2

0 BARCELONAS BID
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 TORRE GLORIES

2 HIGH PERFORMANCE
MOBILITY NETWORK

3
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM

4 PEOPLE FIRST

5 BUSINESS CONTINUITY
PLAN

6 EUROPEAN AGENCIES
SPREAD

7 LEADING THE WAY IN R&D

AND PHARMA

3
4 Palau Nacional in Barcelona
I am pleased to present, on behalf of the Government of Spain, the candidacy of Barcelona to host the new
headquarters of the European Medicines Agency.

The competitive advantages offered by Spain in numerous strategic areas, combined with the intrinsic qualities of the
city of Barcelona, allow me to state confidently that this candidacy offers the best possible venue for EMA.

For this reason, since we decided to present the candidacy, the Government of Spain has been working with
maximum dedication with the relevant public administrations, the Government of Catalonia and the Barcelona
City Council, and with civil society; and we can guarantee that Barcelona offers the best conditions for the new seat of
EMA and fully complies with all the requirements and criteria established in the GAC decision.

Spain has a leading position in the medicinal products market in the European Union. It hosts many companies in the
sector, including a very significant part of the pharmaceutical industry, which is a driver of R&D&I and a key generator
of jobs, both directly and indirectly. As a whole, the Spanish research fabric in biomedicine is supported by an
important network of public and private institutions, prestigious universities, a highly valued National Health System,
the pharmaceutical industry and a National Medicines Agency which is benchmark of excellence. In particular, the city
of Barcelona is recognized as one of the main European capitals of innovation. It also has a leading position in the
field of biomedicine and research, with cutting-edge scientific facilities and companies that guarantee a highly
professional and qualified framework to complement the talent of the Agency staff.

Barcelona offers a unique building to host the EMA, with a surface area of over 30,000 m2, designed by the architect
Jean Nouvel. It has the space required to facilitate the work of the Agencys 890 professionals, in offices which are
perfectly equipped, have been fitted out with high capacity connectivity and benefit from strong security measures. It
will also have a large number of meeting and teleconference rooms to ensure that the Agency continues to operate
at the highest level of functionality and efficacy.

Spains outstanding communication and transport infrastructures are further enhanced by the strategic location of
Barcelona itself. Our high-speed rail network is the most extensive in Europe; you can travel between Barcelona and
Madrid in just 2 and a half hours and the Barcelona-Paris route is now 95% high-speed. Barcelona Airport receives
more than 44 million passengers yearly from all over the world. There is also an excellent range of direct transport
options to the airport, combined with approximately 100 bus routes and 9 metro lines covering the entire city.

In healthcare, we enjoy a high level of services which make our country an attractive place to live. The province of
Barcelona has 58 hospitals of which 12 are public, all of them recognized as leading centers across many medical
specialties. It also has a number of prestigious business schools and 18 international schools within the metropolitan
area alone, where the families of the professionals who work in the Agency will be made very welcome.

Its unbeatable location, its safe, welcoming and open nature, and its excellent climate make Barcelona one of the
European cities that offers the best opportunities for quality of life and social wellbeing.

The relocation of the Agency headquarters to the magnificent city of Barcelona has another key advantage. Spain
belongs to the Eurozone, and the Spanish people have a strong European spirit and support the institutions of the
European Union. So the best welcome is ensured.

We have every confidence that this time our candidacy, for its technical considerations and added value at the
scientific and innovation level as well as for the strong support it has from Government of Spain, the participating
public administrations, the Catalan people and public opinion across Spain, will be rewarded with Barcelona being
chosen as the new headquarters of the European Medicines Agency.

Mariano Rajoy Brey

President of the Government of Spain

5
6 Gran Teatre del Liceu
 We want to make Spain the European reference in medicines. If EMA
comes to Spain, it will be a recognition of the value of our great
National Health System, our leadership in research and innovation
and the strength of our pharmaceutical industry.

Dolors Montserrat
Health Minister of the Spanish Government

Catalonia welcomes the EMA with an innovative bio-tech and life
sciences industrial system that projects into the future based on an
advanced university education network.

Carles Puigdemont
President of the Government of Catalonia

Barcelona is committed to innovation and research. The European
Medicines Agency will enhance this strategy.

Ada Colau
Mayor of Barcelona

The outstanding hospital and research facilities in Catalonia offer a
unique environment for innovation that works tirelessly for the
improvement of European citizens health.

Antoni Comn
Health Counselor of the Catalan Government

The EMA will be the gateway of the 22@ Innovation District; a vibrant
ecosystem for technological companies and start-ups.

Jaume Collboni
Deputy Mayor of Barcelona for Enterprise, Culture and Innovation

7
 Spain Key Figures
Barcelona Welcomes EMA

46.6 83.3
million people years life expectancy at birth

4th 3.2%
eurozone economy GDP growth in 2016
1,113,851 million GDP Fastest growth in EU

47.8% 75.3 1st

employment rate in the first millions of tourists visited Choice for Erasmus
quarter of 2017 Spain in 2016 students

2,938 1st 90%+ 28%

Km of high-speed rail length in the world for average 3G or 4G coverage of new jobs in the Eurozone
speed of high-speed rail between 2014Q1 and 2017Q1
were created in Spain

84 3rd 1st 1st

universities in Europe in number of in the world in public in advanced therapy
UNESCO world heritage sites healthcare system efficiency medicinal products

8
 Barcelona

Torre Glories
Transport
30,000+
44
m2 of office space

Hotels
6,000+
Million passengers in Barcelona
Airport in 2016

72,000+ m2 of fully-equipped meeting

rooms
hotel beds available in
Barcelona
3h
Maximum flight duration to most 10 min
430+ European cities
from the city centre by public
transportation
hotels in Barcelona

+200
288,000+ Different destinations

foreign nationals living in Barcelona

(17.8% of the total population)
Sustainability

International
180+
km of cycle lanes
Housing Schools

10,000+ 18 6,000+
apartments and houses international schools with public bicycles
available for rent foreign curricula

65,000+ 23 550
apartments and houses multilingual schools with public charging points for
available for purchase Spanish curriculum vehicles

9
10
 Barcelonas
Bid
Executive Summary

The Spanish Government, with the support of the

Catalan Government and Barcelona City Council, is
proud to present the candidacy of Barcelona as
future host of the European Medicines Agency.
Barcelona is a flourishing and open-minded city
that welcomes the opportunity to host EMA and is
excited by the challenges that this new project
presents.
Barcelona covers all the key elements and criteria
defined by the European Council to ensure the
successful relocation:
A ready-to-use building, the Torre Glories
A first-rate airport and urban transport
infrastructure
An outstanding international education system
A high-quality health, social services,
employment and housing environment
A detailed business continuity plan to
guarantee the daily operations of the EMA and
patient safety
A thriving pharmaceutical and biomedical
research ecosystem

