President Pradales: "The territories comprising the Atlantic Axis require a robust periphery. We are committed to playing a key role in the reindustrialisation of Europe.”

• The President of the Basque Country has highlighted that the Basque Country and Nouvelle-Aquitaine have a “significant amount to contribute” in the vital future sector of biosciences.
• A delegation of 50 companies is accompanying the Basque Government to Nouvelle-Aquitaine, aiming to generate new opportunities for technological and industrial cooperation with regional companies and clusters.

President Imanol Pradales asserted today that the territories forming the Atlantic Axis must work to become key players in the reindustrialisation of Europe. He stated that a strong periphery is essential for this, advocating for a European model built from the bottom up, empowering the nations, regions, and territories that constitute Europe.

"We have the ambition to accelerate the goal of boosting European competitiveness. And we want to do so based on the European model we believe in: from the bottom up. From the nations and territories that make up Europe. This means promoting connectivity and fostering business, scientific, and technological collaboration in the strategic sectors of the new economy. This is the objective of the meetings we are holding over the next few days," emphasised the President.

Following his visit to SophIA Genetics, a leading biotechnology company, the President issued a statement. The visit marks the first stop on a two-day trip to Bidart and Bordeaux. Imanol Pradales is leading a delegation alongside the Basque Minister for Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi. The group comprises around 50 companies from key sectors including aerospace, machine tools, advanced manufacturing, bio-health and biotechnology. All these companies will participate in the visits scheduled for today and the business forum planned for tomorrow. The primary aim is to generate new opportunities for technological and industrial cooperation with companies and clusters in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

A “significant amount to contribute”

Imanol Pradales maintained that the Basque Country and Nouvelle-Aquitaine have a “significant amount to contribute” in critical future areas such as biosciences. He emphasised the complementary nature of the two regions: the Basque Country is noted for its industrial specialisation in advanced therapies, bioproduction, applied biotechnology, and medical device manufacturing;  and Nouvelle-Aquitaine possesses a broader and more diversified business ecosystem, a greater critical mass of clinical and research centres, and sectoral hubs such as the Bordeaux Biocluster.

The President shared these reflections following his visit to SophIA Genetics, where the Basque delegation was briefed on the company's R&D advances by CEO Jurgi Camblong. Founded in 2011 by a group of biologists, SophIA Genetics was established with the vision of responding to the growing need for solutions for genetic diseases.

Its technology platform is currently an international benchmark in data-driven medicine and is present in 72 countries, including the Basque Country. Specifically, it operates in: Donostia Hospital and Cruces Hospital, as well as research teams at IIS Biocruces Representatives from these organisations shared their experience in the use of advanced genomic analysis solutions applied to cancer and hereditary diseases.

Following this visit, the President will meet with representatives of the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss opportunities for economic and technological cooperation between the two territories. In the afternoon, the Lehendakari will hold a strategic meeting in Bordeaux with the European Coordinator of the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor, François Bausch, and the President of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Alain Rousset. The meeting will provide an opportunity to review: the status of the rail connection between France and Spain; the development of the Bordeaux-Hendaye-Vitoria-Gasteiz/Bilbao axis; and immediate regional transport solutions while progress is made towards high-speed infrastructure.  

The official trip to Nouvelle-Aquitaine on 1 and 2 December is part of the “Nouvelle-Aquitaine / Euskadi – Innovation & Business Connect” business mission. This event is organised jointly by the Basque Government, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Basque Trade & Investment, and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This trip continues the process of strengthening political and economic relations between the two territories. In 2024, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region launched an initial trade mission to the Basque Country, led by President Alain Rousset and a delegation of companies. The December mission is a reciprocal visit, with the Basque Country travelling to the Aquitaine region to consolidate and expand these links.