The resumption of activity in the construction of infrastructures necessary for the competitiveness of Catalan companies and economy, such as lines 8 and 9 of the Barcelona Metro or the extension of the El Prat airport, among others, was the main conclusion shared by the representatives of the Ministry of the Vice Presidency and Digital Policies and Territory of the Generalitat and the Board of Directors of Ciment Català during the telematic work session held on July 21. All the participants of the meeting showed their agreement on the importance of the infrastructures, and the Generalitat transmitted the forecast of an increase in investment in this area in the coming months, taking advantage of both the Catalan Government’s own resources and those that may be available come from the European Funds which, although they will not include specific items for infrastructures or the Generalitat will be able to manage them directly, they will involve construction actions related to key objectives established in them (Energy, Digitization…)
The institutional meeting served to expose Isidre Gavín, Secretary of Infrastructure and Mobility, the delicate situation of the sector due to low activity, with domestic consumption at the level of 50 years ago. The representatives of Ciment Català, with its president Salvador Fernández Capo at the helm, also recalled the difficulty of exporting in the current economic situation, and the requirement to make considerable investments to achieve the decarbonization objectives established by the European Union and assumed by the industry.
Other aspects discussed were the Circular Economy policies applied by the sector, with the corresponding material and energy use of waste – thus avoiding the consumption and emissions of fossil fuels – and the need to ensure the availability of stone resources to the territory.
Gavín, with whom it was agreed that he would visit a cement factory soon, apologized for the absence at the meeting of Vice President Jordi Pugineró, who conveyed his support for the need to promote new public works and the use of concrete in its construction, and his intention to soon arrange a meeting with representatives of the cement sector in Catalonia.