Shore of Barcelona 11
 Executive Summary
Why Spain?
The possibility to host the European Medicines Agency is a chance for Spain to show its commitment with Europe and to
keep working towards a stronger and better Union. Spain ranks among the countries with the highest confidence levels in
the future of the European Union and has always been committed with its goals, fostering the European spirit of democracy,
tolerance and diversity.
Barcelonas bid provides three elements that will ensure the continuity of EMAs tasks and minimum transfer impact for the
staff and their families: engaged administrations, a supportive society and its commitment with the European project

Engaged administrations
The relocation of the European Medicines Agency represents a
great challenge for the European Union and to the business
continuity of the Agency. It is vital that the future host city meets Barcelona is ready to face
all the criteria, and has an accredited track record to support all
the infrastructural needs of the Agency, in order to guarantee
the challenge of ensuring
EMAs daily operation and the retention of its talent. The health of the continuity of the
more than 500 million inhabitants depends on this decision.
European Medicines
All levels of Spanish public administration are fully committed to
the success of the relocation process, aligning their objectives
Agency and the
and joining forces to present Barcelonas bid as the ideal venue. smoothness of the
The national, regional and local administrations are working relocation process
closely together to provide a smooth and seamless transition.
Spain firmly believes that Barcelona is the best home for the
European Medicines Agency and its staff.

A supportive society
The commitment of Barcelona goes far beyond the Public
Administration, having a great number of stakeholders involved in
the candidacy. The alignment of civil society is a crucial matter
when presenting the strengths of Barcelona due to the relevance With more than 288,000
of its role in welcoming the agency and ensuring a smooth and foreign nationals,
seamless transition.
Barcelona is known as
In preparation for the candidacy and with the goal of stating the
support, willingness and readiness of the city to host the one of the most open
European Medicines Agency, more than 230 institutions, and tolerant cities in
organisations, companies and relevant individuals signed a
manifest expressing their commitment with the candidacy. These Europe
organisations include universities, prestigious research centres,
patient associations, renowned doctors and investigators,
pharma and veterinary industries as well as economic, social and
cultural entities.

Committed with the European project

Spain is committed with
The European Union plays a crucial role through the work of its
institutions and agencies, caring for its citizens, ensuring progress the European project and
and fostering tolerance. Due to the importance of this task, Spain has always supported the
is very committed with the European project, and in particular
with the European Medicines Agency, and aims to contribute European spirit of
greatly to the construction of the future of the European Union. democracy and diversity

12
Why Barcelonas Bid?
Barcelona is the ideal location for the European Medicines Agency, going far beyond the needed requirements expressed by the European
Commission. This bid is based on 6 key elements:

1 A ready to use building: Torre Glories

2 A first-rate transportation infrastructure

3 An outstanding international educational

system

4 A city committed to its people: health, social

services, employment and housing

5
A detailed business continuity plan to
guarantee daily operations of EMA and patients
safety

6 A leadership in pharmaceutical and biomedical

research

Casa Batll, Barcelona

13
 Torre Glories
Central Location
The Torre Glories is based in Barcelonas 22@ innovation
district, which is one of Europes major technology hubs. The
district combines old and new, offering traditional cultural
attractions whilst at the same time being the most innovative 10 minutes
and technologically advanced part of the city. This diversity 5 minutes
makes it an ideal location for the Agency.

10 min 8,000+ Barcelona

Airport
From the city centre new companies
y public transport attracted to the 22@
district during the last 15
years
25 minutes
+15 114,000 m2 from the Torre
Glories
public transportation lines Of green space (16 km)
Metro, bus, tram or rail. The One of the greenest
Torre Glories has a great areas in Barcelona
variety of transportation
solutions

The prime location of the Torre

Glories provides outstanding
accessibility, being less than 10
minutes from the city centre and 25
minutes from the airport
Connected
Office in the Torre Glories
Located in the 22@ district, the building has access to the best
connectivity in the city and among the best in Europe, with one of
the most advanced digital networks in the world. The area is
surrounded by data processing centres and a great variety of ICT
companies. So, in terms of connectivity, there is no better
environment to host the European Medicines Agency.

Industry Education

Innovatio
n Centres

14
Ready to use venue
The Torre Glories is a highly functional building that is already
set up to house an organisation such as the European
Medicines Agency. Its optimal distribution of space is designed
to host a busy, complex organisation, responding to both staff
office requirements and a high frequency of meetings.

250+ m2
foyer designed to welcome
guests and visitors

30,000+ m2
of staff office space

1,700+ m2
of restaurants and cafeterias

6,000+ m2
of fully equipped meeting
rooms
Floor section of the Torre Glories, showcasing different spaces for multiple uses.

Torre Glories meets and exceeds all

requirements regarding building Safe & secure
installations and security The Torre Glories is equipped with all the security features
needed to host the European Medicines Agency, with high
standards in safety and security met through ACS, CCTV and
security control facilities.
Sustainable
The venue meets the environmental and sustainability Safety plan
recommendations of the Agency. The Torre Glories is
currently working towards the following certifications: National
Establish communication and
security forces
coordination procedures
coordination

Coordination Communication between

with Agency national security and Agency
reps reps

LEED BREEAM WELL

GOLD EXCELLENT CERTIFICATION Security Define a security management
management model to meet the standards
model set

Torre Glories has an advanced Planning

Definition of preventive,
specific police
sustainability design owing to measures
regular and gradual measures

temperature sensors, automatic

control of the window blinds and
optimization of energy
consumption

15
 Connectivity
Air transport
Barcelona is one of the best connected cities in Europe. It has
the 7th busiest airport on the continent. The citys prime
location and status as one of the capitals of the
Mediterranean mean that Barcelona enjoys direct flights
throughout Europe.

44 million 3h flight distance to most

passengers in 2016 European cities

205 different 100+ airlines flying from

destinations Barcelona

The airport is located at 25 minutes from the Torre

Glories, 35 during rush hour, and 20 minutes from the city
centre, with multiple transport services available to
passengers.

Barcelona offers the best

infrastructure by having an top-
rated international airport and the
best high-speed rail network in
Europe
The most extensive high-speed
infrastructure in Europe
Spain has the best high-speed rail network on the continent.
With more than 2,900 km in commercial operation, it is the
second longest system in the world. In fact, 9 out of 10
Spanish citizens have a high-speed rail station less than 30
km from their home

Excellent service to connect

222 km/h, Spain with Europe
the train with the fastest
average speed in the world

2,938
99% km of lines
of punctuality proving its Number 2 worldwide
after China in high-speed
quality and efficiency rail extension

The service is considered to be the worlds fastest, with an

average speed of 222 km/h, and the most efficient, with a
punctuality rate of 99%.
Barcelona is one ticket away from the rest of Europe. It
has connections to Paris, London and Brussels by high-speed
train and, soon, when the European Commissions
Investment Plan for Europe finalises its investments into high-
speed rail networks, it will be connected to almost every
European capital.

