On March 6 and 7, 2025, the IV Forum of the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce will take place in Vigo, a business and institutional meeting in which the Chambers aim to highlight the unity of the European Atlantic regions, represented at the highest level by their business networks and institutions, in advocating for issues of common interest for the development of this economic space.
The Bilbao Chamber of Commerce holds the Technical Secretariat of the project and will be represented at this IV Forum by its president, José Ignacio Zudaire. Also participating in the meeting will be the Director of European Affairs of the Basque Government and representative of the Presidency of the Atlantic Arc Commission, Mikel Antón, and the COO of Saitec Offshore, David Carrascosa, who will participate in one of the debate panels on offshore wind energy.
This new meeting aims to involve local companies and make them part of the initiative, highlighting the importance of the Atlantic Arc as a macro-region and the fundamental role played by the business fabric, along with institutional support, in its development.
The first day will feature representatives from the Chambers of Commerce of Portugal, Spain, and France that are part of the initiative, who will assess the progress made so far and work on the next actions to be carried out.
The second day will also bring together public institutions and a representation of companies from the Atlantic Arc, with the aim of turning this IV Forum into a platform for joint demands on priority issues, especially regarding the Atlantic Arc macro-region; the development of infrastructure, green hydrogen, offshore wind energy, and tourism, among other matters.
About the Atlantic Arc Chambers
The Chambers of Commerce of Northern Portugal, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Burgos, Navarra, Basque Country, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine signed in Bilbao, in June 2023, the Declaration of the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce, aiming to create inter-chamber and inter-institutional cooperation mechanisms to jointly address the economic, social, and environmental challenges faced by the regions that make up the Atlantic Arc. Since this first conference, two more have been held, in Porto and Oviedo, in February and July 2024, respectively. These conferences have advanced the identification of common interest topics, the drafting of a strategic document, and the inclusion of public administrations and other institutions, especially universities. The strategic document establishes three priority work areas of common interest to all territories:
- Transport and Intermodality
- Promotion of the Atlantic rail corridor
- Support for intermodality and connectivity of the Atlantic Arc Ports
- Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Corridor
- Development of the hydrogen corridor
- Offshore wind energy
- The Camino de Santiago as a structuring hallmark
- Wine tourism
- Leisure, nature, and wellness activities
The Atlantic Arc Chambers aim to generate synergies around these areas of work to transform the territory, making it more competitive, sustainable, dynamic, open and connected; as well as more attractive and with higher quality of life for its citizens.