The Palau de Pedralbes in Barcelona hosted the European Forum of Cities and Local Commerce on 18 September, an international gathering promoted by the Directorate-General for Commerce of the Government of Catalonia that positioned the Catalan capital at the centre of the European debate on the future of local trade.<\/p>\n
The event, for which executive technical production was delivered, brought together institutional representatives, urban development experts, policymakers, public administrators and merchant associations from across Europe to reflect on the strategic role of local commerce in building more sustainable, cohesive and people-centred cities.<\/p>\n
Among the keynote participants were Miquel S\u00e0mper, Minister for Business and Labour of the Government of Catalonia; Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona; Javi L\u00f3pez, Member of the European Parliament; and Amparo L\u00f3pez, Spain\u2019s Secretary of State for Trade, alongside other representatives from both the public and private sectors.<\/p>\n
The forum was held within the framework of Barcelona\u2019s designation as European Capital of Local Commerce 2026, a distinction that reinforces the city\u2019s position as a benchmark for promoting an innovative and sustainable model of local trade, closely linked to neighbourhood life. The initiative represents an opportunity to showcase Catalonia\u2019s local commerce sector on the international stage and highlight its contribution to the economic and social development of cities across Europe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"