16 Spanish high speed train

Urban mobility
Barcelona has a diverse, dynamic and efficient urban
transport network which offers multiple means of transport
and allows its citizens and visitors to reach any part of the
city in a few minutes:

Metro. The city has 9 metro lines and 156 metro

stations, covering 119 km across the city.

Buses. There are 99 bus lines which serve 2,529

bus stations and 857 km of bus routes.

Railway network. There are 691.8 km of railway

and more than 200 stations spread across
Barcelona.

Sustainable transport. More than 6,000 publicly- Public bicycles from Bicing
shared bicycles, 460 docking stations and 180 km
of cycle lanes. There are also 550 public vehicle
charging points, as well as private sustainability
initiatives. Barcelona has a large variety of green
transport options that ensure the
Barcelona is a city that is committed to preserving the
environment. Indeed, 75% of mobility flows are made
citys sustainability and provide
by sustainable means of transport and a large variety maximum mobility to its citizens
of public initiatives are dedicated to promoting
sustainable mobility in the city.

Accommodation facilities in Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist cities in Europe,
and as such offers a vast range of temporary accommodation
options spread across the city.
Barcelona has a total of 433 hotels with a total of 72,892
beds, of which 34 are 5 Star hotels and 184 4 Star hotels, with
a total offer of 51,060 beds, distributed as follows:

433 72,892
hotels in Barcelona total beds in
Barcelona

10,877 40,183
beds in 5 Star beds in 4 Star
hotels hotels

The European Medicines Agencys 36,000 annual visitors will

Hotel overlooking Torre Glories
very much appreciate the citys hospitality infrastructure,
since Barcelonas accommodation facilities are not only
amongst the best in terms of quality and range of high-end
hotels, but also amongst the most competitively priced.
Barcelona will provide a dedicated service in order to ease
the hotel booking process for the European Medicines
Agency and its visitors.

17
 International Schools
International educational system
There are 3 types of educational institutions in which children
of EMA staff could study: state schools, state-subsidised
private schools and private schools.
A wide offer of childcare facilities
Barcelonas nurseries welcome children between 4 months
and 3 years old, and are distributed throughout the
metropolitan area of Barcelona.

In addition, there are 2 types of multilingual schools in In total, 15 of the citys 98 municipal nurseries are located
Barcelona: international schools that follow their countrys within 20 minutes by public transport of the Torre Glories. In
curriculum and multilingual schools that teach in foreign addition, two of them are located within a 100 m radius of the
languages while following a Spanish curriculum. Tower.

2 nurseries
within a radius of 100
18 2,600 312 nurseries m from the tower

international new places each offering 79,000

places
schools year
15 nurseries
+ within a radius of 3 km
from the tower
23 7
multilingual different teaching
schools that languages and
follows local curricula
curriculum
W Hotel on Barcelonas boardwalk

18
Outstanding university system
The Spanish university system is made up of 84 universities;
50 public universities and 34 private. Barcelona has 9
universities: 5 public and 4 private.

84 9
universities in universities in
Spain Barcelona

Barcelonas universities are renowned worldwide for their

distinction in fields as diverse as architecture, design,
biomedicine, chemistry, mathematics and economics.

Spain is a member of the European Higher Education Area

(EHEA), which implements a higher education system that is
compatible and comparable to other European universities.

Spain is the country most

favoured by erasmus students
40,000+ from all over Europe (12%), and is
Erasmus chosen above Germany and the
students United Kingdom.

Patio of the Universitat de Barcelona

Barcelona is the only European

city to have two business
schools in the European Top 10 Key figures of university system in Barcelona
ranking

477 188,000+ 30,000+

masters students in the students on master's
Barcelona area and PhD programmes
at universities in the
Barcelona area

Business schools
The city is an internationally-recognised brand with a high
concentration of prestigious business schools.
In particular, the city is home to two of the best business
schools in the world: ESADE and IESE.

Library of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra

19
 People First
Health and Social Care
Spain has the highest life expectancy in the European Union:
83.3 years, compared with the EU average of 80.3 years.

Spain has the most efficient public

healthcare system in the world,
according to Bloomberg

The Spanish healthcare system is based on: universal

coverage that spans a complete portfolio of free
healthcare services.

Spain Barcelona

453 12
public hospitals public hospitals in
Barcelona
13,144 53
primary care centres primary care centres
in Barcelona

Hospitals of Barcelona Social welfare benefits

The excellent range of hospitals in Barcelona will ensure that Barcelonas various social services are designed to improve
all EMA staff are properly covered, with a broad selection of difficult personal, family or social situations by undertaking a
public and private options that always meet the high comprehensive assessment of each individual situation and
standards of the Spanish healthcare system. defining a structured work plan to target the critical areas.

Additionally, EMA staff will have at their disposal two Spanish social services include, among others:
reference hospitals (Hospital del Mar and Hospital de Sant
Pau) for which they will have an info desk and a call centre
Social Services Offering
available at all times in order to provide them with
personalised assistance.
Maternity and
Reference hospitals for EMA staff paternity subsidies
Various programmes
Social benefits for
to care for children:
large or single-
adoption and
Hospital de Santa Creu i parent families
fostering
Sant Pau

These are the

closest
hospitals to
the Torre
Glories Hospital del Mar

Services to support Social services for

students with elderly people or
special needs dependents
Social services for people
with disabilities

20
 Key Labour Market Figures of Barcelona
With regard to Barcelonas labour market, according to data
from the Barcelona City Council:

Activity rate
1 80.8% Q4 2016

Unemployment rate
2 8.7% Q2 2017

Employment rate
3 71.4% Q4 2016

Millions of employees per city

2.24

1.21 1.20 1.19 1.14

Sant Pau Hospital 0.96

Barcelona housing at a glance

Barcelonas city centre and metropolitan areas offer
numerous residential options. A comparison of the average
rental price of European cities in 2016 shows how
competitive Barcelonas rental sector is.

The age of the building is a key factor to be considered. In

this regard, Spains housing is on average newer than that of
other European countries, according to EU figures.
Source: Eurostat - Urban Europe Statistics 2016

RENT SALE

Spain is the 4th biggest economy in

10,000+ 65,000+
HOUSING
OPTIONS

apartments and apartments and

the Eurozone and the 5th biggest
houses to rent houses to purchase economy in the EU

800 264,000
per month on
MARKET

average
PRICES

12.8 5,233
/m2 per month m2 for new
homes

Source: Rents Watch

21
 Business Continuity
Outside view of the Torre Glories
Objective of the Business Continuity Plan
The main objective of the Business Continuity Plan is to
provide full support to the European Medicines Agency
and its staff, including families, whilst maintaining
maximum productivity and operational efficiency during the
transition to the new headquarters in Barcelona. This support
will be provided by the Spanish public administration, and will
allow the business model to remain intact throughout the
relocation process.

