Urban talent attraction plan
Introduction
ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones is a public business entity that was founded in 1982 by Royal Decree 6/1982 [5] as the National Institute for Export Promotion (INFE). ICEX is integrated into the structure of the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business,[6] under the Secretary of State for Commerce.[7] The acronym ICEX, which is part of its current name, comes from its previous name as the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, which was in force until 2012.[8] Its main mission is to promote the internationalization of Spanish companies, offering them different programs. ICEX contributes to strengthening the competitiveness of Spanish companies and attracting foreign investments to the country.[9]
The budget assigned to ICEX for the year 2023 is 134,003,000 EUR.[10] Its team is made up of 568 professionals distributed in the Central Services, some of the 104 Economic and Commercial Offices of the Diplomatic Missions of Spain abroad [11] and in more than 30 Territorial and Provincial Directorates of Commerce in Spain.[12].
Objectives and functions
The main objective of ICEX is to promote the presence and expansion of Spanish companies in the international arena by improving their competitiveness, as detailed in its 2021-2022 Strategic Plan.[13] This plan aims to strengthen the foreign market, making it more "inclusive and resilient",[14] constituting a pillar of recovery and contributing to a more sustainable internationalization.[15].
To this end, the following objectives have been established:[16][17].
The core activities of ICEX [28] include:
History and evolution
In 1982, the National Institute for Export Promotion (INFE) was created through a Royal Decree-Law.[36] Later, in 1987, its name was changed to the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX).[37].
In 2011, through Royal Decree-Law 4/2011,[38] ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones adopted its current name.
In 2014, ICEX approved incorporating the Center for Economic and Commercial Studies (CECO) into its structure.[39].