Aragón faces Trump with “confidence, agility, and anticipation”

The Government of Aragon is confronting Donald Trump’s tariff policies with ” confidence, agility, and foresight .” This was stated by the Vice President and Minister of the Presidency, Economy, and Justice, Mar Vaquero, during her appearance before the Institutional and Statutory Development Commission held this Monday in the Parliament of Aragon at the request of the PSOE ( Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party). The purpose of the meeting was to provide information on the specific measures to be adopted to boost the Aragonese economy. 

“I ask for specificity,” warned Socialist MP Darío Villagrasa, who described the Trump administration’s policy as “anti-trade” and lamented that it will dominate the news for weeks and even months. ” We cannot ignore the elephant in the room, and that is why I ask for specific economic measures that will permeate Aragon,” the MP declared.

No sooner said than done. After the Socialist representative’s string of questions, Vaquero stated that the Government of Aragon “will continue to transform” the region and will pursue a decisive strategy, working with the European Union . “This doesn’t mean retaliation similar to that of the United States,” the deputy in the DGA stated. 

CONCRETE MEASURES

Among the specific measures, Azcón’s deputy recalled the aid package that the Government of Aragon had already launched to support one of the hardest-hit sectors, the wine industry. The DGA (General Directorate of Agriculture) is allocating up to €9.8 million to this area. Subsidized financing measures will also be promoted through Sodiar (Society for the Industrial Development of Aragon) and Avalia.

Vaquero, who announced that he will meet with social partners this Monday to address this tariff attack, also praised the work of Aragón Exterior (AREX), headed by Javier Camo. “Today they are in a meeting in Madrid with other regions to identify useful measures,” he stated.

Also, under the umbrella of AREX, a virtual and in-person office has been launched to advise companies affected by American protectionism. It was also emphasized that after increasing the budget allocated to this entity by 30% in 2024, it will be strengthened in 2025 with a “very significant increase.” 

Along these lines, the vice president championed market diversification , despite the fact that exports to the United States only represent 1.4% of Aragon’s total foreign trade. “These are measures of dialogue and anticipation. We can’t think in the short term, as this is a global crisis whose impact we still don’t know,” concluded Mar Vaquero.