Uninterrupted
Smooth
activity and
relocation
quality
process
standards

Guarantee of
daily activities

Scientist working at the Barcelona Biomedical Recearch Centre

Key elements
The methodology of the Business Continuity Plan will be
based on three key elements that are essential to
guaranteeing a smooth transition for the Agency and its staff:

Daily
01 Talent retention 02 operation

03 Infrastructure

The Spanish administration will mitigate relocation risks by

assuming these key activities and tasks during the transition
phase, in order to ensure continuity and minimum
business disruption.

22
Talent retention
The continuity strategy aims to ensure the retention of talent by
providing existing Agency staff with all the tools, information and
support necessary for a smooth and straightforward transfer
experience, easing the process of moving to a new city through a PROCEDURES HOUSING
series of landing services.

Landing Office LANDING

The business continuity plan behind Barcelonas candidacy OFFICE
prioritises talent retention. To do this, it plans for the creation of a SOCIAL SERVICES
LIFE EDUCATION
Landing Office dedicated to easing the transfer and arrival
experience for Agency staff and their families by facilitating
contact with highly qualified individuals and institutions.

The Landing Office will offer the following bundle of services in

person, over the phone and online: EMPLOYMENT HEALTH

Landing Office objectives

Finding a new home for the family

Minimize the Ease the Offer a

impact of landing custom plan Helping families find a suitable school
transfer experience for each
employee
Providing access to Spains universal, free and
high quality healthcare

Minimize the transfer impact while retaining

1 the talent, since the transfer will be smoother if a Supporting partners in their job seeking
high number of resources move with the Agency efforts

Ease the landing experience by setting up the

2 Landing Office for EMA employees and their Guiding EMA staff through Barcelonas social
families. and cultural life

Offer a custom plan for each employee

3 tailoring the services to the needs of the individual Providing assistance for every type of
administrative procedure
and their families.

23
 Daily operation
It is essential to have multiple processes in place that are
designed to guarantee the EMAs smooth transition to its
new headquarters in Barcelona and, therefore, to ensure the
business continuity of the Agency. These processes centre
on two fundamental aspects of an organisation: services
and people.
AEMPS competencies
1 Regulation of human and veterinary medicines
2 Inspection
3 Official medicine Control Laboratories
4 Clinical trials
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is key to guaranteeing a smooth transition to
the new venue. In this case, Barcelonas whole city
infrastructure is already wired (plug & play) to host a
European institution.
In addition, as part of its candidacy, the city will guarantee
that all requirements and special infrastructure needs are
met before, during and after the relocation period. This duty
will fall to the Steering Committee, which will be responsible
for coordinating any changes or adaptations the Agency may
need to make to the building.
This Committee will respond to the Agencys suitability
concerns, ensuring that their headquarters comply with all
security, accessibility, space and design requirements. The
Committee is especially important as it will allow the
adaptability analysis and works to start from the minute the
city is chosen.

5 Pharmacovigilance

Activity as Health Technology Assessment for Barcelona is all set to host the
6
medicines European Medicines Agency as it
Measures regarding personnel offers a move-in ready, highly-
efficient building that is designed
to ease the relocation process
Restructuring of Increase in Increase in the
AEMPS AEMPS pool of external
workforce workforce experts

The EMA will require the support of national agencies in

order to guarantee business continuity throughout the
relocation process. In this sense, the AEMPS is in a position
to support the EMA during its relocation to Barcelona both
by undertaking activities at its own headquarters and
by transferring part of its staff to the headquarters of
the EMA in Barcelona for specific periods of time.

Spain is second in Europe in input to the European network

of experts, which is coordinated by the EMA. Currently there
are:

363 Spanish experts nominated by the AEMPS,

according to the EMA

226 members of the AEMPS staff

137 external experts

Torre Glories

24
Building Data Centres ICT Telco Big Data Talent Availability

Barcelonas infrastructure capabilities

With high-tech IT facilities, including UPS, AV control rooms, high-speed connectivity and
Building Wi-Fi reaching all floors, storage rooms, main equipment and secondary rooms, the
building is well prepared to initiate EMA operations the day after the candidacy is selected.

The Barcelona metropolitan area has 57 data centres, 4 of them top tier (1 Tier IV and 3
Data Centres
Tier III), guaranteeing a smooth transition.

The city hosts about 12,800 tech companies, of which 2,500 are ICT companies with more
ICT than 51,000 ICT professionals. ICT is Barcelonas 3rd most important sector in terms of
economic activity, accounting for 7.4% of its GDP.

Spain has a high degree of fixed broadband internet coverage; it is the EU country with the
Telco highest penetration of broadband. It also offers high quality mobile coverage, and is one of
the countries with the highest 3G and 4G mobile coverage.

Barcelona and its surrounding areas are developing a 4.0 industry sector based on big
data. Due to the citys heavy investment in the promotion of big data, a growing number of
Big Data
companies are choosing Barcelona, turning it into one of the worlds most prominent big
data centres.

Barcelona has become a global benchmark for innovation. It is the third ranked city in
Europe in terms of attracting ICT investment. It has more than 2,500 ICT sector
Talent companies, 210 technology parks and technology research centres, and 9 science facilities
Availability that are international points of reference. 15,000 ICT students and 5,500 science students
graduate every year in Barcelona, making it a very attractive city in terms of talent
availability.

25
 R&D AND PHARMA
Spain: a leader in clinical research
Clinical research is highly-valued in Spain, shown by a
growing number of clinical trials and industry leadership in
the area.
Moreover, Spain is a world leader in clinical trials of
advanced therapy medicines. Requests for early-stage
clinical trials, which generate the highest added value, have
grown in Spain by 16% in the last year.

1st EUROPEAN 30% INCREASE

COUNTRY IN NUMBER OF CLINICAL
TO PASS NATIONAL TRIALS BETWEEN 2005
LEGISLATION ON AND 2016
CLINICAL TRIALS

3rd RANKED
1st RANKED
EUROPEAN
COUNTRY
IN ADVANCED THERAPY
COUNTRY
MEDICINAL PRODUCTS IN NUMBER OF
CLINICAL TRIALS

Biomedical research overview

Biomedical research activity in Spain involves a high level of
collaboration and coordination, both between different types
of organisation (e.g. universities and healthcare centres) and
across the public and private sectors

29 Accredited Health Research

Institutes

Institutions that form the

90 Biomedical Research
Consortium (CIBER)

14 RETICS. Thematic networks for

cooperative health research

4 Research support platforms

26
 Veterinary medicines industry
The veterinary medicines industry is strategic for Spain due to
its importance for animal health and welfare, environmental
protection, livestock sustainability, public health and food
safety.
It is a stable industry with an annual turnover of 1.3 billion
euros, and continuous growth in treatments for all animal
species.
In the field of veterinary medicines, Spain is one of the
countries of choice for conducting clinical trials.
This is due, on the one hand, to the great diversity of livestock
species, and, on the other, to the fact that it is one of the few
countries that specifically legislates on these procedures,
where protocols are evaluated to ensure compliance with
best clinical practice.

