This administrative slowness, which can extend to almost a year, is not an isolated issue but a reflection of a structural problem affecting the economic dynamics of the Catalan capital. The situation is similar in the housing sector, where licenses for new construction and renovations take 319 days, and reforms, 266 days.
The current system is based on an implicit distrust of the entrepreneur, who must await numerous reports and validations before being able to start their activity. During this period, merchants incur rental and financial costs without generating income, while the administration takes no responsibility for delays. This dynamic can lead to many projects never opening or doing so in a financially fragile state.
When regulation becomes a systematic obstacle, the city loses diversity, identity, and dynamism.
This prolonged bureaucracy favors large companies with the financial capacity to withstand months without invoicing, while penalizing small entrepreneurs. In contrast, other European and Anglo-Saxon models opt for a system of responsible declaration with immediate opening and subsequent inspection, prioritizing trust and post-facto control.
The consequence of this situation is visible in the streets of Barcelona, with empty premises and the disappearance of local businesses. The city must decide whether it wants to be an engine of economic activity or a hindrance, as a 340-day processing time to open a business is not just a formality, but a declaration of the city model it intends to build.
“"Barcelona must decide if it wants to be a city that supports or a city that hinders."
