‘Brexit’ will "strengthen collaboration between London and Barcelona", Barcelona’s second Deputy Mayor says

Barcelona (CNA).- Barcelona wants to build bridges with London in order to exchange experiences and host those companies who may be considering leaving the UK as a result of ‘Brexit’. With this objective, Barcelona’s Deputy Mayor for Business, Innovation and Culture, Jaume Collboni, travelled to the British capital and explained the so-called ‘Brexit Plan’, an initiative which aims to establish a unique window to accompany investors and entrepreneurs that want to come to Barcelona to launch a business. It is not difficult to explain what is done in Barcelona and in Catalonia; “it is not difficult to sell Barcelona” he said this Monday, after meeting with London’s Deputy Mayor for Business, Rjaesh Agrawal. According to Collboni, Barcelona has to take advantage of Brexit and redefine its international position; however, the main goal is not to compete with London but to establish a relationship “based on collaboration and cooperation between these and other global capital cities such as Berlin or Amsterdam” and make space for start-ups and “an economy which is based on talent”. 

The second Deputy Mayor of Barcelona believes that Brexit was "bad news for the process of European construction" and believes that "it might affect relations between the states". However, he assured that this new context can contribute to intensifying relations between global cities, such as Barcelona. According to Collboni, cities can "guarantee what 'Brexit' threatens: the free movement of people and businesses".

Collboni added that the so-called ‘Brexit Plan' does not seek to "compete" with the British capital but "to establish a cooperative relationship" between the two cities "and other global capitals like Berlin or Amsterdam". "We must establish complicities in a league of large cities" in which "everyone offers the best of itself to attract talent and economic activity". Barcelona and its metropolitan area already play an important role in the relationship with London, with the region accounting for 3 billion euros in exports. Regarding imports, the Barcelona area received 2.2 billion euros from UK-based companies in 2015, 5.8% more than the previous year.

Barcelona, “a business-friendly city”

The politician met this Monday morning with his counterpart in London’s City Hall, Rjaesh Agrawal, and with the economic promotion agency of the metropolitan area of ​​London, London & Partners, where he spoke with the CEO Gordon Innes and the director of the London Mayor Events & Convention Bureau, Tracy Halliwell. The meetings have gone very well", Collboni said and acknowledged that Barcelona "already has a very good international image" as a "business-friendly city”. Despite this, the deputy mayor stressed the necessity of deciding “in what we want to be competitive and what we want to be financially important in the future". "This means attracting a creative economy based on talent" and "establishing all possible bridges to enhance the idea of ​​Barcelona as a city of talent", Collboni stated.

The second Deputy Mayor of Barcelona noted that, similarly to other global cities, the Catalan capital has a shortcoming: the lack of its own fiscal policy. However, Collboni said that the y “use imagination” to surpass this limitation and create an "ecosystem" that facilitates "economic activity and the attraction of talent". "This means having good air connections, centres of reference and supporting the landing of these activities and investments", he added.

Collboni said that Barcelona, in coordination with the Catalan Government, wants to establish "a unique window that accompanies investors and entrepreneurs who want to come to the city to launch their company".

Visit to London Tate Gallery

Barcelona’s Deputy Mayor for Business, Innovation and Culture, Jaume Collboni, also visited the Tate Gallery, the London contemporary art museum, in order to learn about their patronage policy and study possible exchanges with British museums.

“No one conceived a strategy to promote the city without considering the cultural factor". "The great cultural cities want to incorporate culture as a part of the offer and the message sent by the city to the world", Collboni stated.