The Spanish veterinary medicine

production sector is the 3rd biggest
in the EU-27, behind France and
Germany, and is among the top ten
globally, according to Veterindustria

Production of veterinary medicines

A solid pharmaceutical industry in spain (million of euros)
The pharmaceutical industry is the leading industrial sector of
the Spanish economy in terms of Gross Added Value (VAB)
per employed person. It is a highly skilled sector and its
productivity is more than twice the national average.
1,300
Spain is among the leading countries in Europe in terms of
pharmaceutical production 1,196
1,093 1,092
1,054
1,013
975
867
796
724 745 751 736
718

13,000M+ 70% INCREASE

OF THE PHARMA 400
433
PHARMACEUTICAL 355
INDUSTRY IN SPAIN IN 342
PRODUCTION 295 309
THE PAST 10 YEARS 251

The pharmaceutical sector is one of the industrial sectors

that invests the most in research in Spain, as a result of its
need to carry out clinical research, and also thanks to the
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
subsidy plans available for R&D in the sector.
National Export Total Market

Source: Veterindustria

27
28
Torre Glories
 29
CNMC Building
30
 1
The Torre
Glories
A ready to use
building that meets
all requirements and
allows the EMA to
take on its functions
immediately

The European Medicines Agency requires a

building that meets its high sustainability and
functionality standards.

The Torre Glories fully meets such requirements,

providing a functional yet environmentally friendly
building that, additionally, is one of the most iconic
buildings in Barcelona.

Firstly, the venue is located in the heart of

Barcelona, where the past meets the present. The
tradition and culture of the city centre combine
with the innovative and dynamic environment of
the 22@, a knowledge hub and the most
technologically advanced district in the city. The
Torre Glories also offers a high level of
connectivity, both in terms of transport and
technology.

The Torre Glories has an outstanding structure,

ready to host the European Medicines Agency in
the development of its duties immediately. As
such, Barcelona can assure a fast and efficient
transfer from London for the Agency.

31
Barcelonas Skyline with Torre Glories
 1
1.1 | An Iconic and Functional Building

1.2 | Prime Location

1.3 | A Striking Structure

1.4 | Safety and Security

32
An iconic and functional
building
The Torre Glories is a ready to move
in building, fully functional and with
the flexibility to be tailored to fit the
Agency perfectly
The Torre Glories is not only an icon of
Barcelonas skyline, but also a reference
of functionality, sustainability and
environmentally aware architecture

Central, connected and 10 min from 7,000+

the city centre companies in 22@
innovative venue
Minutes away from the city centre
and located in the 22@ district
15+ public 114,000 m2
transportation lines green space

A building that is ready 30,000+ m2 250+ m2 of lobby

The functional infrastructure of the of total office space space
building ensures that all EMAs
specific needs and criteria are fully 6,000+ m2 1,700+ m2 of
met of meeting rooms restaurants and cafeterias

Internal External
A safe and secure Access Control System Cooperation with the
environment Anti Theft System national security forces
Cybersecurity Building perimeter
The building offers all the security CCTV security
conditions needed Business Continuity Plan Protocols for outside
Centralized control room threats

33
 1.1 An Iconic and Functional Building
Ready to use

Barcelona is so committed to its candidacy for the European

Medicines Agency that it has offered one of its most iconic,
emblematic and symbolic buildings as headquarters for the
Agency.

However, Torre Glories is much more than a city icon, but also
offers the best location in terms of functionality and efficiency.

Unique venue
A fully functional architectural masterpiece

The Torre Glories, formerly known as Torre Agbar (after the

previous owner of the building), is one of the masterpieces of the
renowned architect Jean Nouvel. He designed it in the shape of a
geyser rising into the air from the deep blue Mediterranean sea,
dyed by the colors of the city and the sky.

The building is one of the most iconic and recognised architectural

milestones in Spain. Its design combines a series of different
architectural concepts, projecting into the city skyline a very unique
beacon. As shown in the photo, the building boasts a total of
4,500 window openings equipped with LED devices. These devices
also have a series of temperature sensors which automatically
regulate the opening and closing of the window blinds. This
technology optimises air conditioning whilst reducing energy
consumption and thus merges style and architectural design with
functionality and environmental awareness. The rejection of a
standard skyscraper and the novelty of the Torre Gloriess design
adds a distinguished element to Barcelonas skyline.

However, it is not only an emblematic and functional building, the

tower is also situated in the 22@ district, one of the best locations
in the city. 22@ is an interconnected district with some of the most
advanced technology in the world, embodying the concept of a
Smart City. It is an ideal environment to host the European
Medicines Agency, which requires an outstanding ICT ecosystem.
Additionally, the Torre Glories offers residency for the EMA in a city
which offers a perfect balance between an emblematic city centre
and a connected, innovative district with easy access via both
public and private transport.

The Torre Glories is not only an icon of

Barcelonas skyline, but also a
reference for sustainable and
environmentally aware architecture

34
 The ideal venue
The Torre Glories meets all Barcelona and the Torre Glories meets all the
the requirements to host the requirements to host the European Medicines Agency

European Medicines Agency

The Torre Glories with its highly iconic character and design,
fully functional structure, environmentally friendly and
sustainable features, prime central location and its outstanding
connectivity meets all the requirements stipulated by the
European Medicines Agency

Central location
The Torre Glories is located in the 22@ district of Barcelona, where
the past meets the future. The district lies between the traditional
and cultural city centre and the most innovative and technologically
advanced areas of the city, thus offering an ideal location.

Connected
The Torre Glories is 25 minutes away from the airport and less than
10 minutes away from the city centre by public transport. Located in
the 22@ district of Barcelona, the agency will have access to the
best technological connectivity in the city and among of the best in
Europe, with one of the most advanced digital networks worldwide.

Functional
The Torre Glories is not only an iconic and emblematic building, but
also has a highly functional structure, ensuring that it is ready to
host an organization such as the European Medicines Agency, with
an optimal distribution, designed to host a busy, complex
organization with demanding requirements both for office space
and meetings.

Secure
The Torre Glories fulfills all security conditions needed to host the
European Medicines Agency. It meets high standards in safety and
security, including ACS, CCTV and security control facilities.

