Report from the US State Department
The latest report on Spain states that it must organize so-called “interest groups.”
Amid the controversy surrounding Begonia Gomez’s actions, the report prepared by the US State Department every year to analyze the human rights situation by country includes a direct reference to the activity of… lobbyFor which the president’s wife is being interrogated. The report, which also includes references to “harassment” and “attacks” on the media – as published by this newspaper – reminds the government of Pedro Sánchez that the European Union is asking it to move forward with regulation. “interest groups”intended to adapt the activity of the executive power.
Specifically, the document includes a reference to the latter warning To the European Commission regarding the state of the rule of law in our country, which – among other matters – urges the Government to approve a law Lobbyistswhich includes, for example, the creation of a public and mandatory register of these groups.
This law is still awaiting approval, despite being one of the commitments of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan to receive European funds. The government’s intention was to approve it this year, even though it did not appear in this year’s annual regulatory plan.
The Council of Ministers gave the green light to the law in November 2022, but the project has been paralyzed since then. In any case, as this newspaper reported, it will ignore the activity lobby It is implemented by the president’s wife, who maintains close contact with companies that can then contract with the public sector. The rule, as currently formulated, will not affect relatives of senior officials.
The government itself has realized the importance of passing this law, which, according to the explanatory statement to the text approved in the Council of Ministers, “covers an important regulatory gap in the state’s legal system that has been repeatedly exposed, both by civil society itself.” As well as community institutions
international organizations”.
“The regulations governing interest groups represent clear clarity Promote quality, improvement and transparency – Participation of interest groups in decision-making. On the other hand, the establishment of a code of conduct for representatives of these groups represents an improvement in preventing conflicts of interest in the exercise of public office and employment. Of course, it is Basic rule “With regard to the public integrity system,” the executive highlighted.
Communication with companies
The law considers “influence activity” to be “direct or indirect communication.” With public employees» It is carried out «with the aim of intervening in public decision-making or in the processes of designing and implementing public policies and preparing regulatory projects, which are developed on behalf of an entity or organized group of an organized nature
Private or non-governmental, to achieve its own interests or the interests of others, regardless of the place in which it takes place and the channel or means used.
Begonia Gómez’s activity, as Director of the Africa Center at IE Business School and Head of Different Degrees at the Complutense University of Madrid, has always been at the center of controversy due to her relationships with companies.
The Prime Minister’s wife provides training on raising private and public funds, and guides companies to obtain funds from the executive branch and the European Union, among others. Likewise, Begonia Gómez organized and participated in various forums, events, and other events promoted by companies subject to the decision-making sphere of the Sánchez government itself.
In fact, the Spanish Fundraising Association, which is the main partner in promoting one of Gomez’s master’s degrees – that of fundraising – recognizes institutional relations as one of its main areas of work. «It allows the establishment of bridges of cooperation with all types of private and public institutions so that non-profit entities, members and non-members of the association, can develop the work appropriately. “Fundraising”they combine them in their presentation.
Shepherd
As OKDIARIO also revealed, the government is currently preparing a law that will benefit the employers’ association of one of the sponsors of the competitive chair of social transformation run by Begonia Gomez at the Complutense University of Madrid.
This is the employers’ association Conpymes, introduced in 2021 at an event in which Gomez herself participated, and headed by businessman José María Torres. Torres happened to finance the professorship of the prime minister’s wife, according to documents obtained by this newspaper.
Torres’ support for the Begonia Gómez Chair was channeled through Numintec – a technology company founded by the entrepreneur – and was reflected in an “Annex to the Agreement Establishing the Competitive Social Transformation Chair” signed in October 2020 by the Complutense University of Madrid and sponsors Reale Seguros and the La Caixa Foundation .
Under the agreement, Numintec is committed to “Contribute to care” For the chair «with a Financial contribution worth €6,000, reviewed annually”, with the aim of “awarding scholarships in the field of training in the 2020-21 edition and future editions of the postgraduate courses that make up the Chair, to promote the training of SMEs, entrepreneurs and onl “They are betting on professionalism.”
Now, the government of Pedro Sánchez intends to strengthen the role of Conpymes, especially its representation in the social dialogue – and with it, access to subsidies – against Cepyme.
the new Organizational plan This year’s government resolution – introduced a few days ago – explicitly includes approval of A Law regulating business representation In the SME space, something that Torres himself celebrated.
