5 PILLARS

BIOECONOMICS

1. Despite policies to the contrary, the bioeconomy generates a quarter of private employment, 70 % of exports and population roots. Could you list 5 concrete measures you propose for your first year in office?

A) Enactment of a new Biofuels/Bioenergy law that, among other reforms, promotes the production and use of all biofuels, understanding them as part of an important link in the Circular Bioeconomy, where Biorefineries ultimately provide bioinputs, biopolymers, biomaterials and by-products to our economy, replacing petroleum derivatives.

B) Increase the use of biofuels in liquid fuels, modifying the current regulations to allow the commercialisation of flex-fuel cars in our country (it is incomprehensible that we export them but they are not approved for their commercialisation in Argentina).

C) Promote the development of biogas and biomethane from agricultural waste and landfills for the production of electrical and thermal energy, to establish cuts with CNG and the use of biomethane in transport, with all that this implies for the solution of environmental liabilities and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

D) Establishment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production nodes for advanced aviation biofuels

E) A set of economic measures and actions such as: Promotion of voluntary and mandatory Carbon Markets, through mechanisms such as those developed in our province, where we are the only ones in Argentina that by means of electronic auctions on platforms blockchain We have established reference prices per tonne of CO2 equivalent avoided emissions; Adaptation to international protocols that allow us to trade/trade our avoided emissions in other international carbon markets (as we are also doing in Cordoba with the Climate Action Reserve The following are some of the key issues to be addressed by the EU's sustainable development strategy: Strengthening of regulatory frameworks for sustainable finance; Elimination of taxation and withholding for processed products derived from biological resources from land and sea.

• According to INTA and INTI measurements, Argentina's agri-bioindustry has the lowest carbon footprint in the products it produces. This should be the basis of a Country Brand associated with environmentally friendly products. What strategy do you propose for the international positioning of this brand from the Foreign Ministry? What role do you assign to the scientific and technological system in the incorporation of more science into bioeconomy production?

-Firstly, there must be better coordination, in search of common objectives, between the Foreign Ministry, Environment, Science and Technology, Energy, Agriculture, Industry, Transport and Economy. So far, it is common to find isolated actions, which are functional to certain sectors.

Secondly, considering that the future battle over the carbon footprint will intensify and generate increasing trade barriers, our country must work behind objectives such as:

A) Establish protocols and good practices for the generation of water and carbon footprint certificates or labels, which, through appropriate internationally valid certification, guarantee the competitiveness of our exports.

B) The STI system should establish the bioeconomy as a priority line and promotional funding should be established for projects aimed at adding value to biological resources in a sustainable manner.

C) Establishment of radiation grants for researchers from the system in knowledge industries related to the bioeconomy.

D) CEPROCOR set up the first biofuels laboratory in a sub-national state.

• Each Argentinean exports half as much as a Uruguayan or a third as much as a Chilean, the consequence of which are the recurrent crises due to a lack of dollars. What measures do you propose to increase exports significantly? What is your strategy to win markets?

-The international winds are in favour of Argentina exporting more, we can export more in several complexes: Lithium, mining, gas, oil, oil, fishing, knowledge economy, biofuels and the whole agro-export complex.

Clear and permanent rules of the game must be established that last over time, in order to generate investment, so that investment matures, more production takes place, and more dollars arrive.

• Do you know how much freshwater Argentina is salinising (i.e. sending unused water to the sea) every day? Given that a large part of the population has no access to water and that the biggest drought in the last 100 years, with a loss of more than USD 20 billion in exports, has highlighted the importance of efficient irrigation: Do you have a National Water Plan in mind, with what guidelines?

-If we take only our La Plata river, an average of 22,000 m3 per second reach the sea, or about 2,000 million m3 per day (about 2,000,000 million litres per day). Taking a standard daily water consumption, this volume would be enough to provide drinking water for the ENTIRE world population. Less than 1% of that volume would be enough to guarantee drinking water for ALL Argentines. This gives us an idea of the importance of our fresh water sources, and that is why we are carrying out the strategic work of the Paraná-Córdoba aqueduct from Córdoba together with Santa Fe. This work should also be seen as a work of adaptation to climate change, food security and as a provider of water for agricultural and livestock use. Let us imagine what we Argentines could do with works of federal scope similar to this one.

• In your opinion, if things are done right, how much could foreign exchange earnings from the bioeconomy increase over a 20-year horizon? And during your term of office?

The so-called "Vaca Viva" has all the potential to become the main supplier of foreign exchange (not only in the sense of guaranteeing dollars but also sustainable exports in the framework of a world that will progressively seek to reduce its carbon footprint).

