The ports, economic forces

The Generalitat de Catalunya approved the previous report of the Law on Ports draft, whose strategic goal sets the Catalan ports "as a true economic force".

The executive has pushed this measure according to the need to adapt the current law, since 1998, to the current reality and cope with changes in the country's port traffic (fishing, commercial, industrial, services, etc.), with improvements in the infrastructures quality. Thus, the new law will introduce changes to ensure "a more flexible concession system to incentive investments".

Actually, according to a study by the public company Ports de la Generalitat and presented last June, the 45 ports managed by the Generalitat generate an annual impact of 1,000 million euros and 12,000 jobs. Thus, the activity generated by these 45 ports in sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, marine, industry (shipyards and docks), commercial, tourism and services is equivalent to 0.5% of Catalonia's GDP and 0.4% of employment in Catalonia.

The ports also play an important role in the social field and allow the development of a series of educational, sports, cultural and civic activities. According to 2014 data, the number of visitors to the Catalan port facilities associated with this role of social activism exceeded one million people.

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