Barcelona has maintained a solid competitive position among top European cities despite the global economic recession. In 2009, Barcelona recovered its position as the fourth best city for businesses in Europe. It also remained the top city for quality of life for workers and made the most progress. The city is dealing with the recession through high investment, support for companies and job creation, and maintaining its long-term strategy for a new economic growth model based on knowledge, creativity, innovation and sustainability. Proactive measures by the city have helped it weather the difficult economic circumstances.

1. R E P O R T

2. OBSERVATORI DE BARCELONA
October 2010
BARCELONA CITY COUNCIL
Jordi W. Carnes i Ayats
Deputy Mayor for Treasury Affairs and Economic Promotion
Mateu Hernandez i Maluquer
General Manager of Economic Promotion
Àngels Santigosa i Copete
Director of the Study Programme on Economic Activities and Employment
BARCELONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Miquel Valls i Maseda
President
Xavier Carbonell i Roura
Managing Director of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Joan Ramon Rovira i Homs
Director of the Economic Studies Office of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
TECHNICAL TEAM
Oscar Villar
Economist. Coordinator of the Executive Secretariat of the Barcelona Observatory
Teresa Udina
Economist. Economic Activities and Employment Studies Programme
Management, Barcelona City Council
Ana Belmonte
Economist. Economic Studies Office of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Sandra Gutiérrez
Statistician. Economic Studies Office of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Graphic Design:
Toni Fresno
Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Layout:
DVA Associats
Prepress and Printing:
Ingoprint
Copyright Deposit:
XXXX

3. r e p o r t

4. In Barcelona, as in everywhere else, 2009 was the second year of the necessary to project itself as a powerful capital in the Mediterranean Eu-
deepest crisis for seventy years. An intense global recession with a strong rope arena.
impact on businesses, serious consequences for the job market and one
which will force us to reconsider the very basis of our production model Barcelona must also stand out as a city of creativity and education. An
and future growth. educational city in the broadest sense of the word, where culture is a cen-
tral pillar of public life. Where small and large cultural facilities are ac-
Fortunately, however, Barcelona is facing this difficult situation from a companied by politics that help people with an education to take a risk
very different reality than that of seventy years ago as the city is starting with creative proposals, as is the case of the creation factories, and this
from the footing of an economic situation and a competitiveness in Europe cultural and creative wealth generates citizenry, economic value and so-
and worldwide that it did not enjoy in past crises. In effect – as this report cial change.
by the Barcelona Observatory highlights – there are many prestigious in-
dicators and sources that insist that despite the depth of this global crisis, To achieve its future objectives, Barcelona needs new connectivities that
Barcelona and its metropolitan area are one of the most attractive and afford it better internal organisation and that strengthen its openness to
competitive destinations in the world and a leading area in terms of its the world. I would like to highlight here the strategic value of the Mediter-
economy, business and attraction of talent. ranean corridor – recently endorsed by the European Commission – and
of the future Sagrera station, which will become the main gateway into
In all, the challenges posed by the current economic situation – which are and out of Barcelona and one of the driving forces of a region – the north
most acute in the problem of unemployment – mean that the main priority of the city – undergoing a profound transformation. Similarly, changes in
of municipal government can be none other than the decisive fight against the global circuits and flows of goods strengthen the strategic positioning
the crisis, in which the city is fully involved. I would like to comment here of the Mediterranean and represents the opportunity of the Port of Barce-
on the value of having such an instrument of coordination as the Agree- lona becoming one of the major distributors of maritime traffic from Asia.
ment for Quality Employment in Barcelona – the result of the agreement
between the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council and trades Finally, one of the symbols of identity of the Barcelona of the future must
unions and business organisations – which has been strengthened since be sustainability. Due to conviction, due to the challenges that twenty-
2009 with new resources, new agents and new agreements. Besides this, first-century cities of the world in general and in the Mediterranean in
after the greatest investment initiative of its history, with a total of 1,800 particular have to face, and because this is one of the keys to the trans-
million euros between 2009 and 2010, the City Council is ready to put in formation of the economic model that we need. Barcelona’s commitment
place an austerity plan that will contribute to reducing the public deficit to electric or hybrid vehicles, which forms a connection with our industrial
while guaranteeing the priority investments and policies aimed at eco- tradition to progress towards a new energy model, is an emblematic ex-
nomic reactivation, care for people and coexistence in the public space. ample of the line to be pursued.
All of this austerity initiative, however, must not prevent future undertak- It is true that we are facing formidable challenges, but at the same time
ings from going ahead. Over the last 30 years, Barcelona has been able to we have great assets with which to face them. One of the most important
manage crises as opportunities to relaunch the economy, and it has come of these is the very strength of the Barcelona brand, which the reports by
out stronger every time. In light of the formidable challenges posed by the Barcelona Observatory highlight year after year, and which we pro-
the current situation, we must once again ensure that short-term actions pose to manage explicitly in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce
against the crisis are compatible with the medium- and long-term strat- and other major actors in the city. In presenting this eighth annual report,
egy that the City Council and the leading economic and social agents are I would like to convey my congratulations to the technical team for their
redefining and channelling in what we are calling the 2020 Agenda. work, I would like to thank the cooperation of a broad range of institutions
and organisations that provide their support and I would like to show my
In effect, Barcelona aspires to become the principal economic power- faith in the strengthening of public-private cooperation, without a doubt
house of southern Europe on the 2020 horizon. On the basis of the diver- one of the distinctive traits and one of the keys to the success of Barce-
sified economic structure that characterises it, the city will continue to lona’s process of economic transformation.
promote innovation and the knowledge economy, the attraction of compa- Jordi Hereu
nies and talent, the major transformation projects and the infrastructures Mayor of Barcelona