In Argentina there are less than nine thousand exporting companies -mostly SMEs-, including all sectors.

The country's GDP accounts for less than 0.61 Tbp3T of the world total, but its exports account for less than 0.31 Tbp3T of world exports. In other words, we export very little in relative terms. We should be exporting at least as much as our average GDP share of the world total.

Global GDP in dollar terms grew between 2001 and 2021 at a geometric average rate of 3.3% per year in dollar terms. If it were to maintain that growth rate over the next twenty years, it would increase by 91.4%.

In this context, our GDP would increase from 0.6 % to 0.756 % of the world total and our exports - to reach the same level of participation as GDP, i.e. 0.756 % - would increase by 152 % at the end of these twenty years.

• Do you have government teams that will take your proposals forward? Who are they?

We have the teams to take the initiatives forward.

MINING  

(For the first time the political leadership is showing a genuine interest in the mining sector. However, we are not sure that the candidates are very aware of the industry's agenda, its main strengths, its present and future, let alone its demands and concerns).

1. What is the place of the mining industry in the structure of your state policies that will be part of the development of our country?

-In the design of a new national productive matrix, the mining sector is called to be an important actor in the national economic context. It presents itself as a great opportunity to generate development and progress in provinces that have so far been relegated and subjected to centralist and discretionary management, in political and economic terms.

The mountainous provinces have a great potential for 1st category metalliferous mining (gold, silver, copper, lithium, potassium, etc.), products that are in global demand, exportable and generate foreign currency. There are other large mining development poles, such as Cordoba, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, specialising in 3rd category mining (crushed stone, quarrying, carbonates, marble and granite), mostly used in construction and for regional or national consumption, with low exportable expectations, but which also require State support due to their high impact on productive activity in general.

• What are the mining issues that cause you most concern or worry, and if so, how will you deal with them?

-A productive process must be carried out that considers Environmental Sustainability as a fundamental precept, framed within coexistence guidelines that guarantee the necessary Social License. In all cases, the interaction and participation of the State (National and Provincial), together with the Private Sector and the Citizenry, are the starting point to achieve these consensuses.

• Mining is an activity that offers many opportunities for the development of regional economies. However, most governors can do little to influence the federal or national government in relation to the urgent demands that the sector requires to continue to develop. Will it be possible for their eventual government to change this outlook and get more attention from the national government in relation to the basic economic issues that a sector with so much potential for regional development requires?
• It is part of the need to build a truly federal Argentina. First and second category minerals belong to the provinces.

development and progress strategies based on the strengthening of the public-private relationship, as is being carried out in Cordoba. The role of the national state must be the guarantor of these relations, creating conditions of trust and legal, economic and political certainty.

Being a sector that brings foreign exchange into the country, it should have a special import regime to guarantee the entry of imported inputs without restrictions, in order to achieve continuity and predictability in the production regime.

• In your opinion, if things are done well, how much could foreign exchange earnings from mining increase over a 20-year horizon? And during your term of office?

-The increase in foreign exchange earnings from mining exports is directly related to the level of prior investment. All mining ventures require large risky investments before they can be put into operation, which generally exceed a presidential term, which is why it is important to give legal certainty to these investments.

What is desirable for the country is for the activity to be consolidated with a 20-year export growth horizon, approaching half of what Chile has today, based on the assumption that the mining potential is of similar characteristics.

For the president's term of office, it is expected that existing productive enterprises will be consolidated and new projects will increase, based on a normal legal, economic and political relationship between the national state, provincial states, the private sector and the citizenry.

-Cordoba was, is and will be a centre for the creation of technicians and professionals, due to its rich university history in all areas. In particular, the existence of technical schools and faculties oriented towards mining activity, position the province as a major supplier of officials with a high level of knowledge spread throughout most of the territories with mining activity, even in other countries.

The national state must achieve perfect harmony with the sector's representative bodies, in the search for consistent, specialised teams committed to the activity. In this sense, the relationship between the State and the Chamber of Mining Entrepreneurs, the Chamber of Mining Suppliers, the Argentinean Mining Workers Association, the Federal Mining Council with the participation of all provincial districts, the Argentinean Geological Mining Service, Universities, etc., is essential.

Do you have government teams that will take your proposals forward? Who are they?

We have the teams to take the initiatives forward.

ENERGÍA.

1. ¿Cuál es el plan energético que tienen en mente más allá del desarrollo de la infraestructura a construir para evacuar petróleo y gas natural de Vaca Muerta?

