The Economic and Social Council (CES) has released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting the notable resilience of the Spanish economy amid uncertainty. It warns, however, that growth has not translated into equivalent improvements in social well-being due to high housing and living costs.
The body, which brings together unions, employers and social organizations, presented the 2025 report on Wednesday. It notes that Spain created 45% of the jobs generated in the EU that year and exited the European Commission's Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure after twelve years. It also met European fiscal rules thanks to the decline in the deficit and public debt.
CES president Antón Costas stated that a structural change has occurred in the Spanish economy, driven by the 2021 labor reform, which reduced temporary employment. Advances in productivity and investment are progressing, although challenges remain in youth unemployment and for those over 50.
Costas warned that the bridge between growth and well-being has broken due to housing costs and the high cost of living. He proposed a universal child-rearing benefit to combat child poverty, one of the highest in the EU.
