Spain

In 2008/ 2009 the credit crunch and world recession manifested itself in Spain through a massive downturn in the property sector. Fortunately, Spain’s banks and financial services avoided the more severe problems of their counterparts in the USA and UK, due mainly to a stringently enforced conservative financial regulatory regime. The Spanish financial authorities had not forgotten the country’s own banking crisis of 1979 and an earlier real estate precipitated banking crisis of 1993. Indeed, Spain’s largest bank, Banco Santander, took part in the UK government’s bail-out of part of the UK banking sector. A European Commission forecast had predicted Spain would enter a recession by the end of 2008. According to Spain?s Finance Minister, ?Spain faces its deepest recession in half a century?. Spain’s government forecast the unemployment rate would rise to 16% in 2009. The ESADE business school predicts 20%.

Demographic Data

Economic Data

Cultural & Other Data

GDP (PPP, $bn)

1378

Capital

Madrid

Area (sq. km.)

504,782

GDP Real

Growth (%)

1.1

Other Large Cities

Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Malaga

Population (million)

40.5

PerCap GDP ($)

34,600

Primary Language

Spanish

Population

Growth %

0.072

Prime Lending

Rate (%)

9.54

Urban

Population %

77

% Population

Under 15yrs

14.5

Inflation Rate%

1.4

Urban Growth %

0.9

Population below

poverty line (%)

19.8

Unemployment%

13.9

Literacy

(% of population)

97.9

Agricultural Workers

(% of population)

4

Foreign Direct

Investment($bn)

606.8

Education spending

as % of GDP

4.2

Industrial Workers

(% of population)

26

Debt-External

($bn)

2478

CPI Score

(1-10)*

6.5

Service Workers

(% of population)

70

Exports ($bn)

292.8

Corporate Income Tax %

30

Labor Force (mil)

23.1

Imports ($bn)

444.9

Ease of Doing

Business Ranking **

49

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE

05/08/09 $1 = 0.75 Euro

Franchising Laws Overview

Disclosure laws:

  • Disclosure is required at least 20 days prior to the agreement, any “pre-agreement” or payment of money.

Relationship laws:

  • None.

Registration laws:

  • Franchisor must register with the Registry of Franchisors, including:

    • Information on trademarks
    • Description of franchise concept
    • Statistics on franchised and company-owned outlets in Spain
  • Master franchisees must register their master franchise agreements
  • Registrations must be updated annually
  • Registration must be complete before contract is signed.
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