Catalan exports set a new all-time record in 2025 and surpass €100 billion

Catalan exports closed 2025 with a total volume of €100.779 billion, an increase of 0.6% over the previous year. This is the highest figure on record, according to the agency for business growth belonging to the Ministry for Business and Labour, ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, whose calculations are based on data published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise.

Despite the new international context marked by rising protectionism, this is the third consecutive year in which Catalan overseas sales have exceeded €100 billion. Once again, Catalonia leads Spain’s exports as a whole, accounting for 26% of the national total.

“The fact that Catalonia has once again surpassed €100 billion in exports proves our business community’s international robustness”

Miquel Sàmper, Minister for Business and Labour

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According to the Minister for Business and Labour, Miquel Sàmper, these results prove “the resilience and diversification capacity of Catalan companies in an adverse, uncertain and complex global environment.” He also added, “The fact that Catalonia has once again surpassed €100 billion in exports in this climate proves our business community’s international robustness and highlights its ability to keep opening doors whilst others are closing”.

The Minister also underscored “the Government’s efforts to support Catalan companies in this new environment through the Responem Plan, as well as through ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment’s instruments.” Along these lines, he also announced that Catalonia Trade & Investment’s network of 40  offices worldwide worked on nearly 3,000 internationalization projects for Catalan companies, 17% more than in 2024.

Greater diversification 

According to ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, export growth in 2025 was driven by a reorientation toward Asia (+7.6%), Africa (+12.5%) and the Middle East (+15.3%). By contrast, declines were recorded in Latin America (-14%) and North America (-2.2%), while exports to the European Union remained stable (+0.8%).

The decline in exports to North America was due to a 3.4% drop in Catalan companies’ sales to the United States as a result of the country’s new tariff policy. In contrast, strong growth was recorded in exports to countries such as South Korea (+25.2%), China (+13.7%), Vietnam (+11.1%) and India (+4.4%), as well as to African markets such as Ghana (+55.9%) and Côte d’Ivoire (+49.4%). And with the lifting of the blockade on Spain’s exports to Algeria, sales by Catalan companies to that country quadrupled in 2025.

Government support during a crucial time

In this adverse international context, through ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, the Government has developed a new Internationalization Strategy for the Catalan Economy 2026–2030. Prepared through an unprecedented participatory process involving more than 110 companies and ecosystem organizations, the strategy aims to create 2,000 new exporting companies, reach 19,000 regular exporting companies (defined as those exporting for four consecutive years), and increase to 3,500 the number of Catalan companies with subsidiaries abroad, among other objectives.

One of the main initiatives included in this strategy is the new Catalunya Exporta program, promoted by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment and applied by Internationalization Support Agents. The program will facilitate first-time export initiation for 2,000 Catalan companies through training, specialized support and mentoring to guide firms through the early stages of internationalization.

Challenges for 2026

In 2026, Catalan companies will face challenges in an international context shaped by growing geoeconomic competition between the United States and China and the emergence of new actors from the Global South. According to the study Global Risk and Trend Analysis 2026 prepared by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, this year will be characterized by the rise of transactionalism and multi-alignment in international and trade relations, an increase in conflicts, intensified competition for dominance in strategic technologies, and the worsening climate emergency.

This scenario of geopolitical tensions and protectionism requires companies to strengthen risk management and move toward more resilient and diversified models, while the European Union faces the challenge of accelerating its strategic independence and expand alliances in an increasingly fragmented international order, the report notes.