Brussels, 17 October 2025 – On 14 and 15 October, the Valladolid Chamber of Commerce visited Brussels as part of an executive committee mission. Over these two days, the delegation worked to strengthen its ties with European institutions and to explore opportunities and the role of Castile and León in Europe.
The visit, organised by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce’s Delegation to the European Union, enabled the Valladolid Chamber to establish strategic contacts, exchange experiences with European officials, and gain a deeper understanding of EU policies that impact the regional business community.
On Tuesday 14, activities began at the European Parliament with a meeting on European perspectives for the future of Castile and León, with the participation of MEP Iratxe García, from the S&D Group.
The agenda then continued at the premises of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce’s Delegation to the EU, where the session “Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034: Key Insights from Brussels” was delivered by Pilar Sáenz de Ormijana Valdés, Counsellor for Finance and Economy at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU (REPER). This was followed by the session “Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence: Driving Business Innovation,” led by Carlos Saura, national expert on digital transformation at DG CONNECT of the European Commission.
The day concluded with a dinner debate entitled “International Partnerships: The Role of the European Union as a Global Partner,” featuring Javier Raya Aguado, Head of Unit for General Coordination and Interinstitutional Relations at DG INTPA.
On Wednesday 15, the second day once again began at the European Parliament with the working meeting “Industrialisation and Competitiveness: The Role of Castile and León in the Europe of the Future,” together with MEP Raúl de la Hoz, member of the EPP.
The agenda continued with the working meeting “The European Automotive Industry: Perspectives from Brussels for a Sector in Transformation,” with Giuseppe Marotta, Legal and Policy Officer at DG GROW of the European Commission. Subsequently, the delegation participated in the European Week of Regions and Cities, attending the session “Staying Strong: Accelerating a Successful Transition in Automotive Regions,” focused on the challenges and opportunities of industrial transformation in Europe.
At midday, a lunch debate took place with Esther Nieto Hernández, Deputy Head of Unit for Trade Relations with Latin America at DG TRADE of the European Commission, centred on “How a Trade Agreement Is Developed: The Example of the Mercosur Agreement.”
The mission concluded at the office of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce’s Delegation to the EU with the working meeting “The Competitiveness Compass: A Roadmap for European Industrial Leadership,” with Pablo Fons, member of the EU Competitiveness Task Force within the Secretariat-General of the European Commission.
With this mission, the Valladolid Chamber of Commerce has consolidated its institutional presence in Brussels, strengthened cooperation with key EU actors, and laid the groundwork for future initiatives aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and economic development of Castile and León within the European context.
The press release issued by the Valladolid Chamber of Commerce is available at the following link.