European Parliament president ‘not in a position’ to treat Catalan leaders as future MEPs
Seat of jailed Oriol Junqueras will be left vacant by his European group
chamber
Independence camp takes control of Barcelona's Chamber of Commerce for first time
Businessman Joan Canadell asks big firms to respect right to self-determination in first speech after taking office in trade institution
European Parliament bars Puigdemont's entry
Ex-Catalan officials elected in the EU election denied access until they are "effectively registered" as MEPs
How will Brexit affect Catalonia?
Tourism, trade and citizens – the potential impacts on the territory and how the government is responding
Unprecedented pro-independence landslide in Chamber of Commerce election
Outcome could lead to "180-degree turn" in corporation's direction, potentially moving away from Madrid's approach
Catalan economy to grow 3%, says Barcelona chamber of commerce
Estimation would mean continuing trend of GDP increase, higher than Spanish and EU average
Spain’s next Minister of Public Works should be Catalan, says Chamber of Commerce
President of organization says Catalonia did not receive full proposed budget in 2017
Catalan economy “recovers dynamism,” says chamber of commerce
Growth foreseen for 2018 raised from 2.7 to 3.1%
Hard Brexit ‘worrying’ for British companies in Catalonia
Barcelona attractive for UK businesses after leave vote, says president of British Chamber of Commerce in Spain
Feminist lobby formed to strengthen role of women in institutions
50a50 presented on Tuesday an all-female list of candidates for president of Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Catalan economy keeps exceeding forecasts
Chamber of Commerce presents revised report predicting GDP growth of 3.1% and labels threats to cut off funding to Catalonia “not viable” as an option for Spanish government
Catalonia, the third most important destination for British investment in Spain
There has been a recent turn in British investment in Catalonia. While Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from the United Kingdom in the region was on a downward trend between 2013 and last June, the situation has reversed and Catalonia currently accounts for 4,4% of British FDI in Spain. Indeed, Catalonia is the third territory of Spain in terms of volume of British FDI. Ahead of Catalonia, stand only Madrid and the Basque Country, which received, respectively, €3,258 and €828 million from the UK between 2013 and last June. In the same period, Catalonia received a gross flow of €546 million, according to the Barometer on the Climate and Perspectives for British Investment in Spain and Catalonia, a report that analyses the evolution of direct investment from British companies in Spain.
Spain's investment in Catalan transport infrastructure falls to lowest level in 20 years
Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce reported this Thursday that 2015 was the worst year in the historical data series, which dates back to 1997, in the rate of state investment in the transport infrastructure in Catalonia. Specifically, the Spanish Government executed only 59% of the budgeted investment in Catalonia, below the average of all the Spanish Autonomous Communities, which stood at 72%. The president of the Chamber, Miquel Valls, lamented in a press conference that the low degree of implementation of investment occurs on an initial budget which is already relatively small for Catalonia. Last year, the Spanish executive budgeted for the region 9.9% of total state investment in transport infrastructure, despite the Catalan GDP accounting for 18.9% of the state’s overall GDP.
Catalan Democratic Party won’t have its own group in the Spanish Senate
The Catalan Democratic Party (PDC), the new political force which has emerged after former governing liberal Convergència decided to reinvent itself, won’t have its own parliamentary group in the Spanish Senate. This is the first time that the former Convergència party won’t have its own group in the High Chamber since democracy was restored in Spain, in 1977. The four members in the Senate’s Bureau from the Conservative People’s Party (PP) voted against the PDC’s proposal to add two senators from left-wing pro-independence ERC to their four, two from the Canarian Coalition (CC) and two from Basque nationalists Bildu, as the regulation foresees a minimum of 10 senators in order to have their own group. The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) abstained from the vote and the other member in the Senate’s Bureau, representing the Basque Nationalist Party (PNB) voted in favour.
Sant Jordi’s Festival could be recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
After the 2016 celebrations for Sant Jordi’s festival came to a close, Catalan Minister of Culture Santi Vila announced that the Catalan Government will offer its full support to an initiative to recognise the feast day as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). As opposed to UNESCO World Heritage, ICH safeguarding works to promote and protect traditions, practices, and other living expressions of culture beyond physical sites, objects, and monuments. Until now, the Catalan Booksellers Guild and the Catalan Publishers Guild have discussed the initiative with the House of Books — the same institute that worked to have the 23rd of April recognised as UNESCO World Book Day.