“Absolute priority.” This is how the advisor to the Catalan national pact for industry is described, in a roadmap aimed at reviving Catalonia’s industrial base. In recent statements, the goal has been to initiate a collaborative consultation involving employers and unions to produce a package of measures designed to reenergize industrial activity. The initial aim was to seal the agreement in early 2022, yet months later the momentum remains stalled, with no finalized priorities and no detailed budget in sight.
A shared diagnosis across government, the workforce development sector, business associations, and major unions confirms the need for a sharp, decisive push. Over the last decade, the weight of industry in Catalonia’s GDP has slipped from 27% to about 19.8%. The target of 25% by 2030 remains in sight, but agreement on which actions should be prioritized within the pact is still elusive. Several factors cited by various sources help explain the delay, including divergent views on the pact’s scope and sequencing of actions.
The discussions in the working groups have been fruitful, with the Pact Board and participating actors bringing in a wide range of demands. This contribution has yielded a comprehensive framework for Catalonia’s industrial reindustrialization, yet more time is needed to identify and agree on all concrete actions. Some observers describe the process as hyperanalysis paralysis, a phrase used by a source present during negotiations to capture the moment.
A key obstacle is the lack of specificity in the current investment budget for projects intended to transform the region’s productive fabric. How much money will be allocated to the deal? Estimates from several social actors place the provisional corridor at between 2,400 and 3,000 million euros for 2022–2025, with a larger figure of 1,844 million previously linked to the earlier industrial agreement. The true level of funding remains unclear, including how much of the budget relies on existing departmental funding and whether spending would change if an agreement is reached, or if extraordinary funds and European resources would be needed to accelerate large-scale initiatives.
Past critiques of the prior agreement highlighted the risk of trying to address too many issues without delivering truly transformative measures. There is concern that the same outcome could recur, a sentiment echoed by multiple consulted sources who urge a focus on actions with lasting impact rather than broad ambitions alone.
The political moment also contributes to the delay, as the countdown to the 2023 municipal elections affects how decisions are framed. The energy transition stands as a central pillar of the national pact, encompassing the promotion of renewable energies that will shape the region. Questions linger about where wind farms, solar installations, and other renewable projects will be located and how they will integrate with broader industrial goals. The region faces a substantial current account gap, and a recent study by a professional association suggests that Catalonia would need to multiply its current installed capacity dramatically to meet long-term sustainability targets for 2050. This has raised concerns about the speed and scale of measures needed within the pact, with climate action seen as a potential barrier to timely progress in finalizing the industrial framework.
The health of the existing government coalition also influences the negotiations. Some proposals have contemplated extending the pact beyond the current legislative horizon and involving more political groups. However, this approach was avoided due to doubts about the continuity of measures in the event of a future election, as well as the risk of leaving plans shelved indefinitely. Instead, there is a push for advisement and coordination across political forces in Parliament likely to endorse the package, notably with the PSC and allied parties, in order to define a clearer political path for action. This coordination aims to ensure that the proposed measures receive broad support and lead to tangible progress on Catalonia’s industrial landscape [Citation: Pact Board, working groups, and participating social agents], [Citation: Col·legi d’Enginyers Industrials study on energy capacity and sustainability goals].