5. From the economic, business and social point of view, 2009 was a difficult pillars on which the Ara+que mai programme is based, which the Bar-
year. The worldwide recession that we have experienced has been the celona Chamber of Commerce offers companies with the aim of foster-
strongest in the post-war period. The impact of the recession has also ing growth and improving competitiveness. As part of this programme,
been hard on our economic sphere, both nationally and regionally and our institution fosters internationalisation to help companies begin and
locally. However, we began to register an improvement in the second half strengthen their presence abroad. It also offers support for innovation and
of 2009, with more moderate falls in activity than during the first part of training through aid, courses and grants, and through advice to make this
the year. In addition, this improvement translated into positive growth in investment profitable and to enhance the development of information and
economic activity in Catalonia in the first quarter of 2010, after falling for communication technologies. Parallel to this, the Chamber of Commerce
seven consecutive quarters, and it is predicted that this positive path will is developing a new support plan for business funding so that companies
become firmly established in 2011, even though the rate of growth will can find out all the financial instruments available to them and so get the
still be weak. best funding scheme, and a business resources optimisation programme,
consisting of cost reduction and management improvement plans.
We should remember that the city of Barcelona has taken a significant
qualitative leap in the last two decades and that, in addition, in the cur- We need to work so that the city continues to improve its positioning, both
rent setting of serious economic difficulties, the positioning of the city in at a European level and worldwide. We have clear examples of the ad-
the international and European context remains solid. We can see this vances we are making, such as the opening of the Alba Synchrotron, the
from the eighth report by the Barcelona Observatory, which Barcelona most powerful light source in southern Europe and the most complex and
City Council and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce offer all economic high-level science facility in Spain, which came into operation in March
agents. By way of example, Barcelona was the fourth favourite European 2010, and the opening of the new Terminal T-1 at El Prat airport, which
city among European executives for locating their businesses in 2009, has led to an increase in the number of intercontinental flights from Bar-
with the city going up one place compared with 2008 and becoming es- celona. Similarly, we need to continue advancing in projects that have a
tablished among the top five favourite cities for business. Barcelona also significant economic impact on the city, such as the future intermodal
improved the ability to organise international meetings, for the second station of La Sagrera, which will connect the high-speed railway with the
year running, to achieve fifth place worldwide. Similarly, the rate of busi- public and private transport networks. Today, this is the largest under-
ness activity in the province of Barcelona remains higher than countries ground railway project in Europe.
such as Finland, the United Kingdom, France and Japan.
I would like to end by expressing my gratitude to the technical team for
Barcelona’s infrastructures, such as the airport and the port, also retain their hard work and their constant striving for improvement in the project
a preferred position: ninth European airport in volume of passengers and represented by the Barcelona Observatory and to all the institutions that
first of the main Mediterranean ports in volume of cruise passengers. We have once again this year helped by providing information and enriching
should also mention the good positioning of the IESE and ESADE busi- the content of the report that we now present to you.
ness schools, in fourth and eighth place respectively in the European
ranking published by the Financial Times in 2010.
All the agents, public and private, institutions and companies, have
helped make Barcelona an attractive and competitive city with a good ex-
ternal image, but we need to keep working so that we do not lose this
good positioning and to improve in those areas where there is still room
to grow.
Catalonia in general, and Barcelona in particular, are well positioned
in such key aspects as the degree of openness to the outside and the
centres of excellence in applied research and higher education. These Miquel Valls i Maseda
are the pillars of medium- and long-term sustainable economic growth: President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
internationalisation, innovation and education. And these are also the

6. S u M M a r y
4

7. Report 2009-2010. Sumari
6 Introduction 38 Sustainability and quality of life
9 Datasheet Barcelona 39 Introduction
41 The compromise of European companies
12 The Barcelona observatory 42 Best European cities for quality of life of employees
43 Greenhouse gas emissions in world Cities
14 Results:
15 City for business 44 Prices and costs
16 Introduction 45 Introduction
17 Best European cities for business 46 Cost of living in cities around the world
18 Entrepreneurial activity in OECD countries 47 Apartment rental prices in the cities of the world
19 Business perspectives in the European regions for 2010: The 48 Office rental prices in the cities of the world
opinion of business people 49 Rental prices for commercial permises in the cities of the world
21 Main European regions receiving foreign investment projects 50 Rental prices for industrial land in the cities of the world
22 Corporate tax and VAT in countries around the world 51 Wage Levels in Cities of the World 5
23 Main world cities organizing international meetings
52 Labour market and training
24 The knowlegde society
53 Introduction
25 Introduction 54 Employment rate in European regions
26 Population employed in technological manufacturing sectors and 56 Unemployment rate in European regions
services in European regions 57 Employees with university studies in European regions
28 Population employed in science and technology and Research 58 The best European business schools
and Development expenditure in European regions
30 Applications for patents in main OECD provinces 60 Synthesis
32 Main cities of the world in scientific production
65 Monographic
33 Tourism
34 Introduction
35 Main European airports by volume of passengers
36 Hotel accommodation in European provinces
37 Cruises at main Mediterranean ports

