Pedro Sánchez and Ada Colau sign partnership agreement between Government of Spain and Barcelona City Council

City Council, Barcelona

The President of the Government said this is the beginning of a new era with a new agenda full of action and cohesion initiatives. Pedro Sánchez stressed that this meeting was essential for reactivating certain inter-authority instruments and sharing thoughts and demands.

The first agreement between the President of the Government and the Mayor of Barcelona seeks to reactivate the Barcelona cultural and scientific capital agreement that was last signed in 2010.

The document states that collaboration between the Spanish State and the city of Barcelona has taken place in the past through an annual agreement recognising the unique nature of Barcelona and its cultural institutions - with the goal of being so for the State as a whole - and detailing the State's involvement in major cultural and scientific projects and infrastructures.

In this new era, the Government of Spain and Barcelona City Council wish to resume and strengthen socio-cultural relations between the State and Barcelona through a cultural capital agreement that specifies its involvement in promoting culture and creativity in Barcelona. The agreement states that this arrangement should include a similar economic figure to that signed in 2010.

Collaboration to improve living conditions in Barcelona

Pedro Sánchez and Ada Colau also agreed to reactivate the Inter-government Collaboration Committee, which has not been convened since 2011.

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaThe purpose of this body, made up by representatives from the Spanish State, the Regional Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council, is to conduct studies to better organise the local regime in Barcelona, propose criteria for developing and applying the Barcelona Municipal Charter and assess the partnership projects between the different authorities.

The document goes on to say that, now that the 20th anniversary of the Municipal Charter is being celebrated, it is time that this committee reconvened as a framework for institutional collaboration capable of fostering dialogue and forging agreements in various areas to improve living conditions in Barcelona.

Support for an International Education Conference in Barcelona

The document signed on Friday also states that the Government of Spain will support the UNESCO proposal to the Global Universities Network for Innovation for Barcelona to host the 3rd International Higher Education Conference in 2021. It would be the first time for such an event to be held outside of Paris.

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaThe signing of this agreement between the President of the Government and the Mayor of Barcelona took place during the two-day trip by Pedro Sánchez to Catalonia.

The President of the Government's schedule in Catalonia began on Thursday with a meeting with the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia, Joaquim Torra, and similar meetings with representatives from civil society, trade unions and small- and medium-sized enterprises. The trip will conclude on Friday with a visit to the Foment del Treball business association and a meeting with the President of Barcelona Provincial Council, Núria Marín.

Non official translation