The president of Ametic, the employers' association of the digital industry in Spain, Francisco Hortigüela, has insisted that administrations must consolidate themselves as a strategic client to reinforce the country's competitiveness and has requested that the regulatory framework be adapted to support innovation and the advancement of the technology sector.
"The public administration, in terms of competitiveness, has to play a role, as it is doing, but it must reinforce it even more: to be a strategic client and a driver of digitalization and innovation, and to ensure that legislation accompanies and supports innovation and the sustainable and competitive development of the sector," highlighted the president of the Multisectoral Association of Information Technologies, Communications, and Electronics this Monday.
Ametic is celebrating from this Monday, August 31, until Wednesday, September 2, the 40th edition of the 'Meeting of Digital Economy and Telecommunications', which is taking place in Santander as part of the summer courses of the International University Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP).
The top official of Ametic has emphasized that digitalization "is no longer just a sector or an industry: it is much more," describing it as "a facilitator and an enhancer of competitiveness."
At the same time, he has stressed that it constitutes "a basic tool" for areas such as defense, health, cities, sustainability, the environment, energy, industrial production, and services aimed at citizens.
He has also focused on its role in communication, content, and strategic autonomy, and has emphasized that this technology "has changed the way we relate, learn, and work."
Hence, he has argued that digitalization is "an industry and a strategic sector, in capital letters," for all countries and regions.
Competitiveness and technological leadership
The president of Ametic has also pointed out that Spain and Europe seem to have finally assumed that competitiveness is "key" for Spanish society, considering it essential to reinforce it to sustain the current welfare state.
"To maintain the current welfare state, it is necessary that we improve in competitiveness," he has emphasized, after warning that both Europe and Spain "have lost" competitive capacity in recent decades.
In this scenario, the role of innovation and digitalization has been highlighted for Spanish companies to elevate their competitive position.
Regarding technological leadership, the president of Ametic has indicated that the association proposes measures to advance towards an "open strategic autonomy," aligned with European priorities in key technologies such as artificial intelligence, the cloud, cybersecurity, quantum computing, robotics, semiconductors, electronics, and data.
Collaboration and reduction of the technological gap
The president of Ametic has defended the need to "strengthen collaboration between companies and educational institutions" and to achieve that large companies "pull from medium-sized companies," with the aim that the different ecosystems work in a coordinated manner.
Likewise, he has maintained that if both public and private investment are increased, it will be possible to "reduce the current gap" with respect to the major global powers and strengthen Spain's role in the European, Ibero-American, and national digital economy.