Alberto Ullastres Calvo Biography

Alberto Ullastres Calvo

(Madrid, 1914-2001) Spanish politician, economist and lawyer.Minister of Economy (1957-1965) and Spanish ambassador to the EEC (1965-1976), Ullastres began his training with law studies at the Complutense University of Madrid, simultaneously with those of a business professor, specialized in Economics.During his university stage he actively worked as a director of the National Action Youth.

Alberto Ullastres

During the years of the Civil War he was complement lieutenant of the Arma de Ingenieros, on the national side, on the fronts of Asturias, Aragón, Levante and in the 83 Division of the Galician Army Corps, achieving the Campaign Medal, Red Cross of Military Merit, Warrior Cross, Medal of the Siege of Oviedo, and citations in the order of the day during the Battle of Nules.

After the Civil War, Ullastres received his doctorate in Law and was a member of the Institute of Economics of the Higher Council for Scientific Research ( CSIC).As a collaborator in the National Economy section of the Institute of Political Studies, he was part of the presentation that wrote the founding project of the Faculty of Political and Economic Sciences of the University of Madrid.He graduated from it and held the chair of History of the Universal Economy and of Spain.

For several years he was professor of Economics and Finance at the Center for University Studies in Madrid, and of Economic History, at the León XIII Social Institute.In February 1957 he was appointed Minister of Commerce, a position from which he launched the Stabilization Plan that led to the transition from economic autarky to the liberation and internationalization of the national economy.He was the first head of this Department to establish relations with the Common Market (EC).During his mandate, Spain joined the IMF, the GATT, the World Bank and the OECE (today, OECD).

In July 1965 he was appointed the first Spanish ambassador to the Common Market, the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Coal and Steel Community.He ceased from these positions in 1976, with the Spanish political transition towards democracy.

Since 1986, Ullastres Calvo dedicated himself to private activity, performing the function of ombudsman of Banco Bilbao, a position in which he represented clients of the banking institution for the defense of their interests.After the merger of Bilbao with the Banco de Vizcaya in 1988, he continued to hold the same position in the new entity until 1995.He is the author of various studies on Spanish historical-economic issues of a financial nature and, especially, on monetary problems.