The Generalitat de Catalunya is activating all dependent public bodies to attract industrial and logistics investments with projects that complement the value chain of the industry established in the territory and that is already undergoing its transformation towards digitalization and sustainability. In short, to promote the arrival of new projects that foster the new economy and make Catalonia more competitive.
This was the main message extracted from the session How to reindustrialize Catalonia. Problems and solutions, which took place at the Barcelona New Economy Week, with the participation of Trini Bofarull, director of the investment and foreign companies unit at Acció; Marta Curto, general director of Economic Analysis and Foresight of the Generalitat, and Mercè Conesa and Albert Civit, director and manager, respectively, of the Catalan Land Institute (Incasòl).
In Trini Bofarull's opinion, attracting this type of projects to the territory will serve to strengthen the already existing industry in Catalonia, an industrial territory in itself. 19.8% of Catalonia's Gross Value Added (GVA) already corresponds to industry, and this is a significant percentage if one considers that the objective for this indicator at the European Union (EU) level was 20% by 2020. In this regard, Mercè Conesa has shown herself to be in favor of the new Pact for Industry 2022-2025 determining that industry should reach at least 25% of GVA by 2025.
The manager of Incasòl, Albert Civit, stated that there is an increase in demand for land throughout the territory and that these are large-scale projects, between 4,000 square meters and 6,000 square meters. They mostly come from Europe, and especially from the logistics sector, as they are looking for a place to establish their operational bases for the whole of Europe or Southern Europe. "From the territory, these investments should be seen as an opportunity, not as a threat," because "we are promoting them with a very coherent implementation throughout the territory" and because they are a perfect complement to investments by small and medium-sized local companies that are expanding their facilities or improving their production chains, Civit added.
Catalonia offers an excellent combination for new investors: a competitive local industry, cutting-edge technology, and access to talentCatalonia offers an excellent combination for new investors: a competitive local industry, cutting-edge technology, and access to talent with ecosystems like those in the Barcelona area, as stated by Trini Bofarull. For the head of Acció and the rest of the speakers,the arrival of European Next Generation EU funds means a great opportunity
The director general of Economic Analysis and Foresight of the Generalitat, Marta Curto, has mentioned the 27 projects that the Govern has identified as drivers of economic recovery and that want to opt for European resources. Curto has persisted in the demand to the central Government that the management of the Next Generation be decentralized and that the autonomous communities have a voice and a vote when it comes to managing European resources.