The Anoia County Council, located in Central Catalonia, recently launched "L'Essencial", a new Rural Commerce Network, designed to reinforce and ensure the continuity of basic commercial services in the region's smaller municipalities.
This initiative directly addresses a fragile and unequal situation for small businesses in Anoia, as highlighted by a diagnosis conducted in 2023. The study revealed a progressive loss of essential services, critical difficulties in generational succession for businesses, and a lack of coordinated strategy to tackle these challenges. The "L'Essencial" project has two primary objectives: first, to guarantee access to commerce as a basic service in areas where it is currently non-existent; and second, to contribute to the viability and survival of active but vulnerable businesses.
The strategy was developed following several pilot tests carried out throughout 2024, which confirmed the urgent need for a stable structure for technical support and county-wide coordination. "L'Essencial" operates as a shared workspace for local councils in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. It offers specialised technical support, accompaniment for entrepreneurial projects, and the development of methodologies to facilitate business transfers.
Strengthening Local Economies
The ultimate goal of the network is to create shared tools that foster the exchange of experiences and strengthen the territorial and economic cohesion of Anoia through joint visibility campaigns. To participate in the project, interested local councils must formalise their entry via a letter of adhesion, committing to active collaboration within the common strategy.
The Anoia County Council has called on rural municipalities to join this initiative, emphasising that commerce is a key element of social cohesion. Officials said it guarantees residents' quality of life and invigorates daily life in the region's smallest towns. The network aims to secure the future of essential local services, ensuring no community is left without access to basic provisions.