8. I N t r o D u C t I o N

9. The macroeconomic evolution of 2009 was marked by the most serious the Agreement, 7,500 direct job positions were created in the city in 2010.
economic recession to have occurred in decades on a global level, with Similarly, the city of Barcelona is proactive in company support, a source
sharp drops in the GDPs of Catalonia, Spain and the economies of the of job creation. In this regard, the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce has
OECD countries, a drastic reduction in international trade, a financial cri- developed a special plan to foster company growth and improve competi-
sis that generated great difficulties for families and companies to obtain tiveness. This plan consists of providing companies with tools to obtain
credit and an intense adjustment process in the property market, particu- the best financing, promoting internationalisation with programmes and
larly in some economies. The collapse in activity during the first semester aids for companies to start up and consolidate their presence abroad,
was followed by a more moderate decline in the second part of the year, promoting innovation through R&D&I support and aid, offering courses
which, together with the gradual breakthrough of the more advanced and grants for training competitive professionals, and maximising busi-
economies from the recession, led to the recovery of business loyalty in- ness resources through optimal management.
dexes and allowed a more favourable forecast to be given for 2010.
The city of Barcelona has dealt with the recession by making the highest
Under these difficult circumstances, special value can be given to the investment in its history: €1,028 million in 2009 and 836 million in 2010,
solid competitive position that Barcelona has maintained among the top the highest investment per capita of the large Spanish cities. In addition
European cities and that is described in detail in this report. In this re- to contributing proactively to stimulating economic activity, this injection
gard, it is worth noting that in 2009, it recovered the fourth position among of resources will result in a significant improvement of public space and
the best cities for businesses in the continent according to the European equipment and will have an impact on all of the city’s districts. Further-
Cities Monitor prepared by Cushman & Wakefield – surpassed only by Lon- more, the municipal budget for 2010 will reinforce the resources destined
7
don, Paris and Frankfurt – and for the fifth consecutive year it was in the for economic promotion policies and public care, and the city has healthy
top five positions in the ranking. In addition, it remained in first place as local finances that constitute a top-level asset for dealing with the current
the city with the best quality of life for workers and as the city with the economic situation.
greatest progress. Similarly, the prestigious FDI Magazine – the maga-
zine of the Financial Times – recently set Barcelona in fifth place in the While it is establishing short-term impact measures, Barcelona maintains
global ranking of the 25 top European cities for the future 2010/2011 and a clear strategy for advancing towards a new economic growth model
in first place among cities in southern Europe. While certain political and based on knowledge, creativity, innovation and sustainability. The reces-
economic regulation tools are in the hands of state governments or su- sion will not stop the city from implementing this strategy in depth, with
pranational bodies, cities play a key role in the struggle against the reces- milestones such as the recent inauguration of the Synchrotron – the most
sion in a global economy where the large urban areas are primary play- powerful synchrotron light source in the south of Europe and the most
ers regarding growth and competition. In this respect, the proactive role complex and top-level scientific facility in the State - obtaining the dis-
that Barcelona has again developed should be mentioned, leading to the tinction “International Campus of Excellence” for the Barcelona Knowledge
OECD appointing the Barcelona Principles, ten recommendations resulting Campus project and the UAB, and the remarkable increase in the number
from the exchange of experiences and cooperation of 41 cities under the of workers dedicated to research and development and other technologi-
framework of the LEED (Local Economic and Employment Development) cal activities. Among the measures promoted by the local government, it
Programme, as the response for cities facing the challenges of the reces- is worth noting the progress of the strategic clusters of the innovation dis-
sion. In fact, Barcelona is using these recommendations to guide it in its trict 22@ - ICT, design, medical technologies, media and energy - where
response to the recession, using the strategic support points listed below. more than 1,500 companies have been located, the development of a new
agriculture and food cluster in the Zona Franca and the preparation of the
The city is dealing with the recession by exercising cooperative leader- implementation of two new clusters on Education and Multilingualism.
ship. Its strategy in terms of the labour market is indicated through the The city is also advancing in sustainability terms and, for example, Bar-
Agreement for Quality Employment in Barcelona – signed by the Minis- celona will coordinate part of the European research in renewable ener-
try of Labour, Barcelona City Hall, Foment del Treball, PIMEC, CCOO and gies in the KIC Innoenergy project, with an associated investment of €450
UGT in May 2008, subsequently joined by the municipal groups of ICV- million, and it is working on the development and promotion of the use of
EUiA and ERC - and it was reinforced during 2009-10 with additional re- electric vehicles in the Catalan capital.
sources aimed at creating direct employment and providing courses and
guidance for the unemployed and motivating the creation of new compa- The opening-up of Barcelona’s economy to the world is one of the
nies by Barcelona Activa. With the application of combined measures in strength factors that has most clearly contributed to its recovery, as is

10. Report 2009-2010. Introduction
demonstrated by the fact that Barcelona is the leader of exports in the
Spanish economy and the notable resistance to the recession shown by
its tourism trade. Barcelona continues to maximise the attraction of for-
eign investment, economic activity and talent with actions such as the
Barcelona Economic Triangle in cooperation with the Generalitat of Cata-
lonia to attract economic activity and foreign investment to the metro-
politan region of Barcelona, the motivation of the Do it in Barcelona pro-
gramme for international professionals, researchers and entrepreneurs
that want to begin their professional and business activity in the city, and
the progressive development of the international network of Consulates
of the Sea.
Within the scope of traditional competitiveness factors, Barcelona con-
tinues to focus on large productive infrastructures. The progressive im-
provement in infrastructures with national and international connections
in recent years was reinforced in 2009 with the inauguration of the new
airport terminal – with a capacity for 55 million visitors a year - the open-
ing of new intercontinental routes and the preparation of the strategic
plan of the Aerial Route Development Committee (CDRA), which has con- 8
solidated the commitment to internationalisation. The Port of Barcelona
is the leading cruise centre, and this is accompanied by the implementa-
tion of a Strategic Plan that will reinforce its logistic potential and capac-
ity. In addition, Barcelona continues to be in the first five positions in the
global ranking for organising trade fair and congress events.
The current economic situation lends particular value to citizen proxim-
ity policies. In the sphere of economic promotion, Barcelona is noted in
this sense for fostering urban business proximity through its commercial
core policy, remodelling the city’s market network, specific measures for
the city’s young people regarding professional guidance and entering the
labour market, or its dynamising actions in neighbourhoods that require
special attention.
To sum up, Barcelona is dealing with the economic recession by main-
taining favourable international positioning and developing policies in line
with the OECD recommendations for recovering large urban areas. The
challenges presented by the current situation – in which the experts fore-
cast that the breakthrough from the recession will open the doors to a
slow and complex recovery process – mean that it is essential to progress
in this strategy, to reinforce the various cooperation formulas between
the public and private sectors – one of the key reasons for the econom-
ic transformation that the city has undergone – and to intensify actions
leading to a change in the production model.

