The business done in the Spanish electronics sector dropped a disconcerting 17% in 1992 according to figures produced by Aniel, the electronics sector employers organisation. It fell 17% to $10,550m, return-ing to the level of five years ago. Production reached a value of $5,337m – a fall of 14%. Imports were also off at $7,313m, although the level of the decline was not given. Exports were up 4% at $2,787. Narrowing the focus down to the telematics sector, the results are even more gloomy: the market value and production value both fell 21%, to $5,434m and $2,790m respectively. Imports were down 15% at $4,125m. Exports fell 1% at $1,480m. Looking at telecommunications alone, it gets worse still: the production figure is down 27% and the market figure down 30%; however, exports were up 19% here. Looking at the computer sector alone, the market was down 15% and production down 7%. Aniel president Jesus Banegas, commented that 1992’s drop was unprecedented, and disturbing with regard to union with Europe: there is a risk we will be classified as a nation that is a consumer, but not a producer of electronics, he said. On telecommunications, Banegas took the opportunity to criticise the government for the little interest it has shown in putting an end to the import of unauthorised pirate telephones, 3m of which are now in Spain. He also commented that Spain’s integration into Europe was unthinkable until the country had a telecommunications network on a par with the networks existing in the rest of the European Community countries. Finally, he suggested that that if Telefonica de Espana SA could forecast its investment more effectively, Spanish companies would in turn be able to plan their production better.