-Nosotros entendemos que toda la política energética nacional debe enmarcarse dentro de la necesaria transición y transformación energética de nuestro país y de nuestra economía, tal cual lo ha suscrito Argentina en numerosos Acuerdos Internacionales como por ejemplo el Acuerdo de París ratificado por Ley de nuestro Congreso. En ese marco el objetivo es que Argentina vaya descarbonizando toda su matriz energética en un camino de transición acordado con todos los distintos actores en el seno del Consejo Federal de Energía, Consejo Federal que lamentablemente hace muchos años que no funciona y que impide precisamente establecer políticas de alcance federal en todo el territorio de la República. Necesitamos consensos con todos los actores que nos permitan ir por este sendero armónica y planificadamente. Esto requiere una equilibrada intervención del sector público y del sector privado para revertir también años de desinversión y atraso. Apostamos a la Vaca Viva tanto como a la Vaca Muerta.

Así como en Córdoba, por ejemplo, hemos construido 3.000 kilómetros de gasoductos troncales gasificando a prácticamente toda la provincia en 2 años y medio y construido más de 1.200.000 metros de redes domiciliarias, lo mismo puede hacerse en todo el territorio nacional para que el gas de Vaca Muerta pueda traer beneficios a los habitantes de nuestro país y dar mayor competitividad a todos nuestros comercios e industrias.

Respecto al sistema eléctrico en particular hay que revertir rápidamente más de 10 años de atraso en la infraestructura de transporte y distribución, también como lo estamos haciendo en Córdoba, con un Fondo de Afectación Específica que se cobre con la factura de energía. Esto nos permite planificar inversiones a corto y mediano plazo contemplando inversiones en mejoras tecnológicas de última generación como por ejemplo la gestión de redes con mediadores inteligentes y tokenización de activos energéticos en billeteras virtuales que permitan expandir programas, por ejemplo, de generación distribuida y de generación distribuida comunitaria donde nuestra provincia es líder nacional.

En este sentido, vale la pena recordar que, en materia de generación distribuida, Córdoba viene liderando todas las inversiones desde que la Ley Nacional fue sancionada y a la cual adherimos, aportando actualmente cerca del 50% de toda la potencia instalada en el país, es decir que el 50% de toda la potencia nacional se encuentra radicada en nuestro territorio provincial, así como el 50% de todos los usuarios generadores están en Córdoba.

Una economía de bajas emisiones y desechos cero permite revalorizar residuos de toda nuestra industria y de todo nuestro quehacer cotidiano, fortaleciendo la bioenergía y precisamente el concepto que gira atrás de todo esto como norte simbólico es lo que se conoce como “Vaca Viva”. Este es un concepto novedoso que abarca todas las transformaciones de la biomasa que permiten agregarle valor a través del conocimiento a los residuos de la producción primaria de nuestra potente bioeconomía argentina. Sin dudas, Bioeconomía es Biomasa más Conocimiento y a esto apostamos para desarrollar no solo la Bioenergía sino toda la Bioeconomía en su conjunto.

• ¿Como van a hacer para volver a equilibrar las tarifas e institucionalizar los entes reguladores?

-El equilibrio de las tarifas y la institucionalización de los Entes Reguladores es un tema estratégico para nuestro Gobierno y lo haríamos tal como lo estamos haciendo también en Córdoba. No debe de haber subsidios generalizados, sino subsidios a aquellos que lo necesitan y el resto debe pagar las tarifas que permiten la operación, mantenimiento e inversión del sector pagando los costos asociados a la generación de energía. Aquel que, por alguna razón, no pueda total o parcialmente pagarlo recibirá una tarifa social que le permita acceder a los beneficios en tanto y en cuanto haga uso de esos beneficios de manera responsable y eficiente.

En cuanto a los Entes Reguladores, lo que hay que hacer es respetar la Ley y me voy a referir más abajo en la pregunta específica a eso.

• ¿Preservaría la segmentación tarifaria y en qué tiempo eliminaría los subsidios a la energía?

-La segmentación tarifaria no sólo que la preservaríamos, sino que creemos que tiene que ser la norma, que todo aquel que pueda pague la tarifa suficiente y necesaria para cubrir los costos de operación y mantenimiento y realizar las inversiones necesarias para que el sector pueda brindar un servicio de calidad. Los subsidios tienen que ser no a la oferta sino a la demanda justificado en la situación socioeconómica de los distintos usuarios que consumen cada uno de los servicios en tanto y en cuanto lo hagan de manera eficiente, responsable y segura.

• ¿YPF trabajará como una petrolera independiente o su eventual gobierno continuará con la política actual?  ¿Tiene sentido para usted la existencia de ENARSA?

Toda empresa pública debe ser eficientes y no deben generar déficit fiscal.