11. D a t a S H e e t
B a r C e L N a
11

12. Datasheet Barcelona 2009
10

13. Report 2009-2010. Datasheet Barcelona 2009
GeoGrapHy
Surface area (km2) 102.2
population 1,621,537
Foreign population (% of total) 17.5
Density (inhabitants/ km2) 15,866.3
Climate (Can Bruixa Observatory)
Average monthly temperature (ºC)* 17.8
Annual precipitation (mm)* 607.2
eCoNoMy
MaCroeCoNoMIC Data:
GDp (year-on-year growth, %)- Barcelonès* 1.7
population registered with the national insurance scheme 1,021,974
unemployment rate 16-64 years old (%) 15.4
employment rate 16-64 years old (%) 66.8
Labour force participation rate 16-64 years (%) 79
CpI (average change, %)- BCN Prov. 0.5
exports (millions of € ) - BCN Prov. 32,261.8
Imports (millions of €)- BCN Prov. 48,519.77
Investments overseas (millions of €)- Catalonia 1,096.3
Foreign investments (millions of €)- Catalonia 1,365.3
Companies - BCN Prov. 467,385
Multinationals in Catalonia* 3,124
traDe aND tourISM
retail establishments - BCN Prov. 74,692
Commercial and Shopping centers and galleries 24
Municipal markets (number and commercial surface area (m2)) 45/206,769
Hotels
Number 321
Beds 60,331
tourists 6,476,033 11
INFraStruCture
airport
Runways (number and length (m))** 3/3352;2660;2540
Maximum capacity of flights/hour** 90
Passengers (thousand) 27,312
port
Land surface (ha) 828.9
Wharfs and landing stages (km) 20.3
Total traffic (thousands of tonnes) 42,980.8
Fira Barcelona (Barcelona fairgrounds)
Exhibitions 52
Visitors 2,983,097
Total surface area devoted to exhibitionsc (m2) 633,774
eDuCatIoN aND CIty oF KNoWLeDGe
Catalan universities 12
university students in Catalonia 212,959
Foreign schools in Catalonia 19
technology parks and research centers in Barcelona** 210
QuaLIty oF LIFe
Beaches (number and metres) 7/ 3,910
Bike lane (km and “Bicing” service users) 156/182,062
Libraries* 214
Museums, collections and exhibition centres 41
public sport facilities (number and users)* 1,511/182,682
Cultural and leisure facilities (thousands of users) 41,989.4
Sources: AENA, City Council of Barcelona, Anuari comarcal de Caixa Catalunya, Fira de Barcelona,
Government of Catalonia, Idescat, INE, Instituto Nacional de Meteorología, Puertos del Estado, Office of the
Spanish Secretary of State for Trade, Turisme de Barcelona and Institut de Cultura de Barcelona
* 2008 **2010

14. t H e B a r C e L o N a
o B S e r V a t o r y
15

15. Informe 2009-2010. The Barcelona observatory
We are pleased to present the 2009-2010 Barcelona Observatory Report The publication will include the following sections:
The Barcelona Observatory is an initiative promoted by the Barcelona • A general introduction on the city’s economy and economic develop-
City Council and Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with several local ment efforts.
entities, which over the years have worked together with the executive
secretary to provide information and make critical contributions in their • A section with the results of 26 indexes covering six fields: businesses,
respective sectors. knowledge, tourism, sustainability and quality of life, prices and costs,
and labour market and education.
The purpose of the report – the twentieth annual Barcelona Observatory
Report – is to provide a platform to help business people make decisions • A white paper by Nick Leon, Director of Design London, has been in-
and establish businesses in Barcelona, to attract talent and to provide cluded titled The Well Connected City: an Integrated Approach to Plan-
support for the presentation of candidates for events or the opening of ning and Implementing Digital Technologies.
venues in the city of Barcelona. As in previous years, Barcelona continues
to be positioned among the top cities according to recognised economic • A section with a summarised comparison of Barcelona’s positioning
and social indexes. among the top cities has been added which provides visual, condensed
information for each of the indexes analysed.
The format of the 2009-2010 report has been updated with four main
features: The Barcelona Observatory can be characterised by the following key tenets:
13
• The number of indexes has been reassessed and changed significantly • It is based on a set of indexes, which are generally defined on a city
in order to provide the reader with a comprehensive and coherent por- scale, but which can be expanded to cover issues of a territorial scale.
trayal of the city’s main indexes, its positioning, its character and the
challenges it faces. Specifically, the report now includes a total of 26 in- • Data is collect from a sample group that in some cases can include as
dexes, two of which are new. For the first time the Barcelona Observa- many as 60 cities worldwide. It should be noted that in the case of certain
tory will also provide information on the awarding of international patents indicators, due to the sample size, only the most important urban areas
via the Patent Cooperation Treaty and present indexes of greenhouse gas are included.
emissions.
• Whenever possible, the indexes include graphs of trends so that devel-
• Another new addition to the report will be a white paper written by a opments in each specific field can be assessed.
recognised expert in the field of analysis and comparative study of urban
economies, which over the years will provide insight into topics related to • The report’s sources of information are highly respected international
this field in order to enrich content derived from the index analysis. institutes and entities.
• Visual elements for each index have been introduced, in the form of • Data and information is compiled using the most up-to-date sources
graphs and maps, which make the results easier to understand and available.
trends easier to spot and analyse.
The Barcelona Observatory also has its own website from which users
• The amount of summarised graphic content has been increased, com- anywhere in the world can freely access information in the report as well
bining all the indexes in order to make Barcelona’s positioning clear at a as supplementary content, and follow events and the most important
glance. projects in Barcelona.

