Over the last decade Spain has undergone a process of modernization that has included an extensive renewal of its infrastructure.
The government plans to continue investing heavily in the future. This is reflected in the Overall Infrastructure Plan for 1993 to 2007, which provided for investment totaling US$133 billion. Intercity transport is the main item in the Infrastructure Plan, followed by urban transport. There will also be accompanying measures in hydraulic works and environmental infrastructure.
PHOTO: SPANISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The motorway network, totaling more than 10,000km, has tripled in length since 1982 and has undergone continuous renovation to enhance efficiency and convenience. The government investment plan will result in a 13,000km motorway network for year 2010, with total investment expected to surpass 25 billion euros between 2000 and 2006, thus becoming one of the most modern networks in the world.
As far as rail transport is concerned, Spain has a network of over 14,000km of track, and in 1992 introduced a 471 km high-speed line from Madrid to Seville which reaches 350km per hour. Highspeed train lines have become a priority for the government infrastructure plans. As a consequence of these plans, by December 2004 Madrid will be connected by high-speed train to the French border via Barcelona (Catalonia) and via Irun (Basque Country) and by the year 2005 it will be connected to the Mediterranean coast via Valencia.
Additionally, high-speed lines are being designed in order to connect Portugal and the remaining major Spanish cities. The investment forecast for railroads totals 21.6 billion euros between 2000 and 2006.
There are air transport services between the main cities and the approximately 250 airlines with scheduled flights operating out of the country's 33 international airports ensure complete service abroad.
Spain is an important intermediate stop in the lines between Latin America and Europe and lies in a crucial position in the network to America and Africa from Europe. Spain also has excellent sea communications, with 44 international ports on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.
Spain is well equipped with industrial land and technological and industrial infrastructure. In the last few years, technology parks have proliferated in the main industrial areas and near universities and R&D centers. There are currently 19 technology parks and another seven are in the planning stages. In these technology parks there are 874 companies, 88 R&D centers and 12 incubators operating. R&D expenditure has risen significantly in recent years, after annual increases of 15 percent in the 1983-89 period. The fourth national R&D Plan (2000 to 2003) forecasts that R&D expenditure in the following term will amount to 1.3 percent of GDP.
Last, Spain has a good telecommunications network. In addition to the approximately 64,000km of conventional fiber optic lines, Spain manages one of the largest international undersea cable networks and has satellite connections with the five continents.
In particular, it is worthwhile mentioning the strong liberalization process undertaken in the telecommunications sector well within the European schedule. Among other benefits, this will imply a more competitive and cost effective offering of this type of services, essential for an appropriate economic development.
Seventy percent of middle and elementary schools now conduct English classes entirely in English, the Ministry of Education said, as it encourages schools nationwide to adopt this practice Minister of Education (MOE) Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) is scheduled to present a report on the government’s bilingual education policy to the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee today. The report would outline strategies aimed at expanding access to education, reducing regional disparities and improving talent cultivation. Implementation of bilingual education policies has varied across local governments, occasionally drawing public criticism. For example, some schools have required teachers of non-English subjects to pass English proficiency
‘FORM OF PROTEST’: The German Institute Taipei said it was ‘shocked’ to see Nazi symbolism used in connection with political aims as it condemned the incident Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 yesterday amid an outcry over a Nazi armband he wore to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case on Tuesday night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and apparently covering the book with a coat. This is a serious international scandal and Chinese
PERSONAL DATA: The implicated KMT members allegedly compiled their petitions by copying names from party lists without the consent of the people concerned Judicial authorities searched six locations yesterday and questioned six people, including one elderly Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member and five KMT Youth League associates, about alleged signature forgery and fraud relating to their recall efforts against two Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators. After launching a probe into alleged signature forgery and related fraud in the KMT’s recall effort, prosecutors received a number of complaints, including about one petition that had 1,748 signatures of voters whose family members said they had already passed away, and also voters who said they did not approve the use of their name, Taipei Deputy Chief Prosecutor
TRADE: The premier pledged safeguards on ‘Made in Taiwan’ labeling, anti-dumping measures and stricter export controls to strengthen its position in trade talks Products labeled “made in Taiwan” must be genuinely made in Taiwan, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday, vowing to enforce strict safeguards against “origin laundering” and initiate anti-dumping investigations to prevent China dumping its products in Taiwan. Cho made the remarks in a discussion session with representatives from industries in Kaohsiung. In response to the US government’s recent announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs on its trading partners, President William Lai (賴清德) and Cho last week began a series of consultations with industry leaders nationwide to gather feedback and address concerns. Taiwanese and US officials held a videoconference on Friday evening to discuss the
RSS