.6 billion euros in November
21/11/2016	Exports hit a new high and the deficit shrinks by 29% to September