The President of ANIEL, Spain’s National Association of Electronic Industries, Jesus Banegas, speaking at the ANIEL General Assembly, questioned the future of the electronics sector, describing the fall in the market of 5% in 1991 and a record 17% in 1992 as a dreadful step backwards. Banegas explained that the sector is currently responsible for only 2.5% of Spain’s gross national product, as opposed to the figure of 3.14% reached in 1990. According to information gelaned from ANIEL’s annual study, the biggest drop was in telecommunications equipment, where there was a 47% plunge, and then computing, which slumped 25%. The Association attributes the disappointing information technology figures to the world-wide economic crisis, the recession in Spain, the maturity of the market itself, and the fierce competition within it. Banegas suggested that the electronics sector should be considered as a strategic sector by the government, and he urged the powers that be to help increase its competitiveness, by making the labour market more flexible, increasing research and development investment, planning a coherent public spending policy, and by giving greater support to the exporting industries in the sector. He studiously avoided mentioning crucifying interest rates dictated by the Exchange Rate Mechanism, which are laying waste economies right across continental Europe. In response to these comments, the Secretary General for the Promotion of Industry and Technology, Eugenio Triana, said that not all areas of the electronics industry could be considered as strategic areas, but certain areas could, such as telecommunications, microelectronics and electronics connected with defence. Triana maintained that the government had traditionally supported the sector through its subsidising of research and development projects.
