Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Activa have presented the 3rd edition of the Economic Development Plans (PDE), a key element within the municipal strategy to diversify economic activity and attract companies that add talent and offer jobs to the city as a whole. In this new period, the PDEs will see their budget allocation increased by 18% compared to the previous one, reaching 130 million euros. 

The Plans aim to boost the economic development of the 6 priority districts in the city, that is to say, those that present socioeconomic indicators lower than the city average, and which, therefore, have specific needs in relation to the promotion of their socioeconomic fabric.   

Work is being done on 3 strategic axes:  

• Fostering quality employment and the labour market. 

• Promotion of commerce, services, local restaurants and municipal markets. 

• Support for the economic activation of the territory. 

In addition, thematic particularities and singularities are added in order to adapt each plan to the needs and potential of each district: 

• Ciutat Vella and Sants-Montjuïc: addressing the social return to the territory of tourism and events.  

• Sant Martí: developing the neighbourhoods in the Besòs area. 

• Sant Andreu: boosting sectors such as textile and the circular economy. 

• Nou Barris: developing a special plan to reference its assets in the technology sector and cultural events in the district. 

• Horta-Guinardó: detecting ways of collaboration with the health, sports and culture sectors, which are very present in the district. 

Sants-Montjuïc Activa, a proximity facility 

The presentation event took place at the Sants-Montjuïc Activa facility, a space that brings employment, entrepreneurship, job advice and digital literacy services closer to the district's citizens, such as the Cibernàrium satellite. Since its launch in May 2024, 1,700 people have been attended and 2,600 have participated in the different activities of the facility.

For 47% of users it has been the gateway to Barcelona Activa services, confirming the value of local facilities in bringing services and programmes closer to citizens. Furthermore, 60% of people who have visited the space have been women, one of the priority groups in municipal employment policies, and 88% of users have participated in activities to promote employment.

Find more information about the facility and the PDEs for the period 2024-2027 at Proximity website of Barcelona Activa.