The Cádiz Free Trade Zone is consolidating itself as a key economic driver for the province, achieving a historic milestone in its financial management. The Consortium has surpassed 15 million euros in turnover for the first time and has tripled its profits, reaching 6.1 million euros, compared to 1.9 million the previous year. This success is attributed to a viability plan implemented in 2020, which included debt restructuring and strengthening the commercial area, along with a "very powerful investment policy".
The State Delegate, Fran González, has highlighted the importance of collaboration between administrations, including the Cádiz City Council, the Regional Government of Andalusia, and the Central Government, to carry out joint initiatives. "I prefer to speak of co-leadership because successes are always shared," González stated on COPE, emphasizing the need for "other collaborators" for the entity's development.
The entity is focusing its efforts on the blue economy, a non-polluting industrial model, through projects like IncubaAzul and its successor, BlueCore, which will support startups. The imminent construction of two new buildings in the outer industrial park and within the fiscal enclosure is planned to benefit installed companies with tax advantages.
Furthermore, the Free Trade Zone plays a crucial role in the development of major urban projects. It has ceded land for the construction of the new Cádiz hospital without compensation and is promoting the construction of 800 homes on the Navalips land, more than half of them being social housing (VPO), to address the housing problem in the city.
In its international projection, the Free Trade Zone aims to position itself as a benchmark and support local SMEs in their international expansion, a process that has slowed down since the pandemic. Participation in forums such as the World Free Trade Zones Congress in Panama and the upcoming celebration in Cádiz of the congress of American free trade zones are key to this strategy.
Regarding "industrial slums" and abandoned warehouses, González pointed to the "shared responsibility of many administrations." Although the Free Trade Zone has demolished some warehouses for safety and health reasons, it calls for a "rethinking" of the city's urban planning in collaboration with the City Council to regenerate these areas with public impetus and private sector support.