Sustainable
The venue meets the environmental and sustainability
recommendations of the Agency, and boasts the BREEAM Very
Good certificate. As mentioned, the Torre Glories has a series of
temperature sensors, automatically regulating the opening and
closing of the window blinds, optimizing energy consumption and
air conditioning. Additionally, both the LEED GOLD Core & Shell
certificate and BREEAM Excellence are being sought.

Torre Glories Faade

35
 1.2 Prime Location
A central, connected and innovative venue
The venue is located on the corner of Diagonal and Carrer
Badajoz, near Plaa de les Glries, which marks the gateway to the
technological district of Barcelona, 22@.
The Tower is surrounded by green spaces and a wealth of features
such as hotels, transport services, restaurants, museums and a
shopping centre. It is a 5-minute walk from Catalonias National
Theatre and less than 10 minutes by public transport to Barcelona
city centre.
Its architectural uniqueness and prime location in the 22@ district
make the Torre Glories one of the most in-demand real estate
areas in Barcelona.
Over the last 10 years, 8,000 new
companies have made 22@ their
home, generating over 90,000 new
jobs
36
22@ district
In 2000, 22@ began as a government initiative to transform the
historic cotton district of Sant Mart into a booming knowledge
centre. Already by 2001 the innovation district boasted some
114,000 m2 of new green space and 7,000 companies, businesses
and shops. The district has experienced a 23% increase in
residents and now has over 90,000 employees working daily.
Today, 22@ serves as a model of innovative urban design and
planning for cities around the world.
This innovative regeneration project has created new employment,
housing and live-work spaces through five knowledge-intensive
clusters: Information and Computer Technology (ICT), Media, Bio-
Medical, Energy, and Design. The proximity within each cluster and
also to the city centre has fostered interaction which, in turn, has
resulted in an increase in innovation. This business model spurs
economic growth and encourages sustainability in these
businesses and the district itself.
Overview of Torre Gloriess surrounding area
22@ fosters social interaction through the professional spaces
designated in the district. The network is composed of companies
and institutions within the district that have innovation and
knowledge as key components of their business models. This
network currently has 66 member institutions and companies and
continues to encourage more stakeholders to consider innovation
and knowledge as vitally important to the success of their
companies. The district also hosts the monthly 22@ Update
Breakfast, a networking event aimed at bringing together
professionals to exchange ideas and experiences regarding
innovation.
22@ offers a strategic environment with knowledge producing
centres to create an innovative and dynamic environment and
encourage talent development. The promotion of continued
interaction between companies, educational institutions and
research institutions has made 22@ an innovation hub.
This link between industry and education has been made possible
by the multiple education and innovation centres that have
already been set up in 22@, such as the Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Communication campus, the new Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
headquarters, Universitat de Barcelona training centre,
Technological and Business Campus of Barcelona - Energy Cluster,
BAU High School of Design, School of Professional & Executive
Development and several initiatives for the concentration of
innovation and R&D centres, among others.
22@ district is a dynamic and thriving
innovation hub; where talent feels
comfortable
Transport Links
The central location of the venue, both with respect to the city and
its metropolitan area, is one of its main assets. The 22@ district is
articulated around Diagonal, which joins two of the citys main
hubs of economic and cultural activity: Plaa de les Glries,
Barcelonas new cultural and administrative centre, with its own
multiple transport services; and the Barcelona International
Convention Centre (CCIB), the largest in Southern Europe, capable
of hosting international events of up to 20,000 delegates.
With its comprehensive transport network, the 22@ district offers
excellent all-round access:
Ronda del Litoral (coastal ring road) connects the 22@
district with the rest of the Metropolitan Area of
Barcelona, with the national motorway network and
with the main international transport links.
Metro (L1, L4 and future L9), Tram (Trambess) and the
bus network (7, 60, 92, 192, H12) link it to the rest of
the city, and to the main towns along the metropolitan
coastline. Glries Tower is 15 minutes away from the
city centre by metro.
The venue is also well connected with La Sagrera
station (10 min by public transport), designed as a
transport hub for the city. It will be a high speed railway
station with connections to the main cities in Spain and
Europe.
Bicing, a sustainable and environmentally friendly
transport service for public bicycle sharing, has many
stations and a large network of cycling lanes in
neighborhood. The centrality of the district makes it a
valuable option for those who prefer cycling.
Office space at Torre Glories 37
 1.3 A Striking Structure
The building is ready. Plug & play.

Aside from its characteristic design and architectural uniqueness,

the Torre Glories presents a highly efficient infrastructure that
provides the necessary features to host an international institution
of such importance.

With facilities ranging from fully equipped security measures to

outstanding technological installations, including dedicated
servers, disability access and many other elements, the Torre
Glories is completely ready to host the European Medicines

Infrastructure key elements

Showcase of the basic features of the building

The Torre Glories is an outstanding venue for the European

Medicines Agency headquarters, not only due to its prime location
and architectural significance, but also because of its availability in
terms of installations and infrastructure. The building is perfectly
designed to host a busy, complex organization and is equipped
with the necessary office requirements as well as a high capacity to
facilitate meetings and conferences.

Despite being ready-to-use, the Torre Glories can be tailored to

the specific needs of the European Medicines Agency; it is an
adaptable and modern infrastructure ready to adjust to any
specific change required. Before the relocation of the EMA takes
place, the Spanish government, along with the Spanish Medicines
Agency, will set up a meeting between the European Medicines
Agency and representatives of the owners of the Torre Glories in
order to evaluate its requirements. Nonetheless, the building is
currently ready to host the agency and all its activities, as is
Barcelona as a whole.

The tower has a total of 50,693 m2, of which 30,000 m2 are

offices, 3,210 m2 technical facilities, 8,132 m2 services (including
an auditorium for more than 300 people), and 9,132 m2 is space
for parking.

