The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has announced the Government's intention to promote key infrastructure projects in Catalonia, some of which have accumulated years of delays. The goal is to accelerate projects such as the central section of the L9 metro line, the C-55 dual carriageway, the Tarragona-Reus tram, and the Lleida–Quatre Pilans rail terminal, through public-private partnerships.
At an event hosted by the Cercle d’Economia, Illa detailed that the Government will "immediately" launch tenders worth 1.8 billion euros, to be supplemented by a second package of 1.5 billion euros currently in preparation. According to the president, this approach could enable the completion of projects in six years that would otherwise take a quarter of a century with public funding alone.
The first tender package will include stations for the central section of the L9, the 2+1 road program, and improvements to the Berga-Bagà stretch. The second package, planned for later, will cover the C-55 dual carriageway, the second phase of the Tarragona-Reus tram, bus interchanges, and the Lleida–Quatre Pilans rail terminal.
Furthermore, Illa announced the launch of a new air route between Barcelona and Taipei (Taiwan) in early 2027, operated by Starlux Airlines.
“"The weight of this industry is currently "small" in the region, but its potential would allow for growth."
Separately, the president of the Cercle d’Economia, Teresa García-Milà, called for strengthening the defense industry in Catalonia, highlighting the potential of the aerospace and defense sector in the region, which comprises over a hundred companies. García-Milà also emphasized the urgent need to approve the new regional financing model and welcomed the budget agreement with ERC and Comuns for 2026, viewing it as a "sign of stability and predictability".