¿Fusionaría los Entes de gas y electricidad en un Ente Único o qué destino daría a los Entes hoy intervenidos para no repetir la historia de las emergencias que destruyen la institucionalidad sectorial?

-Antes de hablar de fusionar o no los Entes de gas y electricidad y qué destino se le daría a los mismos, yo creo que hay que poner en claro dos cosas:

La primera, es que los Entes Nacionales de Regulación o los Entes Reguladores Nacionales tienen que dedicarse precisamente a eso, a regular cuestiones de índole nacional, federal, y dejar de regular cuestiones que hacen o deberían hacer a potestades que están en jurisdicciones provinciales, como por ejemplo Entes Nacionales Reguladores de agua y saneamiento que regulan un servicio que se presta únicamente en el ámbito del AMBA (AySA) o regulando los servicios de distribución de energía que prestan empresas privadas también solamente en el AMBA (Edenor y Edesur). Esos Entes Reguladores deberían dejar de ser nacionales y pasar a ser Entes Reguladores de las jurisdicciones donde se prestan esos servicios; y no que todos los argentinos, no solo subsidiemos estos servicios, sino que además paguemos por estas estructuras regulatorias.

Por otro lado, los entes nacionales que queden bajo esta mirada tienen que ser Entes que tengan una profunda mirada federal y con territorialización de su atención directa y de su intervención. No puede ser, como nos ha pasado a nosotros durante estos últimos años, que tengamos que viajar permanentemente a Buenos Aires para obtener autorizaciones del ENARGAS para hacer redes de gas en nuestros territorios, eso tiene que acabarse.

Los Entes Reguladores que cumplan funciones de esas características van a tener que tener oficinas en los distintos lugares que permitan a través, quizás de medios electrónicos y modernos, realizar gestiones sin que nos tengamos que estar trasladando permanentemente a Buenos Aires.

Una vez definido esto, somos de la opinión que hay que respetar absolutamente la institucionalidad de estos Entes reguladores como lo hacemos en Córdoba. En el caso particular de nuestra provincia existe desde hace más de 20 años un UNICO Ente Regulador que se ha ido fortaleciendo técnica y profesionalmente, con un directorio donde participan representantes del oficialismo y también de otras fuerzas políticas, así como de organizaciones de usuarios, y que interviene en el establecimiento de rigurosos criterios regulatorios en todos los servicios públicos.

• En su opinión, de hacer las cosas bien, ¿cuánto podría incrementarse el ingreso de divisas por Energía en un horizonte de 20 años? ¿Y durante su mandato?

-Respecto al horizonte en el cual se puede incrementar el ingreso de divisas en términos energéticos, es amplísimo. Argentina tiene en su territorio todos los recursos estratégicos y energéticos como para abastecerse de los mismos y exportarlos al resto de países con los cuales mantiene relaciones comerciales y que permitirán multiplicar las exportaciones y sobre todo mejorar el saldo de nuestra balanza comercial energética. Muy probablemente las exportaciones del sector energético dupliquen fácilmente a aquellas que provienen del sector Agro-Bioexportador.

• Do you have government teams that will take your proposals forward? Who are they?

We have the teams to take the initiatives forward.

TURISMO.

1. ¿Cuál sería la principal estrategia para que la Argentina se desarrolle a partir del turismo? ¿Qué medidas tomaría para promover el turismo receptivo?

-Argentina posee enormes oportunidades de ser elegida como Destino Turístico Internacional, pero su ubicación en el mapa mundial la hace ser un destino lejano para muchos países.

La principal estrategia en este caso, es lograr una mayor y mejor conectividad aérea, tentando a las compañías con una serie de decisiones propias a la mejora en la competitividad, otorgando beneficios a las mismas no solo en aspectos vinculados al tráfico de pasajeros sino a la carga, y así permitir a las mismas a través de esa unidad de negocios buenas tarifas aéreas.

Otras medidas para impulsar el turismo receptivo internacional, están asociadas al buen vínculo con los distintos gobiernos y que eso permita ampliar las quintas libertades y los permisos de aviación. Asimismo, facilitar el ingreso de turistas extranjeros al país a través de los sistemas de visados y permitir que los trámites migratorios sean de forma rápida, ágil y eficiente.

Otro aspecto, es el desarrollo de la infraestructura para el turismo en términos de oferta turística, que tienen que ver con la inversión pública pero también con la promoción de la inversión privada.

Por otro lado, la promoción de Argentina en el mundo no puede ser lineal, no es igual para todos, no tenemos que ir a los países lejanos solamente con 2 ó 3 destinos, es decir, tienen que tener un mayor protagonismo las regiones en la toma de decisiones de dónde desarrollar la promoción turística.

