Friends of La Rambla with the European Capital of Local Commerce

Barcelona has kicked off the year as the European Capital of Local Commerce 2026 with an event at the Saló de Cent of the City Hall, which highlighted the value of local commerce as a strategic axis of the city. The recognition as the European capital of the sector, promoted by the European Commission, has granted Barcelona the first distinction as a 'Visionary City' for a commerce model based on proximity, diversity, and strong territorial roots. Representing Amics de La Rambla, our first vice president, Roser Tiana, and the board member responsible for commerce, Amit Sharma, attended the event.

The event was opened by the Deputy Mayor for Social Rights, Economic Promotion, Commerce, Employment, Feminism, and Democratic Memory, Raquel Gil, who highlighted the commitment of associations, commercial districts, and institutions to push forward "this shared project that is born from the sector and has been built with society: it has been carried out with conviction and alliances have been formed to make this recognition possible," said Gil. The Deputy Mayor for the area of commerce and economic promotion emphasized the key role of commerce in building cities and its contribution to values such as identity, social cohesion, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and highlighted the importance in Barcelona of "the capillarity of commerce in the urban fabric and its diversity, because we are not talking about a shopping mall, but rather a city that has more than 40 commercial districts that shape the city, create a unique identity, foster community, provide service, and are a fundamental pillar for residents' right to remain," she noted.

During the opening of the event, Deputy Mayor Raquel Gil also offered an "open hand" to the two cities present at the event recognized as European Capital of Local Commerce in the other categories, and she underlined, addressing the city's commercial sector: "You are the Barcelona model and today we are also exporting this way of doing things to Europe, and ahead of us are more than 200 activities, developed with over 70 entities in a collective project that aims to mobilize the entire population."

The event was attended by representatives from institutions and the Barcelona Commerce Foundation; Barcelona Oberta; ANGED; Comertia; the Federation of Associations of Municipal Markets; Foment del Treball; the Barcelona Hotel Guild; PIMEC; PIMEC Comercio; the Grouping of Shopkeepers and Retailers of Catalonia; Consell de Gremis; COACB (Official College of Commercial Agents of Barcelona), and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, among others.

In addition, the session also featured representatives from Caldas da Rainha (Portugal) and Schlanders-Silandro (Italy), recognized in the 'Vibrant City' and 'Vanguard City' categories, respectively. It also allowed attendees to learn about the experiences of Cafès Magnífico, BeBe-te, Artidecoració, and Raima. These shops described firsthand the unique characteristics of a network with traditional establishments and the challenges of generational renewal and social cohesion.

More than 200 activities to boost local commerce

Over the next twelve months, Barcelona will offer more than 200 activities across the city's 10 districts. The program has been configured with the support of more than 70 sector entities, commercial districts, and administrations, and is structured into three main lines: promotion, reflection, and legacy.

Among the main scheduled actions, highlights include the organization of the Local Commerce Fair, which will be held to coincide with Europe Day on May 8, 9, and 10 at Plaça de les Glòries; strengthening the visibility of the city's commerce on the occasion of the start of the Tour de France from Barcelona next July, and a new, revamped communication campaign that appeals to civic pride for "Award-winning Local Commerce."

Also framed within the European capital program and in light of current challenges, spaces for debate and reflection have been designed, such as the European Forum of Cities and Regions of Local Commerce led by the Generalitat of Catalonia, to which the Barcelona City Council will join this year; and the European benchmarking sessions organized by the European Commission to identify trends and needs in commerce regarding innovation, sustainability, and social commitment. At the same time, work will be conducted on the creation of a new Local Commerce Observatory for data collection with a standard system that enhances synergies between cities and demonstrates the importance of public policies to support local commerce.

With the aim of positioning the capital status as a turning point for commercial consolidation, the Barcelona City Council will present a Strategic Plan for Local Commerce and a 2036 Strategic Markets Plan to outline its commitment to the sector, as well as the celebration of an industry fair to showcase the opportunities already offered and provide innovative, forward-looking solutions. The identity of Barcelona's commerce, the distinctive feature that has earned it European recognition, will feature a new seal to distinguish establishments aligned with the values defining this locally rooted and city-committed model.

Commerce as a strategic sector for the city

The designation of Barcelona as the European Capital of Local Commerce highlights the strategic role of commerce as an economic and social driver of the city. The sector has more than 60,000 establishments and accounts for 13.2% of Barcelona's GDP. In addition, it generates quality employment for over 152,000 people and keeps 90.9% of commercial premises active.

Local commerce is also a key element of social cohesion and urban vitality. The wide diversity of businesses, restaurants, and services helps activate public spaces, strengthen life in neighborhoods, and connect citizens with the territory. With one of the densest commercial networks in Europe, local commerce is part of Barcelona's identity and its city model.

These distinctive features have enabled Barcelona to become the first European Capital of Commerce in the category of cities with more than 250,000 inhabitants (Visionary City), ahead of Utrecht (Netherlands) and Zaragoza.

Commerce is one of the 10 sectors identified as strategic in the Barcelona Impulsa plan, the roadmap for the city's economic promotion through 2035. Its purpose is to diversify the economy and create opportunities and quality employment by strengthening sectors with high potential for growth and impact. To promote commercial activity, the Barcelona City Council will deploy a series of actions focusing on the modernization of markets and establishments, the visibility of local commerce, and support for initiatives that foster responsible and sustainable consumption.