SPAIN THIS WEEK

Monday, 5 December 2016

01/12/2016 Mariano Rajoy reiterates to Jean-Claude Juncker the commitment by the Government of Spain to budget stability targets The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, held a meeting with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, to whom he announced the imminent approval of the measures necessary to meet the commitments with the European authorities on the new path towards correcting the deficit.

30/11/2016 "It is necessary to guarantee a sound Euro that generates confidence", says Mariano Rajoy At an event to commemorate the centenary of Deusto Business School, the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, reiterated Spain's commitment to the European project and to the Euro, since this has been "key to our past and present prosperity, as it will be to our future".

30/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy claims that the "greatest challenge" facing RTVE is "adapting to the changes taking place in the audiovisual world" During the government control session in the Lower House of Parliament, the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, stressed that this year Spanish State Television (RTVE) will close its accounts "without any kind of deficit". He also referred to the commemoration of World AIDS Day on Thursday, "a reminder to us all to continue fighting this disease and other sexually transmitted diseases".

29/11/2016 ​Mariano Rajoy claims that "by the end of this decade, employment levels in Spain" will be "comparable with those of our peer countries" During the award ceremony for the 3rd Edition of the CEPYME Prizes, the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, thanked the country's business fabric for its role during the crisis because "the recovery we are now enjoying would not have been possible without the determination and drive of entrepreneurs like you".

28/11/2016 ​Government will ask Lower House to authorise increase in military personnel in Iraq The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, announced on 'La Tarde', on the COPE radio station, that he is going to ask the Lower House of Parliament to support an increase to 400, in the number of Guardia Civil and military personnel that form part of the international coalition to fight DAESH.

28/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy receives President of Uruguay, Tabaré Vázquez The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, received the President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Tabaré Vázquez, at Moncloa Palace.

28/11/2016 Mariano Rajoy attends swearing in of new Chief Public Prosecutor before the King The new Chief Public Prosecutor, José Manuel Maza, was sworn into office on Monday before King Felipe VI, in the presence of the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, and the President of the Supreme Court and President of the General Council of the Judiciary, Carlos Lesmes.

02/12/2016 Government upwardly revises economic growth forecast and estimates 2 million new jobs in next four years The State limit on spending for 2017 is set at 118.34 billion euros. The government estimates that the deficit will fall to 3.1% next year, thanks to increased tax revenue, various tax measures adopted to collect an additional 7 billion euros and the fight against fraud. The Council of Ministers also approved an 8% increase in the minimum wage (Spanish acronym: SMI) as from 2017.

02/12/2016	Unemployment has fallen by 359,475 in the last year
02/12/2016	557,437 more National Insurance contributors over last year
02/12/2016	United States authorises reopening of Spanish pepper market
01/12/2016	Spain increases contribution to European Space Agency by over 600 million euros
01/12/2016	Fiscal and Financial Policy Council approves new deficit and debt targets for regional government for 2016 and new path for 2017-2019
30/11/2016	Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality joins global campaign to foster early diagnosis of AIDS
29/11/2016	State reduces its deficit to 1.94% of GDP in October
29/11/2016	Vice-President of the Government highlights Spain's leadership of economic growth table
28/11/2016	Guardia Civil arrest four members of illegal immigration network allegedly used by DAESH
28/11/2016	Íñigo de la Serna reports that, under the new contract awarded by Renfe, Spain will have the most modern fleet of high-speed trains in Europe
27/11/2016	Guardia Civil arrest a person of Palestinian origin who was attempting to travel to Syria to join the ranks of DAESH