En la provincia de Córdoba estamos desarrollando un Plan de Marketing Turístico llamado Visit Córdoba, que busca posicionarnos a nivel internacional. Este Plan se realiza de forma conjunta entre los sectores público y privado y entre las principales acciones están el análisis de mercados, la definición de la oferta y alianzas estratégicas.

Hay que desarrollar una estrategia de internacionalización de un país abierto al mundo, amigable, que genere los vínculos necesarios para el intercambio comercial no solo en aspectos turísticos sino en otros aspectos integrales. 

• ¿Cuál será la política pública para el mercado aerocomercial argentino? ¿Cómo intentará el regreso de los vuelos directos y aerolíneas internacionales que dejaron de operar en Argentina en los últimos años?

-La política pública para el mercado aerocomercial argentino, naturalmente será lograr una mayor federalización. En un país que tiene 5.000 kilómetros de un extremo al otro, no es viable que más del 90 por ciento de los vuelos ingresen y egresen desde Buenos Aires. Por lo tanto, hay que tener una oferta mucho más amplia de rutas alternativas y promover la federalización de un país que no puede tener a Buenos Aires como epicentro de todos los vuelos. Hay algunos casos de donde uno tiene que volar desde el norte a Buenos Aires para llegar a un destino que aún queda más al norte de su origen.

Hay ciudades de más de 500.000 habitantes a un millón que no están conectadas con una de similar tamaño y características y se conectan por medio de autobus, a veces viajando hasta 14, 16 horas por vía terrestre.

En virtud de ello, deben ampliarse todas las posibilidades para potenciar la conectividad, no solo en términos internacionales, sino también en términos nacionales.

Como mencionamos en la pregunta anterior, en términos de conectividad aérea internacional, para facilitar el regreso de los vuelos directos y aerolíneas internacionales que dejaron de operar en Argentina en los últimos años la principal estrategia, es tentar a las compañías con una serie de decisiones propias a la mejora en la competitividad, ofreciendo beneficios a las mismas no solo en aspectos vinculados al tráfico de pasajeros sino a la carga.

• ¿Cómo va a ser el foco de la gestión de políticas de estado de turismo y desde qué estructura? ¿Ministerio independiente, estructura dependiente de otro ministerio u otra alternativa?

-Independientemente la figura que se adopte para la gestión turística, lo seguro es que será de manera conjunta con el sector privado, como lo hicimos históricamente en la provincia de Córdoba y como se recomienda en la gestión turística, siempre de la mano sector público y sector privado en pos de lograr los objetivos.

La clave de la actividad turística por ser sumamente interdisciplinaria tiene que ver con que todo lo que se desarrolle se haga de manera compartida y conjunta.

• En su opinión, de hacer las cosas bien ¿cuánto puede apuntar a crecer la Argentina en ingreso de dólares por Turismo de extranjeros en un horizonte de 20 años? ¿Y durante su mandato?

-No se puede hacer una proyección en este contexto económico, pero si decir y lo que sin duda tenemos que tratar de bregar es para que el argentino que es viajero, no deje de salir pero también nivelar la balanza turística, digamos, equiparando las salidas con los ingresos de los turistas extranjeros.

El ingreso de turistas extranjeros está en el orden de los 7 millones y nosotros vamos a promover, que en 4 años de gobierno alcance mínimo los 10 millones.

• Do you have government teams that will take your proposals forward? Who are they?

We have the teams to take the initiatives forward.

ECONOMÍA DEL CONOCIMIENTO

1. ¿Cree que hay que reformar la actual LEC?

-La ley de Economía del Conocimiento es fundamental para impulsar y consolidar el desarrollo de empresas que usan el talento como insumo principal. Este tipo de empresas relacionadas con las nuevas tecnologías tienen características propias, primero su capital principal es humano y las inversiones que realizan, en un porcentaje alto, tienen como objeto multiplicar y hacer crecer el talento de sus colaboradores.

Por otro lado, generan desarrollo tecnológico local y también tienen una mirada global por lo cual se expanden al mundo vendiendo productos y servicios por lo que son una fuente importante de dólares genuinos. Córdoba fue la primera provincia que dió beneficios a estas industrias y esa política consolidó un crecimiento exponencial de empresas y empleo, además de servir de inspiración para la Ley del Software Nacional.

The original Knowledge Economy law was discussed and approved unanimously in the Congress of the Nation in 2019, despite such support, the current government suspended it and sent another text with modifications that put the entire sector in a situation of unpredictability for a long time. Today, with a new law in place, there are elements that are important to incorporate again, such as fiscal stability, which was eliminated with the new wording.

