Cable sobre Red SOStenible y el apoyo popular a los "internautas" en Facebook

  • EE UU explica que el colectivo pretende realizar acciones de protesta durante la presidencia de turno en la UE.
  • "No está claro cuántos son y qué influencia tienen".
  • El embajador refleja su importancia en redes sociales.

ID

244129

Etiquetas

EAIR, ECON, ECPS, EFIN, ELAB, KIPR, SP

Fecha

2010-01-19 12:30:00

RefID

10MADRID42

Origen

Embassy Madrid

Clasificación

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Destino

09MADRID1161

10MADRID14

Encabezado

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FM AMEMBASSY MADRID

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1678

INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 4298

RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC

RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

Contenido

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 000042

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

@ELIMINADO@

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: EAIR, ECON, ECPS, EFIN, ELAB, KIPR, SP

SUBJECT: MADRID ECONOMIC WEEKLY, JANUARY 11-15, 2010

REF: A. MADRID 014

B. 09 MADRID 1161

MADRID 00000042 001.3 OF 002

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

Contents:

ECON, ELAB: Spain Undertakes "Charm Campaign" on Economy

EFIN: Spanish Banks Facing Capital Shortages

ECON: Revised 2009 Inflation Rate at 0.8%

ECON, EAIR: Blanco Proposes Automated Flight Systems and

Private Investment

ECPS, EFIN: Telefonica Attempts to Reassure Stockholders

KIPR: Users' Groups Attack GOS's Anti-Piracy Initiative

EFIN: GOS and Andorra Sign Tax Information Exchange Agreement

Spain Undertakes "Charm Campaign" in Response to European

Criticism

1. (U) Local media reported on German government criticism of

President Zapatero's EU statement calling for economic

sanctions for EU member countries that fail to meet specified

objectives in the successor to the Lisbon Strategy for EU

Growth. Rainer Breuderle, German Minister of Economics and

Technology, expressed concern that the plan would create a

sanctioning authority inconsistent with the Lisbon Strategy.

This latest criticism comes on the heels of widespread

European skepticism over President Zapatero's EU economic

leadership credentials at a time when his own country is

suffering from the highest unemployment rate in the OECD

(more than 19%). This weak economy also continues to draw

criticism from the opposition party. A Popular Party

spokesperson dismissed the recent GOS announcement on jobs

created through stimulus packages, saying many were

short-term in nature and that the disbursement of funds was

politicized, with over half going to Socialist Workers' Party

(PSOE) regions. The GOS has hired a Belgian production

company for 83 million euros to showcase President Zapatero's

program to improve the domestic economy and dispel rumors

that he does not have the capacity to direct the EU.

Additionally, senior GOS officials are being encouraged to

reach out to major European media outlets to discuss their

perspectives and recommendations on the economic situation.

(Expansion, 1/12; El Confidencial, 1/13)

Large Number of Spain's Savings Banks Facing Capital Shortages

2. (U) A considerable number of Spain's savings banks

("cajas") are facing capital shortages. Analysts say that 16

of 38 cajas for which data is available have capital ratios

below what they consider an acceptable rate of 7%. The Bank

of Spain has been pushing for a rapid restructuring of the

sector in order to avoid further government interventions.

Thus far only a few of the cajas have used the GOS "FROB"

restructuring fund. (Expansion, 1/13)

Revised 2009 Inflation Rate at 0.8%

3. (U) The National Statistics Institute (INE) revised its

estimate of 2009 consumer price inflation from 0.9% (as

reported ref A) to 0.8%. The final rate, although the lowest

in 50 nearly years, indicates that deflation is not a serious

threat at present. (INE press release, 1/14; Expansion,

1/14)

Blanco Proposes Use of Automated Flight Systems and Private

Investment in Airport Management

4. (U) Infrastructure Minister Blanco released a

Congressionally-mandated report analyzing airport

profitability and announced plans to improve efficiency and

productivity in a speech to Congress on January 12. With

only nine of the 48 airports managed by the GOS earning a

profit, the Minister blamed high salaries for air traffic

controllers, which average around 334,000 euros annually and

reach above 900,000 for some including overtime. He proposed

replacing air traffic controllers in low volume airports with

an automated system known as Aerodrome Flight Information

Service (AFIS). GOS aviation officials have been in touch

with FAA counterparts to learn more about the role of

automated systems in the U.S.

MADRID 00000042 002.3 OF 002

5. (U) The Minister also elaborated plans to improve airport

efficiency and profitability by restructuring airport

oversight and management in compliance with EU regulations.

The GOS would create a new entity, "Aena Aeropuertos, SA," to

assume the responsibility of airport management, currently

overseen jointly with aviation by the quasi-governmental

agency AENA. The new model would shift the authority for

setting airport fees from the Congress to Aena Aeropuertos,

SA. It would also allow for private investment of up to 30%

in the new entity and provide a role for autonomous

communities. Blanco envisions creating subsidiaries to

manage airports with high traffic, economic viability, and

special complexity (at present only Madrid's Barajas and

Barcelona's El Prat would meet these criteria). Private

companies could invest up to 10% in the subsidiaries, while

the autonomous communities could invest up to 39%, both would

have management input. Additionally, the GOS plans to create

regional airport committees to increase local government

involvement. The EU deadline for separating out the airport

management function is 2011 and the GOS anticipates

introducing a proposed legislation before June this year.

(All Media, Fomento and Moncloa websites, Embassy)

Telefonica Attempts to Reassure Stockholders after

Devaluation of the Venezuelan Bolivar

6. (U) Telefonica issued a strong statement attempting to

calm and reassure its stockholders in light of the

devaluation of the Venezuelan Bolivar (devalued 50%, from

2.15 to 4.3 Bolivars to the dollar) on January 11.

Telefonica's share prices fell 3% after news of the

devaluation, the largest drop in over a year. Both ING and

Morgan Stanley are predicting that the devaluation will have

a significant impact on Telefonica's profits over the next

three years, with estimates of the cost ranging from 2 to 7

billion euros. The Venezuelan branch had been the company's

largest and most profitable in Latin America, responsible for

9.2% of the company's total cash flow. (Cinco Dias, 1/12)

Internet Users' Groups Attack Government's Anti-Piracy

Initiative

7. (U) Internet users' advocacy groups launched a new

campaign against the government's legislative proposal to

expand its authority to take down or block websites that host

IPR-infringing material. Activists presented

"RedSOStenible.net" (Sustainable Net) with the intention of

organizing actions both on and off the Internet during

Spain's EU Presidency to convince the public that the

government's proposed anti-piracy measures are unworkable.

According to one of the promoters of the new campaign, the

government's initiative "is not a law against IPR violations

but a law against civil liberties." The GOS amended its

original proposal (ref B) to include a judicial review and

authorization before shutting down any website, but Internet

users consider the safeguards insufficient. Comment: This is

the third campaign/manifesto launched by the "internautas"

since the government introduced legislation in early

December. These populist advocacy groups are very vocal but

it remains unclear how numerous they are or whether they have

any influence. The Internautas' Facebook page has 7,000

members, but the page where the manifesto was published has

over 200,000 and hosts a lively dialogue. End comment. (El

Pais, 1/13)

Spain and Andorra Sign Tax Information Exchange Agreement

8. (U) On January 14, Spain and Andorra signed a Tax

Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA). This latest agreement

represents another step in Andorra's efforts to be removed

from the list of international tax havens. As part of the

agreement, Andorra commits to bring its regime into

compliance with OECD standards. Andorra is seeking TIEAs

with a number of European countries as well as the United

States. (El Confidencial, 1/14)

SOLOMONT;"

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