Tortosa City Council in Terres de l'Ebre held the inaugural meeting of its new Trade Board on Thursday. The session introduced the board's objectives to various commercial, business, and restaurant associations in the city.
Attendees included representatives from the Tortosa Més federation for commerce, services, and hospitality, the Market Vendors Association, the Tortosa Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Business Owners of the Ebre Regions (AECE). The Platigot restaurant association and the Tortosa Old Town Merchants Association were also invited, according to officials.
Mayor Mar Lleixà stated the Trade Board was activated to reach a consensus with the sector on actions to boost local commerce. "The idea is to collect ideas and proposals to revitalise 'kilometre zero' commerce, which offers personalised customer service and greater public trust," Lleixà explained. She was joined by Trade Councillor Sònia Rupérez and Urban Planning Councillor Jordi Jordan.
Other councillors present at the meeting included Marga Abelló (Services and Catalan Language) and Pilar Caballé (Mobility, Citizen Security, and Coexistence). The discussion covered details for the upcoming Special Plan for Uses and Activities, as well as commercial revitalisation campaigns planned for May and June, and others scheduled for the second half of 2026.
New Commercial Planning and Urban Regeneration
The new commercial planning document will regulate commercial and economic uses within the Historic City, aligning with the Generalitat's Neighbourhood Plan. This plan will identify priority zones for new establishments and areas to protect traditional businesses. The goal is to ensure diversification and coexistence of uses, while preventing commercial saturation or desertification.
Further actions may include a study and inventory of empty commercial premises and buildings, alongside organising urban commercial revitalisation activities. This will coordinate urban planning and trade policies. The council intends to promote the reactivation of empty commercial spaces using urban improvement criteria and consistent uses, contributing to the regeneration of the historic centre's urban and economic fabric.
Tortosa City Council plans to apply for a Generalitat aid programme to help fund these initiatives. The Trade Board will also consider findings from a report on Tortosa's commerce, presented a year ago by the Rovira i Virgili University's (URV) Chair of Local and Regional Economy (CELiR).
