The American market remains a priority for Aragon despite the insistence on diversification

Despite the drive to expand trade connections around the world , the American market remains a priority for Aragonese business leaders. Within the framework of the Advisory Council for the Internationalization of Aragonese Companies, which finally held this Monday, a decade after its last meeting, the DGA similarly emphasized that the internationalization of companies “has always been a priority objective.”

During this meeting, the need to continue combining efforts to promote the Aragonese business community and its products, as well as to promote internationalization through market diversification (Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America), was emphasized . At the same time, the need to offer support to companies and continue investing in ” mature markets ” was emphasized.

“Internationalization has been one of the pillars of this government’s political action since the beginning of its term. It’s a key focus for the growth of Aragonese businesses, along with innovation and technology . It was on the political agenda from the very beginning, and that’s why we increased the Aragón Exterior budget by 30% ,” Vice President Mar Vaquero stated at the end of the meeting.

TARIFFS AND THE POSITION OF ARAGON

Regarding the uncertainty caused by the Trump administration’s tariff policies, the deputy head of the DGA emphasized that they want to remain vigilant, but that there are some optimists . “Aragonese companies tell us they want to continue investing in the North American market and even in the US. Those that are there want to remain in the United States ,” she added.

Along these lines, Aragón Exterior’s manager, Javier Camo, asserted that “it is clear” that the American market is of great interest to Aragonese companies and that, therefore, “we must continue working to maintain it.” “Likewise, we must continue working to recover sales in Europe, where a slight contraction is being seen,” he added.

At the same time, Vaquero also emphasized the commitment “at all times” to collaboration to establish support measures for businesses, which is in addition to initiatives aimed at “delving into mature markets and potential sales locations for Aragonese products ” and also “acting quickly, with anticipation, constant dialogue, proactivity, and loyalty to other institutions.”

THE ACTION PLAN: 114 ACTIONS

The Government of Aragon’s action plan, as outlined by Javier Camo, proposes up to 114 initiatives for 2025, focusing on, among other things, international fairs, trade missions, and consultancies. In figures, a total of 42 foreign promotion activities, 16 seminars and training sessions, 16 market workshops, and 40 meetings, webinars, and expert gatherings are planned. These initiatives are in addition to the policies developed over the last two years for sector diversification, the consolidation of mature markets, and the search for new ones to which we can export our region’s products.

ADVISORY COUNCIL AND ITS PARTICIPANTS

This Advisory Council is an advisory body established in 1998 to coordinate actions and initiatives for the sale of Aragonese products abroad. After more than ten years without meeting, it has been reconvened to analyze the current situation characterized by the tariff crisis.

As a notable new feature for this edition, the majority unions (CC.OO and UGT) and the representative of ICEX (Institute of Foreign Trade) in Aragon were invited and attended. The employers’ associations (CEOE and CEPYME) were also present, as were various general managers and representatives from the DGA ( General Directorate of General Management ).

EXPORT DATA: ARAGON EIGHTH COMMUNITY

It’s worth remembering that in terms of exports, Aragon recorded a total export volume of €16.766 billion in 2024, €12.125 billion if the automotive sector is not included. This figure is one of the highest in the historical record and has helped Aragon rank eighth in the national export ranking. In turn, in 2025, global exports reached €3.723 billion in the first quarter of 2025, with increases in the American, African, and Asian markets.

“Specifically, growth can be observed across all sectors, including automotive components, which indicates that the decline is due to the withdrawal of two automotive models from production last year. Furthermore, we are seeing growth in exports to the US and Latin America, which may be due to stockpiling by American importers in anticipation of the Trump administration’s tariff announcements,” Camo said.