210 procedures targeted in public administration reform

The Catalan government has announced the expansion of its administrative reform programme, 'CaTgirem', with plans to simplify 210 bureaucratic procedures by the end of the legislature in 2028. This follows the completion of improvements to 170 priority processes, according to the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau. Under this initiative, the government has already implemented over 350 measures across areas including health, education, agriculture, and justice. These changes have included replacing 1,800 PDF forms with intuitive web-based formats, reducing required documentation, and increasing interoperability between public agencies to prevent duplication. "The objective is to make life easier for people," Dalmau stated, describing the effort as a "fight against bureaucracy". The programme is backed by a total investment of €11.3 million.

The first phase of the reform, covering 2025 and the first half of 2026, has already yielded significant results. According to government data, citizens have saved an estimated six million hours on administrative procedures. Additionally, 80.4 million data requests and documents were avoided in 2025 alone, up from 74.6 million in the previous year. One notable improvement is the digitalisation of medical consent forms at hospitals such as Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona. Anaesthetist paediatrician Sandra Galve explained that patients can now receive and sign consent forms via the 'La meva salut' app, eliminating the need for in-person visits in low-risk cases. Over 6,000 hospital visits have been avoided so far through this system.

  • The web-based application for registering agricultural machinery is now fully operational.
  • The registry for waste producers is set to launch by the end of the year.
  • A shared form for civil partnerships will replace individual forms per partner from late 2026.
  • Applications for beach occupancy permits are now digital, cutting help queries by 55%.
  • A new teacher recruitment platform has been introduced alongside the legacy web system.

AI tools to support citizens and civil servants

The government is also integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into administrative processes, not to replace staff, Dalmau stressed, but to assist both public workers and citizens. Since 2025, 38 AI systems have been deployed across the administration. One upcoming tool will support citizens in identifying waste types when registering as waste producers. Other AI applications include an intelligent search function on the gencat.cat portal and a virtual assistant for subsidy applications managed by the Catalan Energy Institute. The government has also used generative AI to simplify more than 16,000 legal norms into plain language, making regulations more accessible to the public.

"We are working step by step with many departments," said Albert Dalmau, Minister of the Presidency.

While 170 procedures have already been reformed, the government is still finalising which additional 40 will be targeted under the second phase of the programme. Officials note that not all 2,400 administrative procedures require reform, as some are already consolidated or rarely used.

Primary sources: govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, eb.gencat.cat, eb.gencat.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat, govern.cat. Reported by Pedro Ruiz Claveria, Nació Digital, Quim Bertomeu, 3CatInfo, Àngels Piñol, Òscar Palau i Just, Albert Diumenjó Segalà, Júlia Regué,Carles Planas Bou, elDiario.es Catalunya, Marc Guasch Ferreiro, L'Empordà, Pol Valero, Diari de Girona, Racó Català.