16. r e S u L t S

17. Report 2009-2010. City for business
CITY FOR BUSINESS 15
21

18. Introduction
After the downturn in 2008 caused by the international property and fi-
nancial crisis, the evolution of 2008 was marked by the worst economic
recession in decades and a sharp drop in Gross Domestic Product in
Catalonia, Spain and the OECD countries. Nevertheless, the decline in
activity during the first quarter was followed by a more moderate con-
traction in the second part of the year. This, together with the more ad-
vanced economies gradually leaving the recession behind, resulted in the
recovery of business confidence indexes and more favourable forecasts
for 2010, as reflected in the Eurochambers annual survey.
In this difficult climate, Barcelona maintained excellent positioning
among top European cities selected by European executives for locating
their businesses. Also, in 2009, it regained fourth place among the best
cities for business according to Cushman & Wakefield’s European Cit-
ies Monitor. Barcelona’s noteworthy rating was recently reaffirmed in the
selection of European Cities and Regions of the Future 2010/2011 in FDI
16
Magazine – a magazine of the Financial Times – where Barcelona placed
fifth in the global ranking of the 25 top cities in Europe and first for cities
in southern Europe. Other significant indicators corroborate Barcelona’s
favourable positioning. These include the total entrepreneurial activity of
the population residing in the province, which clearly exceeds the EU av-
erage; foreign investment projects received, and the city’s excellent posi-
tion in global ranking of the organisation of international meetings, which
has improved for the second consecutive year.
The City Council of Barcelona, the Chamber of Commerce and other local
public and private entities jointly develop programmes that aim to con-
solidate the Barcelona brand and its international position by attracting
foreign businesses and financing, supporting strategic urban clusters,
attracting and retaining talent, internationalising innovative companies,
promoting international aerial connections and bringing conferences to
the city. Among the projects developed in 2009, of particular interest are
the Barcelona Innovation Zone, which is promoting a new cluster for the
food sector and audiovisual and cultural industry in the Zona Franca; the
signing of the cooperative agreement to develop the Barcelona Design
Innovation Cluster; the promotion of the HiT World Innovation Summit
fairs for innovation and emerging economic sectors; and The Brandery, a
new contemporary urban fashion trade show; the extension of the inter-
national Consulate of the Sea network to strengthen economic links with
strategic urban areas; and the support of the creation of over 1,000 new
companies by Barcelona Activa, a local development agency.

19. Best European cities Ranking
City
Ranking Ranking
1990 2008 2009
for business in 2009 1
2
London
Paris
1
2
1
2
3 Frankfurt 3 3
11 Barcelona 5 4
4 Brussels 4 5
17 Madrid 7 6
12 Munich 9 7
Barcelona regains fourth position 5 Amsterdam 6 8
15 Berlin 8 9
According to the European Cities Monitor study, prepared over the last 20 9 Milan 13 10
8 Geneva 11 11
years by Cushman&Wakefield consultants with the opinions of top execu-
14 Hamburg 17 12
tives from 500 European companies, Barcelona has regained fourth posi- 7 Zurich 10 13
tion in the ranking of the continent’s best cities for locating businesses - Birmingham 21 14
in 2009, only surpassed by London, Paris and Frankfurt, and ahead of 6 Düsseldorf 12 15
Brussels. This enviable position is reinforced by the fact that Barcelona 13 Manchester 14 16
16 Lisbon 16 17
has been among the top five cities rated best for doing business in the - 15 18
Dublin
last five years, three of which it was in fourth position. 18 Lyon 18 19
17 19 Stockholm 20 20
The European Cities Monitor places Barcelona in first place among Euro- 23 Prague 19 21
- Rome 25 22
pean cities that best promotes themselves as business centres, fourth
25 Warsaw 24 23
place for office space availability and sixth place in terms of price-quality - Leeds 28 24
ratio for offices and internal transport facilities. - Copenhagen 23 25
21 Budapest 22 25
- Istanbul 29 27
20 Vienna 26 28
ranking of Barcelona 10 Glasgow 27 29
- Bucharest 31 30
- Helsinki 30 31
24 Moscow 32 32
Oslo 33 33
4 4 4 22 Athens 34 34
5 5 Note: In 1990, only 25 cities were included in the study. In 2009, 34 cities has been included in the study.
Source: Cushman & Wakefield, European Cities Monitor 2009
6 6 6 6
11
1990 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Source: Cushman & Wakefield, European Cities Monitor Monitor

20. Report 2009-2010. City for business
Entrepreneurial activity Country Entrepreneurial activity (% of population)
in OECD countries in 2008 Mexico
United states
13.1
10.8
Iceland 10.1
Greece 9.9
Norway 8.7
Ireland 7.6
Barcelona 7.5
Barcelona above the European Union yet another year Catalonia 7.3
Finland 7.3
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) total entrepreneurial Spain 7.0
Hungary 6.6
activity of the population residing in the province of Barcelona in 2008 was
Latvia 6.5
7.5 %. This figure clearly exceeds the averages for the EU (6%) and Spain Slovenia 6.4
(7%) as well as EU reference countries such as Germany (3.8 %), France Turkey 6.0
(5.6 %) and the United Kingdom (5.9 %). Similarly, it is at the high end of United Kingdom 5.9
total entrepreneurial activity of OECD Member Countries, despite being France 5.6
Japan 5.4
lower than countries such as the United States and Norway (8.7%). In a year Netherlands 5.2
characterised by the beginning of a recession in the international economy, Italy 4.6
a decrease of 0.8 in total entrepreneurial activity in Barcelona compared to Denmark 4.4 18
2007 is in line with the downward trend of this index in the whole European Romania 4.0
Germany 3.8
Union. It is also worth noting that the business closure rate for entrepre-
Russia 3.5
neurial activity in Barcelona (0.9%) is the lowest in the entire European Belgium 2.9
Union.
Note: Including start-ups (less 3 months of activity) and new firms (3 to 42 months of activity).
The statistical source contains a total of 45 countries. The countries of reference are selected samples
Source: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), Catalonia Executive Report 2008
entrepreneurial activity 2008 (% of population)
10.1
7.3
ICe 8.7
FIN
7.6 Nor 6.5 3.5
4.4
5.9
ruS
5.2 Lat
Ire DeN
u.KI 2.9 3.8
Net
5.6
BeL Ger
6.6
6.4
4.0
7.3 Fra
7.5
7.0 HuN
SLo roM
4.6
Cat 9.9 6.0
BCN
Spa Ita
tur
Gre
Source: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), Catalonia Executive Report

