Crisis y reconversión de la industria de construcción naval en el País Vasco

The Basque shipbuilding industry, which had experienced a golden age during the period 1959- 1974 thanks to the State support, faced from 1974 onwards the impact of the international shipping crisis and the challenges stemming from the entry of Spain into the EEC. The process of industrial restructuring, effected during the 1980s, diminished the productive capacity, the number and size of the establishments and the employment, without a great social cost, but did not solve the problem of scarce competitiveness of the industry with regard to Asian producers. The full integration of Spain in the EEC in 1990 and the subordination to the European policy have provoked a second restructuring in the Basque shipbuilding industry, led by the small and medium shipyards, what has resulted in a further decrease of the productive capacity and employment, and of the relative importance of the shipbuilding industry in the Basque one as a whole. However, by changing their production and commercialisation strategies, the small and medium shipyards have been able to face with relative success the challenge of international competitiveness.