The enviable international reputation of the capital city of the Spanish province of Catalonia is supported by a thriving cosmopolitan population, excellent quality of life and talented labour pool. In addition to the overall title, European City of the Future, Barcelona also took four other awards: European city with the best quality of life; the best transport system; runner-up for best FDI promotion strategy; and runner-up for best human resources.

Not only is Barcelona one of Europe’s most attractive cities, its obvious ambition to be the most successful city of the future is supported by solid economic fundamentals. These include: labour costs and availability, the value of office space, access to markets, excellent transport and an impressive quality of life. The city also has a relatively low cost of living, good internet infrastructure and a large international community.

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The city’s above-average economic growth, skilled multilingual workforce and competitive costs have been rewarded with significant levels of inward investment, particularly in its growing services sector. And, despite the fact that metropolitan Barcelona is home to Europe’s fifth largest industrial base, 80% of its population now works in the service sector.

Barcelona’s multilingual workforce is one key reason why multinational investors, such as Bayer, General Electric and Hewlett Packard, have set up shared service centres there. This is now one of the city’s fastest growing international business sectors.

Growing levels of private investment have gone hand in hand with increasing levels of infrastructure development and the city is currently undertaking some of the biggest development projects in Europe. For example, the inner-city area of Poblenou, in the heart of town, is being developed to create a 3.2 million m2 lifestyle and technology zone called 22@, designated for media, marketing and other service-related activities, including shared service centres. Among the companies setting up service centres in the city’s high-tech offices are GM, T-Systems and DiamondCluster.

The city is also in the middle of an international drive to promote itself as southern Europe’s principal logistics and distribution zone, especially for goods from China and Latin American countries. This project, which city strategists call “the Delta plan”, involves massive upgrading of the capacity of the port, airport and logistics zones.

Detailed plans of the city’s high-speed rail terminal at Sagrera, which will serve trains to the French border in the north and to the Spanish capital, Madrid, to the north-east, have been published.

Not only is Barcelona an important business destination, it is an increasingly popular tourist destination and forum for international events. Barcelona’s Forum area, which includes high-tech convention centres, a marina and underground water treatment plant, hosted the Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona 2004 on cultural diversity, peace and sustainability.

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The city’s airport is one of the fastest growing in Europe and a third runway, new terminal, improved road and rail access, including a high-speed railway station link, are scheduled for next year. The airport is also adding new areas for air-transport related services. In total, nearly 50 airline operators carried more than 22 million passengers in 2003. Planners expect 40 million passengers a year to pass through the airport by 2010.

Barcelona’s port is the main southern sea access point to Europe and ranks as the leading port in the Mediterranean and the second in Europe for car exports.

In the final analysis, Barcelona’s claim on the title of European City of the Future rests not just on its current economic expansion and ability to attract investors, but also on its colourful cultural heritage, international schools and leading universities, not to mention the availability of attractive and affordable housing and a modern public health service.

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