Economic Mission to Spain, Madrid | Day 19 & 20 May

The first two days of the Dutch economic mission to Spain have brought together leading aerospace and maritime & offshore companies from both countries in a programme focused on innovation, collaboration and business development.

Taking place in Madrid, the mission includes a strong Dutch delegation representing the aerospace, maritime and offshore sectors. Through company visits, matchmaking sessions and networking activities, participants are exploring new opportunities for international cooperation and long-term partnerships.

The mission opened with two dedicated sector programmes. The aerospace delegation visited Indra, one of Spain’s leading aerospace and defence technology companies, while the maritime & offshore delegation travelled to Navantia, Spain’s national shipbuilder and an important player in naval innovation.

Later in the day, both delegations joined an extensive B2B matchmaking session, resulting in more than 300 meetings between Dutch and Spanish organisations. The high number of meetings reflects the strong interest in collaboration between the two countries across both sectors.

The first day concluded with a joint networking reception attended by Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade, and Jordi Hereu i Boher, Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism. Their presence highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening economic and industrial cooperation between the Netherlands and Spain.

On the second day, the aerospace delegation visited Airbus in Getafe, where participants received an exclusive tour of the MRTT and Ariane 6 facilities. Companies also attended a presentation on doing business with Airbus, offering valuable insights into opportunities within the Airbus supply chain.

The mission will continue in Sevilla during the ADM Conference, where the final stage of the programme will take place.