Development and Co-operation Programme - [10/27/2007]

Machinea: “Latin America needs to increase its fiscal revenue””

José Luís Machinea, Executive Secretary of ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) placed emphasis on the consensus that was achieved with respect to financing at a seminar on the Ibero-American Development Agenda, which was organised by the CIDOB Foundation and held at the Palau de Pedralbes in Barcelona. “Latin America needs to increase its fiscal revenue within Latin America”, Machinea claimed.

Meanwhile, David Vegara, Secretary of State for Economic Affairs for the Spanish Government, suggested that there was a need for effective social justice. “As well as the need to continue making progress in the strengthening of institutions and legal security, it should be noted that the advances being made in this field are ensuring greater, more stable access to financing, which results in necessary investment”.

Under the title Social cohesion and reforms in Latin America, the Seminar brought together some 40 economists and experts on Latin America who highlighted the fact that the context of prosperity that the region is experiencing represents an ideal framework for promoting reforms that will strengthen social cohesion and enable Latin American societies to face up to less favourable situations in the future.

This annual event gives participants the opportunity to reflect upon and debate the situation and the most suitable policies for achieving sustained development and fostering social cohesion. This year, the participants examined the region's economic situation, the labour market and social cohesion, as well as holding debates on the issues of tax policies and reforms, priorities in educational reforms, labour reforms, social protection, and the pensions and health system.

Inaugurated by Narcís Serra, the President of CIDOB, the seminar was also attended by Alejandro Ferreiro, Chile’s Economy Minister; Miguel Hakim,Secretary for Cooperation of the Ibero-American General Secretariat; David Taguas, Head of the Prime Minister of Spain's Economics Office; and Guillermo de la Dehesa, President of the Centre for Economic Policy Research, among other leading figures in the field.

The proposals deriving from the Seminar will be passed on for discussion at the 27th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, which will be held in Santiago, Chile. In addition, the addresses from the different debating panels will be published in a book that will be co-published by ECLAC and the CIDOB Foundation.

>> See seminar programme (pdf 250kB)

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