The fact that the law establishes that the rules of the game cannot be changed is important when considering the development of a sector that is strategic and has great potential to attract investment and generate quality employment.  

In addition, it is important to strengthen the mechanisms to encourage micro SMEs and entrepreneurs to join the scheme in an even simpler way than is currently the case, by streamlining and reducing administrative procedures. Another point to modify is to return to the possibility that companies can transfer the bonds to any other company and not only to those within the regime, as is currently the case. 

• In relation to 1, what do you think of:
  • Integrating all sectors of the CB (specifically BPOs)

-BPOs are companies that sell professional services and many of them are part of the activities of the knowledge economy, so if the companies justify the parameters foreseen in the law, they should be integrated, as many of them generate opportunities for first professional employment. It is also necessary to analyse the cases of the so-called Delivery Centres of companies whose main activity is not knowledge economy, generating some mechanism so that they can be part of the law.

• Providing fiscal stability

-It is indispensable, this will allow for more predictability, investments and jobs. The law we have in Cordoba has fiscal stability as the central benefit written into the law and this is highly valued by companies as it establishes a commitment to stability that helps to consolidate an ecosystem.

• Promotional tax incentives, as defined in 2019

Reply Idem to point b

• Elimination of mono-tax tech (if approved)

-This initiative does not solve the underlying problem, it is simply another stopgap that, in addition to sending out the wrong signal, is an attack on entrepreneurs and companies. In these sectors where there is full employment and even a shortage of people with the necessary skills, this initiative will undoubtedly lead to a shift in and/or flexibilisation of working conditions, since companies will have to accept the preference of their employees to remain single-employed and receive payment in dollars instead of being in a relationship of dependence.

This measure does not meet with the consensus of the private sector, which sees that it goes against the competitiveness of the sector and the growth of private employment. It is essential to understand that an industry is not created or consolidated with single-employee workers and that employment is the basis for development and social justice. 

• Do you think we should have English language education in schools, starting in primary school?

-No doubt about it. English is the language of globalisation and even more so of the new economies. Moreover, it has been proven that training in a second language from an early age is the most efficient. Thus, in Cordoba, English education starts in primary school and we offer specific courses for young people, and recently the programme for job placement in new technologies includes training in English taught by the Faculty of Languages of the National University of Cordoba.

• It has planned promotional actions in relation to the adoption of STEM degree courses.

-We must encourage more people to choose STEM careers. This type of orientation should be worked on in primary and secondary schools, encouraging children and young people to choose these disciplines. Each person is free to study whatever they want, but it is true that no one studies what they do not know, so the first thing to do is to disseminate and coordinate with the higher education system and schools to ensure that this synergy generates attraction towards these types of careers. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the links between universities and the socio-productive sector in order to meet the demand for skills, while also promoting co-financed professional internships and apprenticeships that allow students to learn while they work.

As this is a highly demanding sector, it is necessary to work with the private sector to commit to joint action aimed at promoting educational completion. It is also important to generate actions to encourage more women to enter technology, so the government, together with companies, universities and third sector organisations must create the necessary frameworks to stimulate and even finance the training of women in STEM.

• Would it or would it not eliminate technology tariffs?

-We live in a global, interconnected and interdependent world that requires increasingly complex, creative and innovative solutions and in this revolution, driven by technological and scientific advances mainly identified as the union of different exponential technologies, it is essential to have all available resources.

Clearly, technology cannot be developed without access to adequate and modern equipment. A competitive country that seeks to grow on the basis of its talents must have access to new technologies in an affordable way. We are living at a time of exponential growth in technology and anything that hinders this generates distortions that are detrimental to social and economic development.

• In your opinion, if things are done well, how much could foreign exchange earnings per CE increase over a 20-year horizon? And during your term of office?

-The knowledge economy is Argentina's third largest export complex, behind Brazil in the region. It is also important to note that other countries have been growing at higher rates, such as Uruguay (53%), partly due to the flight of Argentinean companies, Chile and Colombia.

New business trends related to the promotion of proximity such as the near-shoring or the friend-shoring put our country in a very promising situation, as it has the necessary talents to meet the demands of a challenging world. Only if we do things right, if we generate confidence with stable public policies, articulate with the education system to generate the necessary skills and promote internationalisation will we be able to become global technology players.

The way in which these new economies connect with international markets is very different from the traditional ones, so it is necessary to create commercial attachés in the embassies who have a clear and professional knowledge of the offer and consolidate a country brand that is present throughout the world. Along the same lines, in addition to the presence at international fairs and events, there should be offices distributed in strategic locations that allow businessmen and entrepreneurs to enter and consolidate new markets.

