Dear Friends,
We are going through a moment of exceptional circumstances in the world. In this unprecedented situation, society, and therefore the railway sector as well, has seen the normal functioning of global economic and industrial activity interrupted to cope with COVID-19.
Given the scale of this pandemic, all partner companies have responded decisively and quickly to protect their professionals and to help cover requests for protective and diverse equipment for health workers. The firmness of your attitude is a feature of a sector very committed to the environment in which it works and with a great ability to respond. On behalf of Mafex we express our deep gratitude for the role played and the solidarity of your collaboration.
Once the current health care context has been overcome, it will be very important to respond to the challenges of the new economic situation. In the face of a change of scenery such as the current one, joining and working together become more necessary than ever. Within Mafex, aware of the importance of our representative role and protecting shared interests, we began from the outset to work on a note of concrete measures for the Spanish railway industry.
We believe that specific support is needed for a sector with a strong presence abroad. The re-establishment of economic activity and employment should be encouraged as well as to continue with the boost of R&D. In addition, it is essential to redesign the internationalization strategy, with the creation of financial instruments to support and promote the competitiveness of our companies. This objective requires close collaboration of all public bodies involved (Ministries of Economy, Finance, Foreign Affairs, OCI, etc.) and the industry, which is why at Mafex we have put ourselves at your disposal.
For this reason, we have called for immediate adoption of initiatives that alleviate the paralysis of business and industrial activity. We also encourage the implementation of policies that allow, in a sustained and planned way over time, to promote the operation of companies in the sector, and therefore employment. All this based on a policy of conservation or increase in investment in transport and railway mobility.
Only in this way will we get the railway to retake the path embarked upon and by which it is called to be the backbone of sustainable, safe and connected mobility of the future. In the coming years, administrations will continue to stand for this means of transport because of its numerous environmental advantages and efficiency. Proof of this is the European Commission’s recent proposal for 2021 as the “Year of the Railway” with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Pact in the field of transport. In this context of medium-term growth, it is important to remember that we have a sector with a great international track record. Our business fabric is very entrenched in the five continents and enjoys a high level of trust because of its numerous technological advances, its know-how and involvement in each project. All these elements will serve as the basis to resume productive activity with drive and effort on a nearby horizon.
Let’s work together to draw that path that leads us towards a future full of hope.