250+ 30,000+ 1,700+ 6,000+

m2 of lobby space oriented at m2 of total office m2 of restaurants and m2 of fully equipped
welcoming guests and visitors space cafeterias meeting rooms

Additionally, other than the office spaces, technical facilities,

conference rooms and storage areas, the Torre Glories provides a
The Torre Glories is the perfect
large number of facilities such as restaurant areas, lobby space or candidate for the Agency through a
parking space. Additional features that further enhance
Barcelonas readiness to host the European Medicines Agency.
combination of uniqueness and
functionality

38
Torre Glories installations
High-tech facilities
The building also has the most advanced IT infrastructure, with
technology ranging from a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) or
dedicated server room to an ACS (access control system) or
advanced CCTV (Closed Circuit Television). The up-to-date
installations ensure optimal service and fulfill the needs of the
agency whilst meeting environmental stipulations.
Both public areas and offices are fully equipped and carefully
designed to provide the best experience, including all safety
measures necessary, from fire fighting services to technical floors
dedicated to maintenance.
Specifically, the Torre Glories has the following features.
Installations
Electricity. Uninterruptible Power Supply UPS, dual power intake
and an additional diesel generator.
Telephone-line. Regular analogue network, ISDN lines for video
conferences, emergency installation and dedicated
communication room.
Air-conditioning: Cooling & Heating. Adjustable system with
automatic steering.
Water. Regular supply with energy efficient heating system.
Flooring materials. Carpeting for acoustic cancelling.
Acoustics. Acoustic ceilings in meeting and office facilities.
Lighting. Automated adjustable lightning system in line with local
building regulations as a minimum.
Structure and public areas
Lobby. High accessibility with disability access and reception desk
with six positions for visitor registration.
Auditorium. Capacity for more than 300 people.
Lifts. Serving all floors and a minimum capacity of 20 people.
Suitable for limited mobility users. One cargo lift with high
capacity.
Fireman's lift. In accordance with to building regulations.
Stairs. Access to internal staircases between floors.
Visitors lobby. Enclosed lounge outside security barriers for
visitors, with access to toilets available for disabled individuals.
Loading-bay. Access to a security controlled cargo area.
External connectivity rooms. Termination for external fibre,
telecom, internet and other connectivity installations.
Restaurant for visitors and staff. Full service kitchen with up to
500 lunches on a daily basis measuring 1,700 m2.
First-aid room. Fully equipped and with rest facilities..
Storage. Available in the easy-access storage area in the
basement.
Toilets. All necessary facilities, with a ratio of 1 toilet for every 100
m2 gross floor space, and disability toilets in line with local
regulations.
Offices
Office floors. Space for 1,300 office work stations distributed
between private office and open plan set-up.
IT Facilities
Centralized Uninterruptible Power Supply. UPS serving all
technical rooms and capable to maintain all IT equipment for 60
minutes.
AV control room and equipment. Fully equipped for monitoring,
broadcasting and recording. Also storage of AV equipment
except for floors with technical storage rooms.
Preparation for IT network. Available for all offices and meeting
rooms and ready to use.
Wi-Fi. Available on all floors throughout the premises.
Internal connectivity. Between technical rooms.
Technical rooms. Available on all floors with risers
Main equipment room. With 3KW capacity per rack (x4)
Secondary equipment room. With 3KW capacity per rack (x4)
IT build room. Workstation and laptop build room for IT teams
usage and maintenance of existing equipment.
IT store room. To store equipment, with a capacity of 50m2.
Additional elements of the building
Facilities for EMA staff within the Torre Glories
Bicycle parking
available in the building
Over 100 bicycle spots, with 7 showers and 2
changing rooms available for the employees
Breakout spaces
for the agency staff
With a ratio of one with a capacity for 30 users for
each 100 working stations
Parking spaces
with capacity for 300 vehicles
Additionally, further need for parking will be covered
by the public car parks in the vicinity of the building
Fitness Centre
with fully equipped facilities
Sport centre with a varied offering of indoor and
outdoor activities, the newest equipment and a large
schedule with different classes
Torre Glories is the perfect candidate
for the Agency through a combination
of uniqueness and functionality
39
 Meeting rooms
Flexible building and ample space for meeting rooms
The building has the necessary space for meeting rooms to
fultilthe requirements of EMA:
Five large meeting rooms, two with 120 seating capacity,
one with 100 seating capacity, and two in the range of 70-85
seating capacity.
Two medium meeting rooms with 35 person capacity.
Ten small meeting rooms with 4 to 24 person.
Four training rooms for 20 people each.
The day after the decision is made, a task force will be created to
define the exact requirements and distribution for each of the
meeting rooms and start with the refurbishment works. Below are
some examples of possible set-ups.
Additional services
Value-added services provided to EMA if needed
Relocation. Support in the logistics to transport all needed
items from London to Barcelona, and availability of a storage
facility to store the items during the relocation process.
Fitting out and furniture. Fitting out and complete furnishing of
the building to EMAs needs and standards.
Off-site storage facility. Availability of an off-site storage facility
for EMAs archive of documents, and associated services, such
as: inventory, retrieval, and digitalization.
Example floor plans for meeting rooms
40
Sustainability
An eco-friendly building
The building currently has the BREEM VERY GOOD certification. THE
LEED GOLD CERTIFICATE as well as BREEAM EXCELLENT and the
WELL CERTIFICATE are being sought for the current refurbishment
project.
LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION
50% saving in lighting and 30% improvement in the buildings
climatic efficiency (equivalent to 100 houses of 100 m2 per year)
65% of water savings with regards to the preexisting building
(equivalent to more than 5 Olympic swimming pools per year)
Reducing the consumption of fossil fuel energy. Avoiding the
release of over 830,000 kilograms of CO2 per year into the
atmosphere (equivalent to 750 vehicles circulating an average of
10,000 km per year or 41,500 new trees)
BREEAM EXCELLENT CERTIFICATION
Target to recycle at least 95% of the waste generated
Charging stations for electrical vehicles and parking for over 130
bicycles
Glass faade that provides up to 50% of natural light including
devices to avoid potential reflections
WELL CERTIFICATION
Air free of smoke and recycled air in office spaces (clean air).
Ventilation of 45 m2/hr/person
Capacity to climatize 8 m2/person; with 15 m2/person being the
norm
Comfortable environment in terms of acoustic, thermal and light
pollution
Promoting exercise and healthy food stations
The building is fully committed to
sustainability and is seeking LEED
GOLD, BREEAM EXCELLENT and WELL
certificates
 Office space at Torre Glories

Interior of a meeting room at Torre Glories

41
 1.4 Safety and Security
A safe and secure environment for EMA staff

Barcelona is one of the safest cities in Europe. Security in Barcelona is guaranteed by various coordinated security forces which also
provide a constant flow of information with supranational entities such as Europol. Security statistics show the efficiency of this system, as
they show the lowest crime rate on the continent, putting Barcelona at the top of safety and security rankings of all levels.

Measures in the building, based on requirements

Safety and security characteristics of the building

The Torre Glories presents all security conditions needed to host
an international institution. Its high standards in safety and
security will deliver for any requirement the Agency may need,
including the following:
Access control system. There is a centralized security installation
for access control and outdoor CCTV, compatible with additional
security systems.
Closed Circuit Television. Indoor and outdoor CCTV with capacity
to store tapes for a period of 28 days, in line with relevant
sectorial regulations.
All specific or alternative security needs or concerns will be taken
into consideration accordingly in order to assure the
accomplishment of the security standards established by the
Agency itself.
The national security forces will detail all procedures to be followed
during any situation and the processes that need to be taken place
to guarantee the appropriate communication and coordination
between the public and private security bodies designated to
guarantee the towers security.

