Minister Torrent: “Exports have established themselves as a motor for Catalonia and now represent 33% of Catalonia’s GDP”

• The Minister for Business and Labor met with the directors of Catalonia Trade & Investment's 40 offices worldwide to analyze the challenges facing Catalan companies abroad.

• The directors traveled to Catalonia as part of the Internationalization Week, the annual reference event in this field that provides Catalan exporting companies with the tools to adapt to the new global panorama

• As part of this event, Catalonia Trade & Investment awarded the companies Freshly Cosmetics, Toni Pons and Concentrol in recognition of their digital internationalization strategy

The Minister for Business and Labor of the Government of Catalonia, Roger Torrent, stated that "Catalan exports have established themselves as the country's economic motor and are already represent 33% of Catalan GDP, a ratio higher than that of similar-sized countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Portugal or Finland".

Torrent was speaking during a meeting with the directors of Catalonia Trade & Investment 40 worldwide offices to analyze the challenges facing Catalan companies abroad, marked by international geopolitical tensions and the new post-pandemic context.

The Minister for Business and Labor stressed that "despite all the obstacles, 2021 was once again a record year for Catalan exports and, so far, this 2022 they are showing a growth of over 20%".

He also highlighted "the robustness of the Catalan foreign sector, which in no case has contracted and that during the pandemic has adapted to the new way of doing business in the world".

However, Torrent pointed to current challenges facing Catalan companies, such as the breakdown of global value chains,  the supply crisis, rising prices of raw materials and maritime transport,  inflation and international geopolitical tensions.

He declared that the answer to these challenges is "to commit even more to internationalization to break free from economic cycles, to diversify risks and supply channels, to innovate more in order to be competitive and, ultimately, be able to better withstand crises".

Internationalization Week

In fact, the directors of Catalonia Trade & Investment 40 worldwide offices have congregated in Barcelona and around Catalonia from Monday to Friday on the occasion of the Internationalization Week, the main event held annually in Catalonia to promote the internationalization of the Catalan business community.

At the main sessions organized this morning at the World Trade Center, Catalonia Trade & Investment awarded Freshly Cosmetics, Toni Pons, and Concentrol in recognition of their digital internationalization strategy.

These three Catalan companies received this award as Catalonia Trade Leaders, a new distinction promoted by the Catalan Government to highlight outstanding international business projects in a context of global complexity due to the pandemic and current geopolitical tensions.