Nautica - Asociación de Empresas Náuticas de Baleares

Good evening,
Firstly, I thank you on behalf of the Confederation of Associations d'Empresarials of Islands, for inviting me to the General Assembly of AENB.

For the Confederation of Associations d'Balears nautical enterprises are of great importance Because in addition to being an important part of the industrial sector, its services are an element of quality with complementary offerings. This is a highly competitive industry that is very familiar with the needs of customers. In fact, many of the constituent companies are run by entrepreneurs who one day Decided to drop anchor in the Balearics and integrate into our society. We must be grateful forthe that that contribution has come from outside and, with their "know how" or "savoir faire" it has helped us to gain competitiveness and generate employment.

We have about 20.000 moorings in the Balearics and a strong demand for new positions that the administration does not for the moment, satisfy. Our range of moorings is the largest in the Mediterranean and, consequently, the marine industry has an important contribution to the GDP of the Balearic Islands, Which is growing year on year.

But sailing is also important for the attitudes that we can learn from it and apply to the front of our businesses. Sailing and business management are full of parallels.

It is worth recalling that the sea is full of boats skippered by experienced people. To stay afloat you have to adjust the wind sail area, and assessed your situation well, know where the ship is, the distance to the nearest port and you how soon we will be subject to the effects of hard times.

Let no one that I have lost my way, I talk about economy and more specifically, business management. These attitudes can Prevent the storm, calculating the time remaining to reach port and preparing for that is as important as keeping the ship afloat and as all the crew prepare for the worst case scenario, these attitudes are essential in times like should be remembered even nowand When we sail in a 'good is'

I believe that the employers here are good employers and they are proving this by simply being still here.As after nearly 2 years of crisis their 'companies are still' afloat '. In 2009 we became the second province, after Barcelona, with registrations of yachts, gaining the 11.09% of the domestic market, and while registrations fell by 41.19% compared to 2008, these numbers are almost more valuable than Achieved in previous years. Our 'bosses' should be proud of having managed to transfer their experience at sea to practicing it in their businesses and Achieving longevity in the industry.

CAEB is with you. We carry more pressure than ever to aAchieve simpler legislation, an administration with more reason and less bureaucracy, and to Achieve fiscal and labouor legislation that helps us to cut the cloth of our sails in heavy weather like this and save our boats.

To start talking about these issues Which should have been done many years ago is a timid step forward, and of course, insufficient, but we must seize the opportunity to raise the formulas that will allow us to be better prepared in the future. CAEB and every business that makes up AENB are in the same boat, and I want you to know that we are determined to keep it afloat prioritizing business interests over any other. We know that together, plans will come to Fruition.
Thank you very much.