The Community of Madrid and the Valencian Community are leveraged as a joint platform to boost cooperation among autonomous regions and to support broader economic growth across Spain. The midyear summit, hosted in Madrid and organized by regional leaders, gathered a who’s who of business executives and policy makers. The event was framed by the leadership of Isabel Díaz Ayuso from Madrid, Carlos Mazón from Valencia, and figures connected to a prominent global media outlet. The Conexus Foundation, guided by lawyer Manuel Broseta, presented a clear agenda to strengthen commercial ties and foster social cohesion, aiming to align regional interests with national prosperity.
With around 200 attendees, the working session covered transport, logistics, mobility, and energy. The Valencian Entrepreneurs Association (AVE), under Vicente Boluda, described the gathering as a catalyst for regional collaboration, stressing that stronger links between regions are vital for Spain to assert greater economic and social strength within Europe. Valencia’s business community highlighted Madrid as its principal market within Spain, noting that approximately one third of the commerce conducted by Valencian companies depends on Madrid as a trading hub.
Key infrastructures
Participants agreed that infrastructure remains a core driver of competitiveness and that public investment should be directed to maximize regional potential. Salvador Navarro, a senior leader of the Valencian employers’ association CEV, underscored the need for strategic spending to reverse gaps and unlock latent growth opportunities. In Valencia, the Port of Valencia is singled out as a critical asset not only for local firms but also for many other Spanish regions, including Madrid, thanks to its natural sea access. The central government has signaled support for modernization by authorizing the construction of a new container terminal within the Grao complex, a move viewed as vital to sustaining trade flows and regional resilience.
Coordinate strategies
José Vicente Morata, president of the Council of Chambers, noted that this year’s summit builds on last year’s gathering and emphasizes aligning public sentiment with practical collaboration. The plan calls for joint initiatives across logistics, communications, tourism, and trade to strengthen bilateral ties between Madrid and the Valencian Community. Morata stressed that the Barajas airport hub and the link between Madrid’s dry port and the Port of Valencia should work in tandem to expand tourism offerings and broaden economic opportunities. He also pointed to the need for smoother administrative processes and a lower tax burden on businesses to sustain momentum, acknowledging steps already taken by the regional administrations and urging continued progress.
Benefit from synergies
Propeller, the Valencian logistics association, welcomed the Madrid-Valencia summit as a prime chance to deepen synergies and explore new avenues for collaboration. Alfredo Soler, the association’s president, emphasized the importance of Valencia as Madrid’s natural harbor and reiterated that initiatives building bridges between the two regions will always be welcomed. The Valencian Chamber of Commerce echoed this sentiment, highlighting that greater alignment between Madrid and Valencia can serve as a model for cross-regional cooperation that strengthens Spain’s competitive edge in European markets.