Overview
- Barcelona’s city government approved a proposal to house the agency in the former Ramon Llull residence at the Escola Industrial, with the building’s owner, the Diputació de Barcelona, pledging to cede the property.
- The site exceeds space requirements, sits near Barcelona-Sants high-speed rail and other transit, and the campus offers a recently refurbished 584-seat auditorium suitable for agency events.
- The national selection process—launched via BOE after cabinet approval—requires at least 4,000 m², multiple meeting and videoconference rooms, a >300-seat auditorium, and strong air and rail links to key European hubs.
- Operational plans foresee a phased start in 2026 with a 500 m² area for an initial core transferred from Madrid’s CCAES and CNE, expanding over five years, with renovation costs to be covered by Catalan administrations.
- Barcelona’s bid is backed by the Generalitat, the Diputació and about 50 institutions, as other contenders including Granada, Oviedo, Zaragoza, León, Murcia, Lugo and Salamanca press their cases and local parties in Barcelona voice support with reservations over costs and competencies.