• Do you have government teams that will take your proposals forward? Who are they?

We have the teams to carry out the initiatives.

 

OTHER FIELDS

HOUSING - URBAN PLANNING and SUSTAINABLE LAND DEVELOPMENT

 

Do you have any plans for the generation of a new organisation and further development of the national territory?

-Our country has a large territorial extension, with a wide variety of

climates and regions with different characteristics. It has a poor distribution of

The unplanned growth of most cities, coupled with the lack of investment over the years, does not allow for the provision of services for the

development of the regions.

For this reason, and in order to achieve a balanced development of all territories, attentive to the

We understand that territorial development must involve all levels of government, national, provincial and municipal, and all levels of government.

stakeholders, potential beneficiaries, companies, chambers of commerce and industry

(construction, cooperatives, civil society organisations and others). It is necessary to

a federal project that encompasses both the public and private sectors and that

change the logic on which the system is currently based, which is that the

governments that ran the country were unable or unwilling to change.

Precisely in order to tackle the first constraint, which is access to land, in

Cordoba we implemented the Lotengo Programme -lots with infrastructure financed

with updating through the coefficient of wage variation- and the Seed Programme -

houses whose system is based on the concept of evolutionary housing. Both initiatives

financed by the Province, with the logic of creating a capital market,

secured through mortgage loans, and also by articulating the execution of

and housing developments with municipalities and communes, applying the federal vision in a

sub-national government. Housing was also realised through mortgage loans

of the Bank of Cordoba.

As projects, both programmes are sound and respond to the needs of the

Province.

• -In Argentina it is often thought that human development policies can only be based on fiscal cost. How do you see it? Do you have sustainable development proposals that are not based on fiscal cost?

-It is illogical to think that it is the state that can solve the homelessness situation, since the budget allocated for this purpose is clearly insufficient. The current system is a system that does not work. It is imperative at this point that the government recognises the limitation and takes action to incorporate resources and facilitate new business models, bringing in new actors, such as the banking system, to finance the sector.

With financing at single-digit interest rates, allowing purchasers to pay in instalments, a favourable economic spiral will be created, which will be reproduced as work progresses and the system's leverage is strengthened.

Securitisation will then promote the opportunity to boost the mortgage lending market, which, at reasonable rates, will encourage more money into the system.

It is clear that, with an incipient capital market in place through the banking system, private actors would be able to implement business models that can finance credit to those who do not qualify for the banking system.

At present, the "Fonavi system" - which has been in place for many years and is very low

budget for the magnitude of the problem - distributes the insufficient funds to the provinces according to their respective shares by means of a daily trickle-down system.

(transfer).

The largest budget is managed by the Nation with contributions for housing construction to some provinces in an arbitrary manner that aggravates inequality in the harmonious development of the country.

3. In Argentina, there are substantial savings in the national financial system that are not directed to any kind of productive investment, and at least 3 million families who would like to pay with credit for the extension of services and urbanisation, as well as the extension, improvement or even an entire house. And there are at least 3 million families willing to pay on credit for the extension of services and urbanisation, as well as for the extension, improvement or even a whole house. Do you think it is possible to link one thing to the other?

-Today, our national financial system is directly linked to investments.

speculative, with no counterpart in goods or services. Thus, the transactions and their

interest, fees, bonds, foreign currency and other instruments involved

The result is a rise in the cost of credit, in the sense that the money supply is shifted to assets because they are more profitable. These speculative assets should be replaced by mortgage credit channels at reasonable rates.

No developed country allows financial assets to reproduce themselves.

unlimited. Correcting for such slippages will necessarily involve lowering the rates of

usurious profits, which hinder the country's development. Subsequently, the

would promote the construction of channels for private cash contributions through trusts or similar tools, creating new capital markets.

It is important to stress at this point that borrowers must be able to repay their obligations in order to create a virtuous circle of lending and repayment.

If the answer to 3. is yes, what would such a concrete plan look like to link savings with investment for these three million families?

-The plan must be shaped by the government, so that the banking system, by

clear regulation, establishes what percentage of funds each bank has to provide to its customers.

to allocate to mortgage loans. The government should also carry out a non-indexed updating of instalments (in the face of the failure of UVA loans), which would allow the system to avoid bankruptcy, but ensure that instalments have a recoverable value. The government should also consider measures to control and monitor the completion of works and disbursements in stages, in order to shorten construction times.

Once the system is structured, financing has to be sought from banks and agencies.

international organisations in order to leverage the project.

Do you have government teams that will take your proposals forward? Who are they?

