> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Barcelona Oberta Demands Less Red Tape for Shops - URL: https://barna.news/barcelona-oberta-demands-less-red-tape/ - Published: 2026-10-22T07:31:32.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-22T07:36:10.000Z - Description: Business leaders urge city hall to ease restrictions on commerce, citing rent rules and Sunday trading bans as major hurdles. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: Economy & Finance ## Summit Calls for Pro-Business Reforms The XI edition of the Barcelona Oberta Summit, held on Tuesday 20th October 2026, brought together 24 commercial districts to demand that the Barcelona City Council reduce administrative barriers and support local economic activity. The network used the event, titled 'The Barcelona That Could Be', to call for improved accessibility, more flexible urban planning, and permission to open on Sundays, a long-standing request. Mayor Jaume Collboni opened the summit by proposing a debate on regulating commercial rents, particularly contract renewals with steep increases that he said have driven out traditional businesses. However, Barcelona Oberta rejected the idea, framing it as excessive intervention by local government. --- ## Local Business Leaders Push Back Gabriel Jené, president of Barcelona Oberta, dismissed the proposed rent controls as nonsensical and compared them to the controversial plan for public supermarkets, which the organisation also opposes. He described the inability to open on Sundays as 'absurd', especially with the city full of tourists. Jené also called for a more agile and dynamic administration, demanding better maintenance of public spaces and an end to long-standing construction delays that leave iconic buildings wrapped in green netting. He urged the city to turn summit discussions into concrete decisions and visible improvements on the ground. > We need a city well cared for, with fewer barriers to doing business. Javier Faus, president of Meridia Capital, delivered a sharper critique, stating: 'Ten years with the seven plagues of Egypt have turned an open city into a closed one.' He argued that policies discouraging foreign professionals, whom he described as people who 'speak English and eat brunch', are preventing Barcelona from attracting top talent, such as the late Mango founder Isak Andic. Faus questioned how the city could expand institutions like the Clínic hospital or ESADE business school if professionals cannot find suitable housing due to restrictions on hotels, serviced apartments, and seasonal rentals. ### Neighbourhood Concerns Raised Representatives from various districts voiced specific challenges. Barnacentre, representing Ciutat Vella, reported a severe loss of commercial diversity. Núria Raja said: 'We have lost the vast majority of our businesses. How will we bring them back?' She highlighted mobility issues and a lack of local customers despite heavy tourist footfall. Teresa Guirado from Diagonal Boulevard raised concerns about upcoming tram works connecting to Francesc Macià, demanding advance information, clear timelines, and a formal working group to assess access impacts. Meanwhile, Gaudí Shopping welcomed the start of Avinguda de Gaudí's long-delayed reform, and Amics de la Rambla called for tourist tax revenues generated on La Rambla to be reinvested locally. ### Mayor Links Shopping to City Identity Mayor Collboni stressed that local commerce shapes the city’s identity, providing cohesion, security, and vitality. 'Shopping is like voting,' he said. 'Deciding where to shop is deciding what kind of city we are building.' He acknowledged that while public policies help, consumer choices are ultimately decisive. 'No matter how many public policies we implement, if people don't shop at their local stores, it's all for nothing,' he added. What this means for you: Local traders are calling for policy changes to revive neighbourhood economies. Residents and visitors can support these efforts by shopping locally. For more on city initiatives, visit the [Barcelona City Council’s EGA Action Plan page](https://www.barcelona.cat/infobarcelona/en/tema/economy/a-plan-containing-37-actions-designed-to-mitigate-the-impact-of-tourism-on-the-sagrada-familia%5F1463706.html?ref=barna.news). --- *Primary sources:* [*Barcelona City Council*](https://www.barcelona.cat/infobarcelona/en/tema/economy/a-plan-containing-37-actions-designed-to-mitigate-the-impact-of-tourism-on-the-sagrada-familia%5F1463706.html?ref=barna.news)*. Reported by beteve.cat, cronicaglobal.cat, Authors Màrius Quintana i Creus, betevé.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Barcelona to Buy Shops with Tourist Tax](https://barna.news/barcelona-to-buy-shops-with-tourist-tax/)