The Government of Andorra and Actua Business, with the support of Auren, have developed a strategic plan to place Andorra as an International reference in the sector of electronic sports (eSports). In this way, the Principality becomes the second European country and fifth in the world in passing a law to regulate this sector, and the first in approving the development of a strategic plan.
In this sense the Minister for Presidency, Economy and Enterprise, Jordi Gallardo, and President of Actua, Jordi Gallardo, in the presentation that took place on Tuesday afternoon in the Congress Center in Andorra la Vella, stated that “the project, with a 2023 horizon, aims to place Andorra as a technological hub and a recognized destination for the development of electronic sports businesses and to attract large international competitions, entities and companies from the sector”. IN order to make this a reality, the Plan lays down a course of action working on seven strategic central themes: economy and business; tourism; competition; education; IT infrastructure; judicial-legal; and governance.
Gallardo also talked about “promoting aid and financing for companies and entrepreneurs from the sector, facilitating the creation of national companies, attracting foreign companies and creating an organism of international promotion, are some of the options”.
Simultaneously, “education will also play an important role: investment in professional formation in eSports, the promotion of public-private investigation in the sector, and the creation of an International observatory, are some of the measures in this field that we are working on”, comments made by the State Secretary for Economic Diversification and Innovation, Marc Galabert.
The Strategic Plan, which was presented this afternoon, is being headed up by Pilar Sánchez-Bleda, member of the department of Media & Technology of Auren Spain and by Emilio Hurtado, Head of eSports & Gaming at Auren Spain.
“The final objective is to create an eSports ecosystem in the country, with a plan contemplating politics, structures and projects and that involves all the agents in the value chain, both national and international, for its social and economic development”, explained Sánchez-Bleda.
Electronic Sports events in Andorra
The Strategic Plan will also look to enhance electronic sports tourism in the country and the organization and promotion of various diverse events.
With regards to the legal framework, the Plan already contains its own regulation guaranteeing stability in contractual relations between professional players and electronic sports teams. Furthermore, the project includes the regulation of a Committee and the eSports Commission, both institutions established in the Andorran eSports Law, so that they may act as managing organs and organizers of this competitive and business activity in the Principality.
A presentation with well-known faces
The plan´s presentation took place at the Congress Center in Andorra la Vella and included a round table discussion with recognized experts in the field such as Diego Soro (CEO Cream Real Betis), Manel Guerrero (Andorran Association of Electronic Sports and CEO WhatYouPlay), Alvaro González de Buitrago (CEO Team Queso), Roberto Expósito, (CEO Asobu eSports) and moderated by Antonio Lacasa (CEO at Global Sportainment).
Auren, a prestigious company
Auren is a leading firm in offering professional auditing, legal assessment, consulting and corporate services. They have 950 employees in their 15 offices around Spain, over 2.000 worldwide and 36 permanent branch offices abroad, as well as global coverage in over 70 countries which they offer thanks to their belonging to ANTEA, the Alliance of Independent Firms that Auren launched in 2008. Last year, the professional services firm invoiced 63 million euros.
