- The Spanish Association of Consulting Firms (AEC) has brought together experts from 9 of its member firms to analyze the roadmap for Spain and the EU.
- Luis Furnells, executive president of Grupo Oesía, has highlighted the potential of the defense industry as an engine of European innovation and competitiveness.
- The event was also attended by three researchers from the Real Instituto Elcano and its director, Charles Powell.
- José María Beneyto, president of the AEC, underlined the role of consultancy and public-private collaboration for the survival of the EU.
The European Union must accelerate the implementation of the recommendations of the Draghi and Letta reports in order to reactivate competitiveness, innovation and growth in the new geopolitical scenario marked by trade tensions between the United States and China. This was made clear at a forum organized by the Spanish Association of Consulting Firms (AEC), which brought together specialists from nine consulting firms belonging to this organization, as well as from the Elcano Royal Institute.
The experts agreed on the need to translate Draghi and Letta’s proposals into reality as soon as possible, focusing on developing the European technology and defense industry, strengthening the single market, linking decarbonization to competitiveness and increasing security by reducing excessive dependence on foreign raw materials, energy and supply chains.
At the beginning of the session, José María Beneyto, President of the ACS, stated that “the European Union is at a crossroads: we must make bold decisions if we want to maintain our competitiveness against other powers. More than a window of opportunity, we are facing a window of survival for the EU, which could be trapped between confrontation or the agreements reached by the United States and China”. “In this sense, the role of consultancy is more relevant than ever, as they drive innovative solutions in technology, industrial strategy, talent and public-private collaboration that are fundamental to reactivate Europe,” he added.
For his part, Luis Furnells, executive president of Grupo Oesía, highlighted the “leading role of the security and defense industry as an engine of innovation and competitiveness in Europe”, recalling that “innovation must be the big bet, since, by boosting productivity and energizing an industry that reinforces European strategic autonomy in key capabilities, it becomes the central axis of the objectives of the European Union”. He also stressed “the urgency of having a strong political will and greater collaboration between the different actors to face the current challenges with determination”.
The Draghi report recommends greater investment in defense and space R&D, with dual-use programs and the creation of a Space Industrial Fund. It also warns of the need to reduce geopolitical vulnerabilities. In this regard, Germán Barbero, Director of Capgemini Engineering, pointed out that “generative artificial intelligence is redefining the defense industry landscape, offering unprecedented capabilities in optimizing decisions, automating tasks and improving operational security. Its adoption will increase efficiency, reduce risk and strengthen cybersecurity in the industry. The technology is transforming the aerospace and defense sector towards a more efficient, secure and sustainable future.”
Regarding the development and regulation in Europe of technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductors, Darío Carpio, Head of Innovation and Transformation Atos Spain, stressed “the importance of strengthening the single market, not only from a financial point of view, but also in terms of R&D. It is essential to promote a regional strategy of collaboration between different actors: the European Commission, public bodies in different countries and private companies. It is essential to boost the regional strategy of collaboration between various actors: the European Commission, public bodies from different countries and private companies. Developing the European innovation ecosystem requires active co-innovation and co-creation mechanisms, both with private companies and with the administration”.
In this regard, Nino Herrería, Managing Director responsible for Strategy and Consulting at Accenture in Spain and Portugal, stressed that “Europe must focus on adopting generative AI that prioritizes people, fosters trust and eliminates organizational silos. For this, the key is not simply to adopt it, but how it is applied to make the most of its potential. In this context, the role of consulting is fundamental as a catalyst. An augmented consultancy in which generative artificial intelligence amplifies the capabilities of professionals, enabling clients to get more value and better results, in a more agile way.”
In addition, Jaume Lopez, DXC Technology’s Consulting Director for Spain and Portugal noted that “digitalization has been the industrial revolution of the 21st century, and Europe must lead in the adoption of AI, taking a pragmatic approach to remain competitive. Balancing regulation and competitiveness is essential to ensure our technological sovereignty and foster sustainable innovation.”
Industry, productivity and public-private collaboration
The speakers also analyzed the keys to increasing productivity, relaunching European industry, promoting public-private collaboration and strengthening the single market, overcoming the current fragmentation.
Ignacio Niño, Senior Advisor at EY, expert in the area of public sector and geopolitics, has stated that “the Competitiveness Compass, recently published by the European Commission, is a concretization of many of the measures proposed by the Draghi Report. In the area of reducing the EU’s dependencies and vulnerabilities, it puts forward some measures such as: further progress in free trade agreements; strengthening the Global Gateway to intensify cooperation with third countries; the creation of a joint EU platform for the acquisition of critical raw materials; or the launch of the ‘Critical Medicines Act’ initiative, among other measures”.
Josep Aracil, Head of Strategy & Public Affairs Iberia Latam at Inetum has assured that “the Draghi report, although with a pessimistic bias on the European situation in global geopolitics, is a clear call to action. The EU has already reacted with the Competitiveness Compass. Innovation is key to increase competitiveness and productivity, and Spain stands out with 10 points above the European average in the European Barometer. The Spanish legislative framework with the new Industry Law, the Startups Law and the PEICTI 2024-2027 are important pillars, but they will not be enough”.
For Miguel Ángel Acero, Director Innovation & Consultancy & Governance at Izertis: “Europe is at a historic moment for the reinforcement and improvement of its competitiveness, which requires the implementation of numerous initiatives that facilitate investment in innovation by companies and public administrations in an orchestrated manner, establishing tools that simplify public-private collaboration aimed at deploying both technological infrastructures and services around them”.
Spain and the EU also face the challenge of training and retaining talent, as well as harnessing their entire workforce through skills retraining. Eduardo García Mellado, Global Public Administration Director at VASS, has indicated that “the homologation of competencies and the creation of certifications recognized at European level are key aspects to streamline and facilitate the mobility of STEM experts to Europe and maximize their contribution to the digital economy.” “It is essential to consolidate prestigious academic institutions in digital research and training and encourage the creation of public-private partnerships as a driver to enhance innovation capacity in the digital sector,” he added.
The Elcano Royal Institute highlights Spain’s potential
The Elcano Royal Institute contributed to the forum with its recent publication Dissecting the Draghi Report. Together with the director of this think tank, Charles Powell, three of its researchers and authors of the report participated: Judith Arnal, advisor to the Bank of Spain and member of its Audit Committee; Ignacio Molina, professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Autonomous University of Madrid; and Miguel Otero, professor at the IE School of Global and Public Affairs.
The analysis reveals that although the annual investment estimated in the Draghi Report has been calculated at around 800 billion euros, in reality, 53% of the measures proposed by the former ECB President do not require additional public investment beyond what the EU already has.
Arnal focused his speech on competitiveness, pointing out that a global diagnosis of the EU is not enough, but that each member state must carry out a national analysis of competitiveness, which could be coordinated by the European Commission.
“Spain can play a leading role in promoting measures in strategic sectors. Its companies can play an important role by actively participating in the consultations on the measures announced, as for example in the automotive sector”, said Otero. In the area of governance, Molina focused on the need to “simplify the administrative burden”, especially for SMEs. A reduction of administrative and reporting obligations could reach 35% for small and medium-sized companies.