Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni participated in Europe Day celebrations at the Design Museum of Barcelona's auditorium on 9 May 2026. The event marked the 40th anniversary of Spain's, and by extension Catalonia's, entry into the European Union.
The commemoration also coincided with Barcelona's designation as the first European Local Commerce Capital 2026, a recognition that positions the Catalan capital as a hub for local trade. This status was highlighted by the Local Commerce Fair, which took place over the same weekend.
Other notable attendees included the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa; the President of the Barcelona Provincial Council, Lluïsa Moret; the Minister for European Union and External Action, Jaume Duch; and former Italian Prime Minister and ex-President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. Journalist Ariadna Oltra moderated the discussions.
Celebrating European Values
Following the main addresses, a round table titled 'Erasmus Experiences' was held. Manuel Szapiro, director of the European Commission Representation in Barcelona, and Sergi Barrera, director of the European Parliament Office in Barcelona, moderated a conversation with several participants from the Erasmus programme. The event concluded with the unfurling of a large European flag and the performance of the European anthem in Plaça Santiago Pey.
During his speech, Mayor Collboni stated that "Barcelona has historically contributed to the Europe of cities. And this role, 40 years later, is fully relevant, because today defending Europe means guaranteeing concrete rights: access to housing, generating opportunities, and defending social cohesion." He added, "While 40 years ago in Europe we defended the right to move freely, today Europe must defend the right to stay in our neighbourhoods."
To celebrate the 40th anniversary, the Barcelona City Council, the Catalan Government, the Barcelona Provincial Council, the European Commission Representation, the European Parliament Office in the city, the Catalan Council of the European Movement, and the Catalunya Europa Foundation jointly organised a week of commemorative activities. These activities aimed to promote European values and bring European institutions and the European project closer to all citizens.
Barcelona's Local Commerce Capital Role
The Barcelona City Council integrated the celebrations into its programme for the European Local Commerce Capital 2026 and the Local Commerce Fair, which ran from 8 to 10 May in Plaça de les Glòries. Institutional buildings and emblematic structures across Catalonia were illuminated in blue on 8 and 9 May. In Barcelona, from 9pm, the façades of the Palau de la Generalitat, Casa dels Canonges, Barcelona City Council, the Provincial Council headquarters, district offices, the Palau de la Música, and Torre Glòries were lit up. Dozens of other town halls across the country joined this initiative.
More than 1,200 banners were also installed along Barcelona's Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, from Plaça d'Ildefons Cerdà to Carrer de la Selva de Mar, until 11 May. The banners featured the 40th anniversary seal and the slogan 'More Europe. Barcelona.'
The Local Commerce Fair served as a meeting point for the commercial sector, bringing together businesses, neighbourhood commercial entities, restaurateurs, and municipal markets in Plaça de Josep Antoni Coderch (Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes). The event offered a full programme of activities for all citizens, including live music, local gastronomy, and family-friendly proposals. On 9 May, coinciding with Europe Day, a manifesto for local commerce was read, a public declaration for the protection and promotion of local trade values.
Mayor Collboni emphasised that "the Europe we defend is also the Europe of local and proximity commerce" and congratulated the city's commercial entities for advocating for this importance. He praised their success in making Barcelona "the first city to host the European commerce capital, a success for everyone."
Future Plans for Local Commerce
The initiative, driven by the Directorate of Commerce, Restoration and Food with the collaboration of the Municipal Institute of Markets of Barcelona (IMMB), aims to highlight the city's merchants and restaurateurs as drivers of urban development, social cohesion, and Barcelona's identity. The European Local Commerce Capital award was granted by the European Commission for the first time, with Barcelona winning in the main category for cities over 250,000 inhabitants.
Over the next twelve months, Barcelona will offer more than 200 activities across its 10 districts as part of the European Local Commerce Capital programme. The programme was developed with the support of over 70 sector entities, commercial hubs, and administrations, and is structured around three main areas: promotion, reflection, and legacy. Key actions include boosting the visibility of the city's commerce during the Tour de France's departure from Barcelona in July, and a new communication campaign appealing to civic pride for 'Award-winning Local Commerce.'
Spaces for debate and reflection, along with measures for the consolidation of the sector, have also been planned within the European capital programme. Local commerce plays a strategic role as an economic and social engine for Barcelona, with over 60,000 establishments contributing 13.2% of the city's GDP. It generates quality employment for more than 152,000 people and keeps 90.9% of commercial premises active.
