Catalonia steps up diplomatic efforts with rebranding of Catalunya Internacional consortium

Catalunya International, formerly known as Diplocat, has undergone a rebranding to "strengthen" the dialogue and relations between Catalonia and the rest of the world. 

The rebranding of this public-private consortium follows the approval of new statutes, updating those of 2012, and the restoration of capacities reduced by the Spanish government's application of Article 155 following the 2017 independence referendum.  

During a visit to the headquarters, Meritxell Serret, Catalonia's acting minister of foreign action and European Union, said the rebranding overcomes the "attempt to destroy" the consortium.  

"It is a step forward to empower the consortium, overcoming efforts to destroy it. This new and revitalized consortium will promote the internationalization of Catalonia, its society, culture and economy," she said. 

The Spanish government invoked Article 155 after Catalonia unilaterally declared independence in October 2017, following a referendum that Madrid deemed illegal.  

This allowed the central government to take control of Catalonia, leading to the closure of all foreign delegations except the one in Brussels and Diplocat.  

Serret confirmed that the effects of Article 155 have now been fully reversed and that all employees who lost their jobs at the time are now actively working again. 

The name change is also in line with a 2020 Constitutional Court ruling that banned the use of the term "public diplomacy" to describe Diplocat's activities.  

According to the consortium, the rebranding is part of an effort to modernize its identity. 

Laura Foraster, the secretary general of Catalunya International, welcomed the rebranding and reiterated the consortium's mission to "project Catalonia, its values and its assets abroad."

Catalunya International now includes 38 entities, including major public institutions, municipal organizations, business and social groups, trade unions, sports organizations, universities, business schools and academic institutions.