We have the necessary teams to carry out the initiatives.

PARTNERSHIP

1. The current law on federal co-participation of taxes was passed in 1988 as a transitory law, and the 1994 Constitution established the obligation to re-discuss it, but it was never re-discussed. How to comply with the constitutional mandate?

The co-participation law was passed at the end of the Alfonsín government in a very special political instance. That is why it was explicitly regulated as a transitional regime. However, this law continues to regulate the distribution of an enormous mass of resources. The scheme is arbitrary, unfair and generates very perverse incentives. Compliance with the constitution is not only essential from an institutional point of view, but also crucial from the point of view of a development strategy.

• This law of federal co-participation of taxes is very detrimental to the Province of Buenos Aires and very beneficial to the northern provinces. Should this be revised or left as it is?

It needs to be reviewed because the scheme is detrimental to the whole country. The Province of Buenos Aires is particularly discriminated against. But it has not been beneficial for the northern provinces either. These provinces receive a lot of resources, but this has not allowed them to close the development gap with the rest of the country. The failure is resounding.

3. If the current distribution of co-participation is to be reviewed, what should be done?

It needs to be reviewed with a view to a scheme that is in line with the principles set out in the Constitution. This not only has to include a rethinking of the taxation powers and discretionary spending and transfers made by the Nation. It is particularly important to take into account the large amount of resources used by the Nation in the AMBA. By reviewing both the tax system and the distribution of functions, it is possible to reach an agreement in which most of the provinces have the capacity to finance themselves with the taxes they collect from their citizens. Within this framework, a Convergence Fund should be envisaged to operate as a solidarity mechanism for transferring resources to the poorest regions of the country. This transfer must be associated with a development strategy.

EMPLOYMENT

 

1. Branch collective bargaining agreements were negotiated in the 1970s and 1980s: What would you do with them?

It is necessary to promote the modernisation of the CSTs - most of which were negotiated in the 1970s and 1980s - in order to adapt their institutions to the needs of the productive processes and work organisation of the capitalist model of the twenty-first century.

They should accompany the process of improving business competitiveness, with the aim of improving investment and market insertion.

These CSTs are generally very much influenced by the Fordism of the 1970s with a spirit of marked rigidity (typical of the Fordist model). Many of the institutions that the conventional rules regulate do not respond to the new realities required by the production process.

Modernised collective agreements must take into account the impact of technological innovation and the new forms and modalities of work that are generated as a result, as well as measures to preserve the environment.

Robotics, automation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence are shaping a new scenario with new forms of work that are expressed in a flexible manner.

• Today it costs - over and above the worker's pocket - 45% of the salary for social security and between 5 and 7% additional mandatory contribution for trade unions. Should this be revised or left as it is? If it is to be revised, what should be done?

  It is a fact that today there is an excessive non-wage labour cost that distorts the

  economic equation and affects profitability and competitiveness.

It is necessary to review this issue and promote measures to alleviate employers' wage costs. The reduction of employers' social security contributions is one tool.

• Employers say they do not want to take on more registered employees because of the high and uncertain cost of redundancy: What would you do with severance pay?

From a labour point of view, we must look after SMEs, which generate 70% of jobs. That is why we must put an end to the trial industry and set up a guarantee system for working time, as the construction industry has, as Brazil has for all its workers, reducing social security contributions for each new worker who joins formal employment.

OF THE PUBLIC

1. What would be the desired situation (targets) at the end of your first term of government in December 2027, with respect to:
   1. Size of the Public Sector in terms of GDP (today close to 45%)

• Main functions of the Public Sector: priority functions.

• Tax structure of the financing of these functions.

The first goal is that inflation should be less than 10% per year, as it is in the countries bordering Argentina, and that we have a development plan in place that generates more production and more employment.

These are the needs of the country and the objectives of the next government. We have to have as much market as possible and as much state as necessary.

• What is your position on loss-making state-owned enterprises?

State-owned companies should not run deficits, as is the case in Cordoba where the Energy Company and the Bank of the Province of Cordoba do not run deficits and pay income tax.

• If state-owned enterprises were economically and financially in surplus, thus providing funds to the state coffers, would privatisation make sense? Reasons.

It is answered by question 2.

TRANSPARENCY

1. Do you think corruption plays a role in the lack of economic development in the country?
2. What measures would you take, if elected, to crack down on and, above all, to prevent corruption?

What prevents corruption are transparent rules of the game.

It is when there is a need for many resolutions and a tangle of regulations and requests for permits to officials that corruption thrives.

We have to have simple, transparent rules of the game, by law, that can be controlled by anyone.