Before a crowded audience, Maite Antón, president of the Association of Family Business in the province of Alicante, opened the third AEFA gathering by weaving together recent achievements with clear calls for action. She welcomed the Council’s Simplify Plan, describing it as a hopeful step forward. Antón pointed to repeated requests that this initiative appears to reflect, signaling a potential alignment between advocacy and policy.
Yet the event also served as a stage for renewed advocacy. Antón called for expanding the inheritance tax relief to cover more degrees of kinship, including scenarios involving external professional leadership or blended families. This reform, she argued, would unlock more opportunities for family businesses that rely on non-family direction while maintaining fairness across generations.
She highlighted the enduring strength of the association, likening it to a resilient tree that has borne fruit over time. The organization has continued its growth, reaching 182 member companies this year. This increase positions AEFA as one of Spain’s most robust regional family business associations, notable for its provincial scope. Antón emphasized the organization’s dynamism, noting more than 40 activities, workshops, and meetings conducted throughout 2023.
Demands in Focus
In this context, Antón urged administrations to create a more favorable framework for enterprises, with lighter burdens that enable faster growth and the launch of new projects. The aim is to foster greater agility in entrepreneurship while ensuring sustainable development across sectors.
She also underscored talent challenges, explaining that a set of related issues centers on managing expectations, particularly among younger generations. The remarks pointed to the ongoing hunt for skilled professionals as a key pressure point for family firms seeking succession or strategic leadership.
Another major concern is the misalignment between workforce training and job market needs. With unemployment still high, including many high- and mid-skill roles unfilled, Antón questioned the current training model and urged earlier investments in education that emphasize excellence and practical competencies. She advocated stronger links between vocational training and real-world job requirements to reduce mismatches in the labor market.
On the topic of talent, she added concerns about the culture of work effort and potential disincentives created by subsidies, signaling a need for policies that incentivize merit and productivity while providing fair support for those transitioning into employment.
Economically, the association raised concerns about an onerous tax climate. Antón described fiscal pressure as the highest among OECD peers and highlighted a tax burden well above European Union averages. She argued that such costs erode net incomes for both businesses and individuals and discourage employment, stressing the importance of reforms that balance fiscal responsibility with competitiveness.
Finally, Antón offered a candid critique of current government and union proposals to raise wages and shorten the workweek. She warned that increases without proportional gains in productivity would raise costs and fuel inflation, potentially undermining the aims of wage growth. Conversely, she supported targeted tax relief on labor and wages as a catalyst for higher employment and greater disposable income, contributing positively to the broader economy.
These points collectively frame a vision where policy clarity, robust training, and a fair tax and labor regime work in concert to bolster family enterprises across the region. The overarching message is one of steady growth anchored by responsible policy reforms and a committed, skilled workforce ready to meet evolving business needs.