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June 2006
The economy of Navarre has seen the weight of the service sector grow.
Over 130 entrepreneurs, experts and managers from all over Spain, convened by the Government of Navarre to carry out eight analysis forums on the region’s service sector, highlighted the opportunity for the future of the economy of Navarre offered by the prestige attained by its companies and professionals in creating and strengthening “services of high added value” based on them.
A number of experts debated the development of the service economy of Navarre over two weeks. Their analysis, which is part of the region's Strategic Plan for the Service Sector, observed that the economy of Navarre has undergone an incipient process of movement towards a service economy, with the weight of the service sector increasing. It is not just one of the most solid pillars of the region's economy but also the one with the best prospects for the future.
According to data published by the Foundation of Spanish Savings Banks (FUNCAS), the tertiary sector in Navarre recorded the highest year-on-year increase in Spain in terms of turnover at January 2006, reaching 11.7%, well above the national average (8.4%).
The eight forums, which were coordinated by the Sociedad de Desarrollo de Navarra (Sodena) and the consultancy firm KPMG, concluded that the service sector is increasingly important in the more advanced economies. Positioning Navarre as a global supplier of certain intellectual and technical activities would strengthen the creation of value and provide opportunities for university graduates and professionals within the framework of the Knowledge Society. The Strategic Plan Forum identified six critical points for the future development of the service economy in Navarre: the internationalization of R&D services and the Network of Technology Centers, a competitive position in renewable energies, the size of Navarre, the improvable rate of creation of companies in the region, the strong development of the health sector, and the trend towards tertiarization in industry.
The experts debated the development opportunities that are currently opening up in these fields, the factors required for success and Navarre's prospects of reaching a strong national and international position in areas such as lifelong learning, architectural and urban planning services, support for research, the dissemination of knowledge, information and communication technologies (ICTs), professional and logistics services and the dissemination of knowledge.
The experts confirmed that, in addition to being able to call on highly-trained personnel, the great human potential offered by the universities of Navarre and national and international recognition that the region has achieved in areas as diverse as Healthcare, Industry or Training, give it a wide range of options when finding a niche in the global market of specialized services.
At the same time as these debating forums were taking place the website Navactiva (www.navactiva.com) ran a virtual forum in which interested persons could make their contribution to each of the forums.
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