The new Industry Law seeks not only to regulate industrial activity in Spain, but also to establish the objectives and procedures for industrial policy and promotion that will allow for the adequate, efficient and rapid adaptation and transformation of Spanish industry to cope with all these present and future changes and situations.
Likewise, its objective is to introduce the industrial safety and quality framework that allows the full development of our industries in line with market demands, while contemplating the basic rules for the organization of industrial activities by the Public Administrations, the means and procedures for coordinating the competencies of said Administrations in the field of industry, and regulating the actions of the State Administration in relation to the industrial sector.
The special circumstances of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises must also be taken into account through differential treatment that supports and encourages entrepreneurship, as well as those of mid-cap companies, which are essential for future industrial development.
The Law must address, at least, the following aspects:
I. INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND PROMOTION
It is the function of the Public Administrations to establish the public policies and industrial promotion policies that facilitate, promote and develop industrial modernization, development and competitiveness. A fundamental objective of the law will be the incorporation of instruments of support and encouragement to facilitate the establishment of programs for industrial support, promotion, modernization, sustainability and competitiveness, and tools to contribute to the strengthening of industry and facilitate its adaptation to new and growing requirements, such as: logistic and energy costs, those associated with the circular economy, sustainability, environmental requirements or the protection of consumers and users, so as to enable the Public Administrations to collaborate and influence essential aspects for the future of industry. Industrial policy must contemplate harmonious development and social and territorial cohesion, and address business growth, professional training and qualification, the strengthening of vocational training and the adaptation of university degrees, as well as gender equality and equal opportunities to improve the conditions of industrial companies.
II. REINDUSTRIALIZATION
In order to strengthen the European industrial base, it is necessary that the Public Administrations propose mechanisms and instruments for reindustrialization and the guarantee of a level playing field in the Single Mark and with the rest of the world, reinforcing standardization and accredited conformity assessment, and protecting intellectual and industrial rights.
Strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy and industrial sovereignty is one of the considerations included in the new European industrial model and policies must be developed to address strategic dependencies while safeguarding a competitive industry in a global market.
III. CLIMATE NEUTRALITY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY
International commitments, especially European, mark specific lines of the need to establish an industry committed to the objectives of sustainable development towards climate neutrality and a more circular economy. Industry has a relevant role to play in what constitutes this challenge and opportunity under the European Green Pact, in particular specific support for the modernization and decarbonization of energy-intensive industries; the promotion of new industrial processes and cleaner technologies, the contribution to industrial competitiveness; the development of regulatory policies, public procurement, fair competition and full participation of SMEs.
It should also facilitate the establishment of a more circular economy by aligning with the European Action Plan for the Circular Economy with the support of industrial promotion policies and the development of innovative models to reduce dependence on raw materials, supporting reuse, repair and recycling.
IV. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION (DIGITIZATION)
Digital technologies have revolutionized and are drastically changing the industrial context in all links of its value chain. The standard must address the impact of automation and digitization on industry and production processes. The standard will address the modernization of communications and their interconnectivity, as well as their interoperability while addressing cybersecurity.
V. INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND QUALITY
It is the responsibility of the Public Administrations to control the regulatory compliance of industrial safety activities aimed at preventing and limiting risks, for which reason aspects of market surveillance must be contemplated, reinforcing the figure of the civil servant, as well as the promotion of plans and campaigns for checking the safety conditions of industrial products. Furthermore, within the framework of the competences attributed to the General State Administration, the creation of a public entity in charge of, among others, the homologation of vehicles, the coordination of market surveillance activities, as well as the carrying out of studies on industrial safety, is proposed.
Industrial quality is one of the basic pillars to ensure and promote industrial competitiveness. Public administrations are responsible for ensuring a quality infrastructure for standardization, accreditation, metrology (scientific, applied and legal) and conformity assessment activities (testing, inspection, certification, validation and verification, among others).
VI. GOVERNANCE
It is necessary to reflect on the instruments of coordination with the different agents, entities, technological centers, universities, competent Public Administrations involved in industrial promotion and development, necessary for the analysis, reflection, evaluation and impulse of industrial policies.
The prior consultation will be open until May 17, 2022.
