The Barcelona council has announced a new linguistic policy that will place 1,500 establishments in the Gràcia neighborhood under supervision. This initiative, to be carried out as a pilot plan, aims not only to diagnose the situation but also to promote compliance with linguistic regulations and reinforce the use of Catalan as the language of citizen service.
The measure comes one year after a case of Catalanophobia was uncovered at an ice cream parlor in Vila de Gràcia. The Commissioner for Social Use of Catalan, Marta Salicrú, had already announced in September 2025 the intention to strengthen oversight of businesses to defend linguistic rights.
Once the pilot test is completed, the City Council will evaluate the possibility of replicating these inspections in the rest of the city's districts. It has not yet been specified which establishments will be subject to this review.
In parallel, Salicrú will promote the creation of a 'Catalan mailbox' for citizens to submit linguistic complaints. These announcements are part of the review of Salicrú's first 12 months as Commissioner for Social Use of Catalan in Barcelona, a role from which, among other initiatives, the House for the Creation of Digital Content in Catalan has been promoted.
“"Today we are closer than a year ago to being able to live fully in Catalan in Barcelona. For the work started to continue, a stable area with more resources is needed."
During the City Council's Social Rights Commission, the opposition has expressed various opinions. Joan Rodríguez (Junts) lamented the lack of action despite agreements, while Jess González (BComú) emphasized the importance of community and cultural life. Rosa Suriñach (ERC) defended the government's and the mayor's responsibility in the social use of Catalan. On the other hand, Antonio Verdera (PP) criticized the inspections, considering sanctions counterproductive, and Liberto Senderos (Vox) defended the freedom to choose one's language.
