Council of Ministers

Government steps up anti-smoking health measures

2017.11.17

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Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree-law amending the Law on anti-smoking health measures and regulating the sale, supply, consumption and advertising on tobacco products with the aim of transposing the corresponding EU directive.

The Minister for Education, Culture and Sport and Government Spokesperson, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, explained that the aim of the new legislation is "to take further steps to protect the health of smokers and, indirectly, of passive smokers". In this regard, the Royal Decree-law establishes a series of limitations on the sale of so-called electronic cigarettes and will make the rules on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of these the same as for tobacco products. A penalty system is also contained therein in the event of the breach of these obligations.

Hydrocarbons

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo also reported on the approval of another Royal Decree-law to transpose the EU Directive on operations relating to offshore petrol and gas.

The aim of this new legislation is to guarantee the security of the design and activities of research and the operation of hydrocarbons in the marine environment. With this aim in mind, new obligations are established for operators, including the preparation of a report on the risks of serious accidents, which will include the participation of workers. Furthermore, the new legislation provides for the creation of the Authority Competent for the Security of Maritime Operations in the field of hydrocarbons (Spanish acronym: ACSOM) to supervise this activity, thereby guaranteeing maximum security.

Coal mining

Pool Moncloa / JM CuadradoThe government authorised exceptional aid, for the maximum sum of 25 million euros, allocated to defray part of the exceptional costs for environmental restoration deriving from the closure of coal mining operations.

The Government Spokesperson specified that these funds will be used for additional safety works inside mines, to alleviate the damage caused by mining activities and to recondition previous coal extraction zones, as well as to plant crops on the surface.

University teaching staff

The Council of Ministers authorised a call for proposals for grants for the training of university teaching staff for the sum of 71.3 million euros.

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo specified that 850 grants will be offered for pre-doctorate employment contracts for a period of 48 months, or 72 in the case of students with disabilities, for which 17 of the grants are available. The amount of the grant is 1,368.50 euros per month with extra payments on a pro rata basis.

The minister claimed that this decision seeks "to ensure the future availability of doctors in different academic disciplines for their subsequent incorporation as teaching or research staff".

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo underlined that this call for proposals is in addition to other measures approved in recent months within the framework of the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation. He also recalled that 2,325 lecturers have already benefitted from aid from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport for university teaching staff.

Granting of nationality

The government granted Spanish nationality to the Venezuelans Henrique Capriles García and Mónica Cristina Radonski - the parents of the Venezuelan politician Henrique Capriles Radonski.

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo highlighted that the granting of these nationalities is one more example of the government's support "for the defence of human rights across the globe".

Application of Article 155 in Catalonia

Pool Moncloa / JM CuadradoAfter the ordinary meeting, the Council of Ministers held another session, called pursuant to the agreement of the Plenary Session of the Upper House on 27 October 2017, approving the measures called for by the government under the scope of Article 155 of the Constitution.

At this meeting, the government authorised eight public bodies in Catalonia to renew short-term debt operations "in order to attend to their operational needs", highlighted the Government Delegate in Catalonia, Enric Millo, at a press briefing in Barcelona.

The government also agreed, via the fast-track procedure, to purchase 300 breathing masks for the fire department of the Regional Government of Catalonia for a sum of some 85,000 euros.

The government also agreed to appoint Miquel Mateu García as the Director-General of State-subsidised and private teaching centres of the Regional Government of Catalonia, announced Íñigo Méndez de Vigo.

Intense job creation

In his weekly assessment, the Government Spokesperson commented on two reports on the outlook for the Spanish economy published by two international bodies.

In the first place, the report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the rate of harmonised unemployment, in which Spain figures as the Member State that has most reduced its unemployment rate in the last year. Íñigo Méndez de Vigo said that Spain has gone from being the OECD country to shed the most jobs to the one that "heads up job creation". He also pointed out that the number of people in work now exceeds 19 million, and hence the government feels it can confidently guarantee to meet the target set of 20 million people in work, "after only one year of the present legislature".

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo mentioned, secondly, the report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that estimates that the Spanish economy will grow by 3.1% this year - a rate that coincides with the government's official forecast - and by 2.5% next year, 0.2% higher than the government's forecast. The Government Spokesperson underlined that this is thus "strong, inclusive growth geared towards social policies that is also leading towards strong job creation".

New political era in Catalonia

Pool Moncloa / JM CuadradoThe Minister for Education, Culture and Sport recalled that the President of the Government stressed this week that the economy could grow by as much as 3% in 2018 if the political situation returns to normal in Catalonia.

Without the impact of the political crisis in Catalonia, added the Government Spokesperson, the Spanish risk premium would not stand at 116 basis points, but rather at 85-90 points, and the agencies would have given Spain a notably high credit-rating. "All of this is very important because it means that the loans that small- and medium-sized enterprises would prove to be less expensive", he remarked.

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo outlined the cost for Catalonia of institutional instability and uncertainty: more than 2,500 companies have already transferred their registered office, and more than 1,000 their fiscal residence; last month unemployment posted its largest rise in this region since October 2008; hotel occupancy fell by 7% and retail trade by 12%, added to which automobile sales have also fallen as have consumer and investor confidence indicators.

"The government, which triggered Article 155 to return self governance to Catalonia and to call snap elections, believes that Catalonia, in order to prosper, must look to the future and needs a new political era, characterised by guaranteeing the principle of legality and the rule of law, the full restoration of co-existence, a close in the divides among the people of Catalonia, and full respect for democratic rules and procedures, and the rights and liberties of everyone", declared the Government Spokesperson.

Current affairs

In relation to the declarations made by the General Secretary of Esquerra Republicana de Cataluña - ERC [Republican Left of Catalonia], Marta Rovira, according to which the government threatened episodes of extreme violence in Catalonia in the event of a unilateral declaration of independence, the Government Spokesperson said that "the secessionist leaders have got us used to their lies", and described these statements as "pure humbug".

Pool Moncloa / JM CuadradoAs regards the possibility of the European Medicines Agency hosting its headquarters in Barcelona, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo stressed that the government is doing "everything in its hands" and that it will fight to the very end because this is an issue that is a State policy and because Barcelona "is the best candidature and the city that offers the best conditions".

In relation to the government's participation in the Constitutional Reform Committee, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo claimed that the government aspires to see a repeat of the consensus achieved for the approval of the 1978 Spanish Constitution, and called for those political groups that do not want to take part to "rectify", and we will see how we can make progress in a "serious, carefully thought out and measured analysis".

The Government Spokesperson denied any meddling in the elections on 21 December through messages sent from IT servers located in Russian or Venezuelan territory because these are elections called under all due legal requirements and in which polling stations will establish the corresponding controls. He also offered to facilitate MPs with "all the information they so request".
When asked about the possibility of his department claiming, under the scope of Article 155 of the Constitution, the assets of Sigena Monastery in Huesca that are located in Lleida Museum, the minister and Government Spokesperson undertook to study the order received from the judge on Thursday "diligently and thoroughly".

Non official translation