The main export sector of Alicante province, footwear, faced a slowdown even before the coronavirus outbreak, and the health crisis accelerated that trend until the industry began to pull the strings. As a result, after more than a year of work, the Valencia Courts established a special commission to review the business model and boost competitiveness. The plan rests on pillars such as education, innovation, and foreign sales, with measures like tackling the informal economy through a dedicated labor inspection unit. All proposals are to be included in the Generalitat’s plan to support the footwear sector, which also provides targeted assistance to companies.
The commission, composed of deputies from all regional groups, gathered business leaders, trade union representatives, politicians, and technicians. After listening to everyone, a unanimous opinion emerged on Monday, leading the Botànic Government to adopt the proposals and promote their implementation across the region.
The report highlights the pandemic’s heavy toll on footwear, noting a 40% drop in sales, and explains how the Ukraine conflict added volatility, disrupted markets, and intensified the energy crisis. It concludes that the preexisting challenges for the industry were already significant, and today the path forward requires adaptation to a new global economic framework through reinvention grounded in digitalization, evolving consumer habits, and sustainable practices.
With this context, the commission aims to urgently develop a strategic plan for the sector in the business models section, backed by the Generalitat. Unlike textiles, it calls for stronger border controls to curb unfair competition and for clear education support plans to address generational change.
In the training area, the talent section examines options such as expanding and diversifying offerings from the Generalitat, tailoring courses to company needs, and continuously improving working conditions.
The document dedicates substantial attention to innovation. Half of the companies invest no more than 15,000 euros, a situation explained by the sector’s fragmentation, with 90% of firms being SMEs and micro SMEs with limited investment capacity. The plan therefore promotes private investment in innovation and digitalization, expands programs and funding lines that foster collaboration with public universities, and launches the National Footwear Reference Center project in Elche.
Regarding digitalization and internationalization, the committee recommends deepening international trade agreements and promoting the use of the Spanish brand. It also mentions proposals such as creating a major footwear fair at IFA to strengthen the sector’s international image.
The emphasis on sustainability calls for eliminating the sunk cost economy to ensure a fairer social model. It suggests establishing a sector-specific labor inspection unit and encourages supporting the circular economy, recycling waste, and financing machinery purchases and sustainable processes.
In public administration, the plan offers support for contracting and investment in research and development, and ensures a Valencian delegation is present when negotiating trade deals in Brussels to defend the sector’s strategic interests within the Community.