Summit Highlights Growing Concerns

This morning at Casa Seat, attendees of the 11th edition of the Barcelona Oberta Summit voiced growing alarm over what they describe as the city's increasing 'encastellament', a Catalan term meaning entrenchment or fortification, hindering growth and innovation. The event, titled 'The Barcelona that could be', brought together entrepreneurs, politicians, and urban experts to discuss the city's stalled evolution.

Leaders Call for Openness and Reform

Javier Faus, CEO and president of Meridia Capital, told the summit that while Barcelona had successfully positioned itself as an alternative to Madrid for investors, recent sentiment suggests the city is now seen as closed off. 'We are leaning too much towards protection,' he warned. He pointed to rising hostility toward expats as a symptom of this shift, stressing that skilled professionals, including doctors, biologists, and scientists, struggle to find short-term housing. Paloma Bergós, portfolio management director at Casacuberta, argued that high commercial rents are not the core issue. Instead, she said, 'commercial activities must be profitable' and called for more support for small businesses and reduced bureaucracy. Ferran Rodés, president of the Antoni Tàpies Foundation board, echoed this, stating that Barcelona once had ambition but may now lack it.

Mayor Proposes Rent Regulation

Mayor Jaume Collboni used the event to defend a proposal to regulate commercial rental prices, citing unaffordable rent increases between contract renewals. 'Many times the price increase is unaffordable for the merchant,' he said, advocating for rules to prevent rent spikes of 30%, 50%, or even 100%. He noted the idea is already in place in Paris and should be debated locally.

Buying is like voting. By deciding where we shop, we decide what kind of city we are creating.

, Mayor Jaume Collboni

Officials Urge Greater Flexibility

Salvador Alamany, former president of Abertis Infraestructuras, criticised long-standing messages discouraging newcomers. 'For a long time, the message has been conveyed that it's best if no one comes,' he said. Josep Lluís Sanfeliu, president of Barcelona Global, added that expats are not merely brunch-goers in jogging clothes but skilled workers vital to investment. 'If we complicate their lives, we lose investments,' he warned.

Political Representation and Next Steps

Representatives from Junts, PP, and Vox attended, including Jordi Martí, Daniel Sirera, and Liberto Senderos. Neither BComú nor ERC sent delegates. Councillor for Commerce Raquel Gil and Generalitat’s Director of Commerce Marta Angerri also participated. While Collboni’s proposal to regulate rents drew limited enthusiasm, speakers broadly agreed that reducing administrative barriers and embracing global talent are essential for Barcelona’s future.

Reported by en.ara.cat, La Vanguardia Barcelona.