Articles by Joan Tapia

About the Author

Joan Tapia
Former editor of La Vanguardia, El Noticiero Universal and Spanish public TV channel in Catalonia, Joan Tapia also advised the Minister of Economy and Finance of Spain’s first Socialist Government. One of the country’s most veteran journalists, Mr Tapia also holds a Law degree and founded La Caixa’s Information and External Relations Department. He is a regular columnist for some media outlets both in Catalan and Spanish, and a member of the Royal Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences.
Pedro mascarilla españita

Spain: Economy Better, Politics Worse

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | The crisis caused by the coronavirus, which has been going on for more than a year now, is far from being overcome. But perhaps the worst thing is that a latent pessimism – unjustified but real – all too often obscures data and realities that lean towards a cautious and reasoned optimism. If we add to this the political turmoil, we find ourselves – more so in Spain, but not only here – faced with an extreme confusion that alters reality.


Ministerio Trabajo

Changing The Labour Reform In Spain Without Repealing It, That Is The Question

Joan Tapia | It is vital to maintain a peaceful social climate in the coming months and to inspire confidence in the economic agents, a sine qua non condition for the preservation of employment and investment. That is why the much talked about complete overturning of the labour reform has been postponed and only “the most harmful aspects” have been changed. But the deadlines are running out and the most radical sectors are demanding that sectorial agreements take precedence over those with companies (which would reduce the flexibility of the economy.)


budget2021 amendments

Spain’s Budget 2021: Improvable, But Far From Being The Worst Possible To Show A Responsible Country

Joan Tapia | Yesterday, the Spanish Parliament rejected, with a large majority the complete amendments to the 2021 budget. It is an important step towards political stability and the possibility of creating an economic policy to fight the crisis. From the economic point of view, the Budget may be substantially improved, but we have the government that we have, PSOE with Podemos. So the accounts for 2021 – in the midst of great world uncertainty – are far from being the worst possible.


Nadia proud spain

Brief Chronicle Of Spain: A Bad Summer. A Worse Autumn?

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | The figures of the Spanish economy were terrible in the second quarter. GDP plummeted by an outrageous 18.5% compared to the previous quarter, while the GDP of the euro area, despite suffering the biggest fall since reliable statistics have been available, fell considerably less, by 11.8%. And the loss of jobs in the same period was 7.5% in Spain compared to 2.9% in Europe.


Nadia Lagarde

What Happens Without Nadia Calviño?

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | Spain has lost out in the Eurogroup, but only by 10 to 9 and with the vote in favour of the powerful Franco-German axis. It is an honourable defeat that indicates our limitations. Some claim that the result is due to the fact Spain has a government with communist participation, something anomalous in Europe. I think that it is a warning from the medium-sized countries to the Franco-German axis to take them more into account. Spain is not gaining influence in Europe, but it will have little impact on economic policy.


Congreso

Spain: The Coronavirus Invades Everything

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | We don’t really know where we stand with regard to this crisis, but it’s clear what we should do. The EU must act decisively to avoid an economic disaster that would affect all its members. Only God knows what will come next.


The agreement on the minimum wage and the relative success of the trip to Catalonia encourages the new government

The Minimum Wage And The Trip Of Sánchez To Catalonia Encourages The New Government

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | The PSOE-Podemos Coalition Government has not failed to confront its two main challenges: economic policy and Catalonia. However, now comes the most important issue: to approve the national budget for 2020 for which it needs a vote in favour of ERC. This time the abstention of ERC is not enough, as in the case of the investiture, which was achieved in exchange for the establishment of a dialogue between the governments of Madrid and Barcelona.


Pedro Sánchez falls short of majority but will likely prevail tuesday

Spain: deceleration slowing down

Joan Tapia | The latest data indicate that the economic slowdown in Spain is showing some signs of reversing. That is, the slowdown is slowing down and that the economic situation in the coming months may be somewhat better than expected by some of the most pessimistic analysts. The misfortune is that this slight recovery of economic optimism has no correspondence in the political field, as the result of the 10-N elections and the subsequent movements of the parties indicate a very difficult governance.



Spain

Spain: Is growth without stability possible?

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | The possibility of new elections in November is beginning to sound the alarm about the ability of Spanish political parties to form coalitions. The Spanish economy is an animal of great strength which, once set going, is resistant and difficult to stop. So said to me a few months ago a distinguished Spanish economist who presides over one of the most respected think tanks.