- Over 700 European companies have taken seats in the European Parliament chamber to engage in dialogue with senior EU policymakers under three thematic pillars: international trade, the single market, and clean industrialisation.
- The Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Inmaculada Riera, led the Spanish delegation composed of 37 companies and chambers of commerce.
Brussels, 4 November 2025 – The Spanish Chamber of Commerce led the Spanish delegation, made up of 24 companies and 13 chambers of commerce, at the 7th edition of the European Parliament of Enterprises. During this session, more than 700 European companies occupied seats in the European Parliament to debate economic challenges with senior EU policymakers under three main themes: international trade, the single market, and competitive industrialisation in a decarbonised Europe.
The Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Inmaculada Riera, advocated for defending European values from the business community and for “Europe to be a strong voice in the new globalisation.” To achieve this, Riera stated, “we need solid economic and business foundations through a genuine European single market, free of barriers. That is the path for the EU to position itself.”
In the debate on European trade strategy, Mireia Arroyo, Director of Institutional Relations at Gestamp and Vice President of Sernauto, stated that “companies will continue to invest, innovate and create jobs in Europe, but they need a truly competitive framework that promotes affordable energy, attractive fiscal frameworks for investment, and regulatory simplification, so that producing in Europe remains an advantage.” Arroyo called on Europe to continue exercising coherent leadership, focused on its industrial strength and fair global standards, while remaining open to the world.
Cristina García Aliste, Institutional Relations representative of Airbus Spain, intervened in the single market debate and recalled that both the Draghi report and the President of the European Commission have reiterated that the EU “cannot consider its single market without first acknowledging that we operate in a context of major geopolitical tensions; it depends on a coherent industrial and digital strategy that strengthens our technological sovereignty.” García Aliste stressed that the European aerospace and defence sector is also a strategic asset for Europe’s technological autonomy, security, and competitiveness.
Meanwhile, John Rutherford, Director of Institutional Relations at BBVA and President of the European Affairs Committee of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that the euro and the single market are the EU’s two greatest economic achievements, although the latter remains incomplete, particularly in areas such as telecommunications, energy, and financial services. While the EU has made progress in banking union, it is essential to achieve a European deposit guarantee scheme. He also recalled that banks play a fundamental role as channels for directing European savings towards SME financing.
During his intervention in the session dedicated to decarbonisation, Félix Baragaño Suárez, CEO of Grupo SEM and President of the Gijón Chamber of Commerce, urged the EU to reduce energy costs, remove barriers in the single market, and promote demand for clean technologies through inclusive measures for SMEs, enabling a competitive, sustainable, and resilient industry. Baragaño stated that industry fully supports the European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal but warned that “it is crucial for the EU to implement a unified energy strategy that reduces prices and facilitates access to clean energy sources, as well as to avoid trade barriers that could put European industry at a disadvantage against global competitors.”
The Spanish delegation held meetings with Spanish Members of the European Parliament, providing an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the work carried out by the European Parliament and its views on various issues that directly affect businesses.
Prior to this, on Monday evening, the Spanish delegation participated in a reception at the Permanent Representation to the EU hosted by its Ambassador, Marcos Alonso.