21. Business perspectives in the Better outlook for exports in Catalonia than in Bavaria,
Berlin and London
European regions for 2010: 2009 was characterised by a serious economic recession, but the outlook
The opinion of business people for Catalan businesses for 2010 is a little more favourable according to
the Eurochambers Survey. Companies can expect to see a slight increase
in business figures in Catalonia, which has a better forecast than Spain
as a whole. An increase in exports is also predicted – 43% of Catalan
companies indicate that they will increase while 17% expect a decrease.
Catalonia is also one of the regions with the most favourable forecasts, in
line with regions such as Stockholm, and better than Bavaria, Berlin and
London. In terms of investment, 24% of Catalan businesses expect a de-
crease while 17% expect an increase. So we can expect to see a decrease
in investment in 2010, one that will be less pronounced than in 2009 and
less intense than in other regions such as Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria
and Berlin; and the Spanish communities of Madrid and Valencia.
19
Business perspectives in Catalonia
60 3.7 4
3.2
3
50
2
real GDp (growth annual rate, %)
turnover (rate of balance, %)
40 1
5
0.2
-0.5 (p) 0
30
-1
20 -2
-3
10 -4.0
-4
0 -5
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Turnover
Real GDP growth rate
(p) Forecast of Camber of Commerce of Barcelona (January 2010)
Source: Eurochambres and Idescat

22. Report 2009-2010. City for business
Turnover Exports Investment
Region (CITY) (% Balance) Region (CITY) (% Balance) Region (CITY) (% Balance)
Portugal (LISBON) 61 Portugal (LISBON) 62 Masovian Voivodeship (WARSAW) 31
Masovian Voivodeship (WARSAW) 47 Denmark (COPENHAGEN) 51 Portugal (LISBON) 30
Denmark (COPENHAGEN) 41 Central Italy (ROME) 37 Nord-Ovest Italy (MILAN) 28
West Midlands (BIRMINGHAM) 39 Scotland (EDINBURGH) 34 Turkey (ISTANBUL) 24
Stockholm (STOCKHOLM) 34 Greece (ATHENS) 29 Greece (ATHENS) 16
London (LONDON) 33 Estonia (TALLINN) 28 Denmark (COPENHAGEN) 12
Turkey (ISTANBUL) 31 Stockholm (STOCKHOLM) 27 Central Italy (ROME) 9
Finland (HELSINKI) 29 Catalonia (BarCeLoNa) 26 Finland (HELSINKI) 4
North West (MANCHESTER) 27 Community of Valencia (VALENCIA) 24 Stockholm (STOCKHOLM) 2
Scotland (EDINBURGH) 25 Turkey (ISTANBUL) 23 Central Hungary (BUDAPEST) 0
Greece (ATHENS) 24 Finland (HELSINKI) 22 Estonia (TALLINN) -1
Eastern Austria (VIENNA) 22 Eastern Austria (VIENNA) 22 europeaN uNIoN* -3
Estonia (TALLINN) 19 Masovian Voivodeship (WARSAW) 20 Scotland (EDINBURGH) -3
Île de France (PARIS) 17 Bavaria (MUNICH) 19 North Holland (AMSTERDAM) -5
europeaN uNIoN* 15 Berlin (BERLÍN) 18 Southern Holland (ROTTERDAM) -6
Southern Holland (ROTTERDAM) 14 Southern Holland (ROTTERDAM) 18 North West (MANCHESTER) -6
Nord-Ovest Italy (MILAN) 12 Nord-Ovest Italy (MILAN) 18 Catalonia (BarCeLoNa) -7
Berlin (BERLÍN) 11 London (LONDON) 17 West Midlands (BIRMINGHAM) -7
Catalonia (BarCeLoNa) 10 europeaN uNIoN* 16 Île de France (PARIS) -7
North Holland (AMSTERDAM) 8 Spain 16 Basque Country (BILBAO) -9 20
Central Italy (ROME) 4 North Holland (AMSTERDAM) 13 Eastern Austria (VIENNA) -11
Community of Valencia (VALENCIA) 3 Île de France (PARIS) 12 London (LONDON) -12
Community of Madrid (MADRID) 2 Basque Country (BILBAO) 9 Hessen (FRANKFURT) -15
Spain 2 Baden-Württemberg (STUTTGART) 5 Spain -16
Baden-Württemberg (STUTTGART) -1 Community of Madrid (MADRID) 5 Berlin (BERLÍN) -17
Basque Country (BILBAO) -6 Hessen (FRANKFURT) 4 Bavaria (MUNICH) -22
Bavaria (MUNICH) -10 West Midlands (BIRMINGHAM) -2 Community of Madrid (MADRID) -23
Central Hungary (BUDAPEST) -18 Central Hungary (BUDAPEST) -5 Baden-Württemberg (STUTTGART) -24
North West (MANCHESTER) -12 Community of Valencia (VALENCIA) -26
Note: Data are not available for some countries/regions, wich explains blanks in the table.
The balances are calculated as the difference between the percentage of increase and percentage of decrease.
The statistical source contains a total of 111 regions. The regions of reference are selected samples
* Sample average.
Source: Eurochambres, The Business climate in Europe’s regions in 2010

