The Basque Government’s Department of Industry, Innovation, Commerce and Tourism, represented by the minister in charge Bernabé Unda, and the MONDRAGON Corporation, represented by the president of its General Council, José María Aldecoa, have today signed a Collaboration Agreement for the period 2010-2013 covering five areas of activity: Information and Communication, Entrepreneurship, Business Development, Technology and Innovation and Globalisation.
The agreement highlights the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors and ratifies the willingness of both sides to continue with a model of collaboration that aims to promote better and more effective participation on the part of MONDRAGON in meeting the objectives set by the Department’s action plans. It also seeks to facilitate the support of the Department’s policies, instruments and resources for MONDRAGON’s business objectives, thereby promoting an improvement in the competitiveness of the Basque industrial fabric.
The frameworks of reference for this agreement are the previous Agreement reached for the period 2008-2010, and the Department’s new action plans: the new Competitiveness Plan 2010-2013 currently being drawn up and the new Science and Technology Plan that will be developed throughout 2010.
The agreement has also been adapted to the new market situation, characterised by the strong crisis that has hit the main developed economies and affected the Department’s and MONDRAGON’s policies and strategies. Both sides are aware of the threats and opportunities offered by the new international framework and accept the challenges involved, firmly expressing their support for maintaining the industrial activity that they consider to be the main driving force behind the development of the Basque Autonomous Community.
As far as this year 2010 is concerned, the agreement establishes the following objectives:
• In the Information and Communication area: work will focus on monitoring MONDRAGON’s performance, on the Department’s economic-financial prospects and on developing the programmes envisaged by the Basque Government in relation to the Competitiveness Plan and the Science and Technology Plan.
• In the Entrepreneurship area there will be mutual collaboration on the process of implementing MONDRAGON’s Innovation, Promotion and Knowledge System and on bringing to fruition projects led by the Corporate Development Centre and the Divisional Centres. Saiolan setting up in the Garaia Park is also contemplated together with the continuation of Saiolan’s structural Funding Agreement.
• In the Business Development Area, the focus will be on monitoring the strategic projects of a number of co-operatives, the joint investment funds already in operation and studying new joint financial platforms. It is also the aim to continue promoting the Garaia Innovation Park. Likewise, a look will be taken at important new business projects and the development of new Technology Parks associated with companies that are driving the Corporation forward.
• In the Technology and Innovation area, the aim is for MONDRAGON to be actively involved in the Basque Government’s programmes for 2010, with a boost also to its participation in the European Technology Platforms together with other Basque agents of innovation. MONDRAGON’s presence as the driving force behind the Basque Innovation System will also be strengthened and there will be joint collaboration in the launch and equipping of technology centres and R&D units. This collaboration will extend to the drawing up and implementation of the Department’s Competitiveness Plan and Science and Technology Plan.
• As for Globalisation, there will be collaboration in four main areas: networks abroad, the creation of Business Parks in key countries, offering to other companies the services of the Purchasing offices that Mondragon has in China, India and Russia and, finally, carrying out headline projects capable of acting as a driving force in the field of infrastructures.
The monitoring and control of the Agreement shall be the responsibility of the signatories, with a Plenary Commission and Monitoring Committee set up for that purpose. The Plenary Commission, chaired by Bernabé Unda and José Mª Aldecoa, will meet once a year and will be made up of high officials from the Department and managers from the Corporation.
The Commission will appoint the members of the Monitoring Committee, made up of four members from each side and which will meet at least four times a year in work sessions.
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