The Government mobilizes 37 million to combat the effects of tariffs

The tariff war initiated by the United States and the instability it is causing worldwide has led the Govern to activate a package of aid worth 37.5 million euros to favor the internationalization of Catalan companies. Through this measure, as a result of the tariffs promoted by Donald Trump, companies will be able to access aid of up to 80,000 euros to open a subsidiary abroad, or up to 30,000 euros to promote international promotion actions.

With this first package of aid, Acció doubles the budget initially foreseen for the field of internationalization, with the aim of "accompanying companies to face the commercial policy of the United States" and accelerating the international expansion of the entire productive fabric of Catalonia, as highlighted by the Minister of Business and Labor, Miquel Sàmper.

A large part of the aid, framed in the Pla Responem promoted by the Government of Salvador Illa, will be available to companies before summer, and will be accompanied by more measures to boost internationalization. "Not only do we increase economic aid, but we also promote qualitative support" through the Foreign Offices and the Technical Office of Barriers to Internationalization of the Generalitat.

According to Sàmper, Trump's decisions have generated a situation of "global policy of confrontation that makes geopolitics unpredictable." For this reason, he has called on companies to be "forward-thinking." The minister has gone further and has recommended that companies that regularly export to the United States explore other "more reliable" markets, he said at an Acció conference in which the Secretary of Business and CEO of the agency, Jaume Baró, also participated.

In this regard, Sàmper has encouraged companies to expand their export framework, and has looked towards Asia, especially China, Korea, Japan, and India. "The will is not to depend only on a market that until now had gone very well," without leaving it aside: "We have to maintain it, but with an eye on other places."

The aid is structured into six different lines, and these are the first to materialize within the Govern's plan to respond to tariffs, which foresees mobilizing 1.500 million euros. In addition to aid for opening subsidiaries ---with a total of nine million euros, six more than planned--- and those destined for international promotion ----with eight million, 5.5 more---, aid services for export diversification will also be offered, with four million euros, and internationalization vouchers, with another two million for companies to develop their strategy and planning to launch into new markets.

Furthermore, two additional lines will soon be launched, both for companies that are already exporters and for those that want to make the leap into the international arena. On the one hand, 4.5 million will be allocated to a business growth service and, on the other, a new export initiation program will be created.

Apart from these measures, Acció will also carry out a hundred international actions this year to promote the presence of Catalan companies worldwide, with trade missions, promotional actions, and participation in fairs and events. In addition, 350 companies have participated in seminars and training sessions on technical aspects related to tariffs, and Acció has provided more than a hundred advisory services to Catalan companies to adapt to the new global commercial landscape.