23. Main European regions Projects 2007 Region (CITY) Projects 2008
receiving foreign investment 305
209
London (LONDON)
Île de France (PARIS)
262
222
projects in 2008 58
95
North Rhine-Westphalia (DÜSSELDORF)
Autonomous community of Madrid (MADRID)
99
80
43 Eastern Ireland (DUBLIN)1 68
90 Catalonia (BarCeLoNa) 61
52 Upper Bavaria (MUNICH) 61
Catalonia is situated in the sixth position, ahead 71 Rhone-Alps (LYON) 58
of Amsterdam, Milan and Manchester 60 Moscow (MOSCOW) 56
74 Darmstadt (FRANKFURT) 53
66 Bucharest (BUCHAREST) 52
Catalonia attracted 61 foreign investment projects in 2008 and occupied 53 North Holland (AMSTERDAM) 50
the sixth position among the top receiving European regions. The interna- 61 Central Hungary (BUDAPEST) 46
tional financial crisis and the climate of economic recession caused a re- 38 Lombardy (MILAN) 46
50 Stockholm (STOCKHOLM) 44
duction in foreign investment in the majority of leading European regions.
37 Masovian Voivodeship (WARSAW)2 42
In the case of Catalonia, after two consecutive years of notable increases, 25 Etelä-Suomi (HELSINKI) 42
the number of projects was reduced and 2008 recorded numbers similar 49 Denmark (COPENHAGEN)3 39
to those in 2005, which was in any case above those recorded in regions 16 Berlin (BERLIN) 37
21 32 Zurich (ZURICH) 32
such as Amsterdam, Milan and Manchester.
23 Vienna (VIENNA) 31
34 Sofia (SOFIA) 30
It is also worth noting that 44% of the projects started in Catalonia are 40 Provence-Alps-Cote D’Azur (MARSEILLE) 30
located in the Barcelona area and in 2008, 3,124 foreign companies were 11 Greater Manchester (MANCHESTER) 29
29 Prague (PRAGUE) 28
doing business in the region.
42 Brussels (BRUSSELS) 28
21 South Holland (ROTTERDAM) 27
16 Hamburg (HAMBURG) 24
projects of foreign investment (number) 34 Eastern Scotland (EDINBURGH) 23
35 West Midlands (BIRMINGHAM) 20
33 South-West Scotland (GLASGOW) 19
90 90 9 Languedoc-Roussillon (MONTPELLIER) 19
14 Stuttgart (STUTTGART) 19
74 30 Midi-Pyrénées (TOULOUSE) 18
70 25 Geneva (GENEVA) 18
64 9 Latvia (RIGA) 18
61 61
53 19 Lisbon (LISBON) 16
52 18 Istanbul (ISTANBUL) 16
50 50
12 Lazio (ROME) 16
44 46
7 Estonia (TALLINN) 14
37 38
9 Attica (ATHENS) 13
30 30 33 13 Autonomous community of Valencia (VALENCIA) 9
15 Lithuania (VÍLNIUS) 9
25 1 Oslo (OSLO) 9
10 17 1 Ankara (ANKARA) 3
5 Basque Country (BILBAO) 2
2005 2006 2007 2008 1 Eastern Ireland = Dublin, Mid-East, South-East.
2 Masovian Voivodeship = Ciechanow, Plock, Ostrolecko, Siedlce, Radom, Warsaw, Miasto Warsaw.
Catalonia (Barcelona) Upper Bavaria (Munich) 3 Denmark = Copenhagen, Copenhagen & Frederiskberg, Frederiskborg, Roskilde.
North Holland (Amsterdam) Lombardy (Milan) Source: Ernst & Young’s European Investment Monitor, 2009
Source: Ernst & Young’s European Investment Monitor

24. Report 2009-2010. City for business
Corporate tax and VAT Country VAT Standard Rate (%) Corporate Tax Rate (%)
in countries around the world Japan
United States
5.0
-
40.7
40.0
in 2009 Argentina
South Africa
21.0
14.0
35.0
34.6
India 12.5 34.0
Belgium 21.0 34.0
France 19.6 33.3
Standard VAT is the fourth lowest in the European Union Canada 5.0 33.0
Italy 20.0 31.4
Despite having the most competitive company tax rate in the democratic era, Tunisia 18.0 30.0
Spain remains at the medium-high end of international ranking with the sev- Spain 16.0 30.0
Australia 10.0 30.0
enth highest corporate tax of the OECD Member Countries. In fact, the de-
Germany 19.0 29.4
crease in the Spanish tax rate in the last decade was implemented at the same Luxembourg 15.0 28.6
time this tax was generally being lowered internationally in a more marked United Kingdom 15.0 28.0
manner. Norway 25.0 28.0
Sweden 25.0 26.3
Israel 16.5 26.0
This tax competition among the different countries to encourage investment
Finland 22.0 26.0
has increased the weight of indirect taxes on tax structures. In this regard, it is Netherlands 19.0 25.5 22
worth noting that Spain has the fourth lowest general VAT rate in the European China 17.0 25.0
Union (16%) – VAT is only lower in Cyprus, Luxemburg and the United Kingdom Greece 19.0 25.0
(15%). The Spanish rate is in line with the international average, which was Denmark 25.0 25.0
15.2% in 2009 according to a comparative study on indirect taxes carried out Portugal 20.0 25.0
Austria 20.0 25.0
by KPMG in 90 countries worldwide. It should be noted that both Spain and the
South Korea 10.0 24.2
United Kingdom will be increasing their general VAT rates in 2010. Switzerland 7.6 21.2
Slovenia 20.0 21.0
Corporate tax 2009 (%) Czech Republic 19.0 20.0
Poland 22.0 19.0
Slovakia 19.0 19.0
Hong Kong - 16.5
Hungary 25.0 16.0
28
Latvia 21.0 15.0
26.3 26
Ireland 21.5 12.5
Cyprus 15.0 10.0
Nor SWe FIN Note: The statistical source contains a total of 116 countries. The countries of reference are selected
samples
25.5 15 Source: KPMG, KPMG’s Corporate and Indirect Tax Rate Survey 2009
12.5 28
34 25.5 29.4 Lat
Ire DeN 19
28.6
u.KI
20
Net poL
Ger
BeL
19
LuX 25
21.2 C.re
33.3 16
21
SLo
25 SWI auS
HuN
30 SLo
Fra
31.4
por
25
Spa
Ita
Gre
Source: KPMG, KPMG’s Corporate and Indirect Tax Rate Survey 2009

