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Diari de Catalunya

Barcelona Named European Capital of Proximity Commerce for 2026

The city beat the finalist candidacies of Zaragoza and Utrecht, in the Netherlands, after a selection process that began in 2022.

Generic image representing local commerce or neighborhood shops in an active urban setting.
IA

Generic image representing local commerce or neighborhood shops in an active urban setting.

The city of Barcelona has been officially designated as the European Capital of Proximity Commerce for the year 2026, after overcoming the other finalists in the final vote held this Wednesday in Brussels.

This designation, the result of a long process initiated in 2022, will allow Barcelona to organize a year full of events and activities aimed at highlighting the importance of proximity commerce in the economic and social spheres.
The program, set to begin in February 2026, will address the issue from several angles, including consumption, urban commercial space management, urban innovation, sustainability, and energy saving. The organization will be carried out in collaboration with the city's associative network.
The European Union has allocated a budget of three million euros for the winning city. Additionally, a technical office will be created to serve as a link between the capital cities and provide support to the host city each year.
All actions will be aimed at strengthening a key sector for the Catalan capital, as it represents 13.2% of the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generates over 152,000 jobs, making it the sector that produces the most employment in Barcelona.
The candidacy was initially presented by the Fundació Barcelona Comerç to the European Union and has received support from entities such as Barcelona Oberta, the Consell de Gremis de Comerç, Serveis i Turisme de Catalunya, and the Associació Catalana de l’Empresa Familiar del Sector del Retail, as well as representatives from the City Council, the Barcelona Provincial Council, and the Generalitat de Catalunya.

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