25. Growth rate
Congresses 2007 City 2007/2008 (%) Congresses 2008
482 Singapore 32.16 637
357 Paris 17.37 419
276 Brussels 8.33 299
321 Vienna -22.43 249
Main world cities organizing 175
129
Barcelona
Tokyo
10.29
16.28
193
150
international meetings in 2008
127 Seoul -1.57 125
91 Budapest 27.47 116
82 Copenhagen 26.83 104
134 London -23.13 103
188 Geneva -45.74 102
129 Amsterdam -23.26 99
126 Lisbon -22.22 98
94 Sydney 3.19 97
Barcelona among the top five cities worldwide 103 Rome -8.74 94
87 Maastricht 5.75 92
According to the data from the Union of International Associations (UIA), in 74 Madrid 14.86 85
150 Berlin -44.00 84
2008 Barcelona was in fifth position for cities worldwide organising inter-
76 Athens 9.21 83
national meetings – with 193 conferences and conventions – and it made 86 Istanbul -4.65 82
the ranking for the second consecutive year after getting ahead of Gene- 84 Helsinki -5.95 79
va. The increase in the number of meetings in Barcelona was 10.3% com- 97 Prague -18.56 79
pared to 2007, and this is a particularly notable difference considering the 78 Washington 1.28 79
107 Beijing -29.91 75
reduction in the total number of international conferences held that year. 59 The Hague 25.42 74
59 Yokohama 15.25 68
23 In 2009, according to the International Congress and Convention Association 63 Lyon 6.35 67
(ICCA), Barcelona was in second position for cities worldwide hosting in- 53 Melbourne 26.42 67
139 New York -51.80 67
ternational meetings, only behind Vienna and gaining one position over
53 Valencia 16.98 62
2008. 100 Stockholm -41.00 59
66 Chicago -16.67 55
66 Kuala Lumpur -16.67 55
102 Montreal -46.08 55
ranking of Barcelona 80 Oslo -31.25 55
43 Buenos Aires 20.93 52
64 San Diego -20.31 51
55 Hong Kong -9.09 50
43 Orlando 16.28 50
5 49 New Delhi 0.00 49
40 Shanghai 20.00 48
56 Dublin -16.07 47
73 Munich -35.62 47
6 6 6 50 Noordwijk -10.00 45
43 Cape Town 2.33 44
51 Jeju -13.73 44
76 Bangkok -44.74 42
7 29 Boston 37.93 40
48 Vancouver -16.67 40
37 Cairo 2.70 38
61 Toronto -37.70 38
41 San Francisco -9.76 37
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 42 Trieste -14.29 36
48 Warsaw -27.08 35
Source: Union of International Associations
25 Edinburgh 36.00 34
67 Kyoto -49.25 34
33 Luxembourg -6.06 31
32 St Petersburg -3.13 31
48 Moscow -37.50 30
25 New Orleans 20.00 30
46 Strasbourg -39.13 28
Note: Meetings counted under the heading A or B
Source: Union of International Associations

26. Report 2009-2010. The knowlegde society
THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY 24
31

27. Introduction
Barcelona continues to win positions due to the fact that it uses knowl- Significant progress has been made in the last few years in the field of
edge as one of the city’s economic growth engines and is advancing in knowledge, and it has also been transferred to the production structure:
both the provision of resources – infrastructural and economic – for re- Catalonia is currently situated among the top ten regions in Europe with
search, and the transfer of knowledge to the production system and the regard to the number of workers in manufacturing sectors of high and
generation and attraction of talent. medium-high technological intensity and in knowledge-intensive and
high-technology service sectors, and by regions, it has the fifth highest
The city continues to pave the way for the creation of poles of research number of employees in science and technology. Barcelona has a high-
centres that permit the advancement of knowledge and its practical ap- quality training system. Recent examples of its potential are the award
plication in the business world. A recent example is the Synchrotron – of the “International Campus of Excellence” distinction for the Barcelona
the most powerful synchrotron light source in the south of Europe and Knowledge Campus project and the UAB, and the fact that 59 of the Mas-
the most complex and top-level scientific installation in the State - which ter’s courses offered in the metropolitan area of Barcelona are classified
came into operation in March 2010 and will serve high-technology com- as Masters of Global Excellence under the Strategic Metropolitan Plan.
panies and researchers in various scientific fields from physics and Good schools and universities are essential for training good profession-
chemistry to medicine and biology. Other examples are the Barcelona Bi- als and attracting talent from other cities of the world, to which the Do it
omedical Research Park, the Catalonia Computing and Communications in Barcelona programme also contributes. This programme is promoted
Centre (CESCA), the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory (RMN- by the City Hall and it is aimed at international business people, profes-
25
Barcelona), the Barcelona SuperComputing Centre (BSC), the Technol- sionals, researchers and graduates who want to do business in the city.
ogy Transfer Centre of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and
the i2CAT Foundation. In total, the city has more than 400 research and
innovation centres that form a powerful system of spaces for the produc-
tion, transfer, dissemination and use of knowledge and act as a means of
contact between the science and business worlds.
One of the indices of knowledge generation and the transfer of this
knowledge to practical applications is the research, development and
innovation investment index. It should be noted that R+D expenditure in
Catalonia increased from 1.06% of GDP in 2000 to 1.62% of GDP in 2008.
Furthermore, the Catalan business community is very close to reaching
two thirds of the goal for total R+D investment established in the Treaty of
Lisbon. The effort to promote research in recent years has led to Barce-
lona achieving the sixth position in Europe and the fifteenth on an inter-
national level for scientific production, with 12,211 publications in 2009.