Mail room. Dedicated mail room scanning facility. A room for the
reception of post will be also installed on the ground floor or
near the cargo lift.

Security control room. There is a dedicated security control

room close to the lobby.

Security in the building perimeter. The national security forces

will prepare a risk report which will be the basis for drawing up
an integral security management model. One of the points of the
model will be human capital and physical security needs such as:

a. Whether firearms are needed for the service

b. Agent distribution across perimeter and in the building

c. Coverage schedule

d. Perimeter fences

e. Grilles, window panes and ventilation zones

f. Safes

Car parking. The Torre Glories offers 300 accessible and secure
parking units within the building.

The company owning the Torre Glories is already working closely

with the police to define the security needs of the building
perimeter.

42
National security forces safety plan and the The national security forces will prepare an institutional
building safety plan headquarters security report which will determine the security
measures that need to be put in place. The main outputs of the
Basic safety and security criteria to host the institution report are the main threats, building vulnerabilities and definition
of the regular operation of the agency.
Institutional headquarters security report For the European Medicines Agency, the following will be defined:
1. Coordination of national security forces. Recent events have
introduced new risks and threats so a new methodology is
Outputs needed. The Spanish national security forces will establish
communication and participation protocols to guarantee a
positive and complete flow of information to maximize security.
National security Coordination with
forces coordination Agency reps 2. Coordination between national security forces and Agency
representatives in order to:
Establish Communication
1 communication 2 between national Evaluate changes made in the building, functions and main
and coordination security and assets in terms of safety and security
procedures Agency reps
Control of the general security situation
Regular inspections of human resources and safety and
Security Planning specific security materials, in compliance with the current regulation
management model police measures
Periodic evacuation drills to ensure readiness
Define a security Definition of 3. A comprehensive security management model to guarantee
management preventive, regular full security coverage to meet the standards set
3 model to meet the 4 and gradual
standards set measures 4. Planning the specific police measures to be undertaken.
Definition of the preventive measures
Definition of an interlocutor to coordinate the security needs
between the Agency and the national security forces.
Definition of the regular security measures.
a. Regular supervision of the building security
b. Promotion and maintenance of the communication
between the operational units of Glories police station
and the central service units designated to EMAs
security.
Establishment of informative actions.
a. Creation of specific risk reports
b. Submission of threat reports for the institution
c. Assurance of information flow between different levels
of national security forces
Definition of progressive measures, activating special
protocols on an anti-terrorist level and existence of specific
threats to the institution or the building.
Should there be a specific security need that is identified in a
conference or meeting, a special police deployment will be
generated to increase the number of agents and strengthen the
security of the institution and its surroundings.

CCTV Camera

43
 Example floor plans for various uses
Example floor plans for various uses

Example floor plan for an office space Example floor plan for the cafetera area
Example floor plan for an office space Example floor plan for the cafetera area

Example floor plan for the foyer Example floor plan for the restaurant area
Example floor plan for the foyer Example floor plan for the restaurant area

44
Torre Glories 10th floor waiting room

45
46
 2
An
Accessible
Location
Barcelona provides
EMA with a first-rate
transport
infrastructure
The European Medicines Agency is one of the
most active European bodies, annually organizing
approximately 564 meetings and welcoming over
36,000 visitors. Due to the complexity and volume
of its activity, the Agency requires both the
building and the city in which it is headquartered
to be highly accessible.

Barcelona is an interconnected city with

impressive infrastructure, which is more than
ready to welcome the European Medicines
Agency. Its international airport, which receives
more than 44 million passengers annually from
more than 200 destinations, is considered to be
one of the top airports in Europe.

Additionally, Barcelonas efficient, sustainable and

accessible urban transport system and
outstanding accommodation facilities ensure a
comfortable stay for the European Medicines
Agency staff, experts, visitors, patients and related
personnel.

Plane taking off from Barcelona Airport 47

 2
2.1 | Barcelona Airport

2.2 | High Speed Rail Network

2.3 | Moving around Barcelona

2.4 | Accommodation Facilities

48
 44 million 3h maximum flight
passengers in 2016 distance to most European
Gateway to Europe cities
Barcelona airport, an outstanding
100+ airlines
air transport facility
operating at Barcelona 200+
Airport destinations

222 km/h average 99% of all trains

Extensive high-speed speed: the fastest in the
world
arrive on schedule

infrastructure
Spain, a world leader in high speed 2,938 km of 2nd largest high
speed rail network in
rail high speed railways the world

381.5 million 2,529 public bus

Urban mobility metro journeys stops in Barcelona
Moving around Barcelona is easy,
fast and efficient, with a great
infrastructure, competitive prices,
75% of Barcelona 11th most
locals use sustainable
wide choice and sustainable options transport methods
bicycle-friendly city in
the world

A wide and varied choice 34 5 star hotels 184 4 star hotels

of hotels
Barcelona has a great range of high 10,877 beds in 40,183 beds in
quality hotels 5 star hotels 4 star hotels

49
 2.1 Barcelona Airport
A first-rate gateway to Europe

Barcelona is strategically connected by all means of transport. Air transport, however, is one of its strengths, given that it is home to one of
the busiest and most efficient airports in the European Union.

The European Medicines Agency requires a well-connected, international airport to transport experts and patients from all over Europe.
Barcelona Airport meets these requirements, not only by providing a large number of connections to the main European cities, but also
delivering one of the most punctual air transport systems in the world.

Additionally, Barcelona Airport is conveniently located just 12.5 km from the city centre (less than 20 minutes), and 16 km from Torre Glories
(around 25 minutes normally and 35 minutes during rush hour).

Barcelonas air transport network Although its main focus is on passengers, Barcelona Airport is also
Barcelona, Girona and Reus, three airports connecting equipped to transport goods, carrying more than 132,754 tonnes
Barcelona to the rest of the world of air cargo in 2015 - an increase of 13.3% on the previous year.

Barcelona, as one of the most important cities in Europe, has Barcelona is the 7th busiest airport in
three airports at a very close distance, offering a wide range of air
transport options. Europe and has one of the most
The international airport of Barcelona (BCN) is considered by many extensive air transport networks, due
passengers to be one of the preeminent airports of Europe, to its high level of connectivity and
ranking as the 7th busiest. Last year alone, over 44 million
passengers from more than 200 destinations passed through its competitive pricing
two terminals. T1 and T2 are both well connected to the city centre
through a wide variety of transport.

The airport of Girona (GRO), less than 90km to the north-east of

the city, and the airport of Reus (REU), less than 90km to the
south-west, provide additional accessibility to the city at
competitive prices.

Barcelona Airport has a team of 19,000 employees who ensure

that it is one of the best-known airports in Europe.

In 2016, 6,671,445 intercontinental passengers departed from

Barcelona, 3,966,070 of whom travelled on direct flights, according
to AENA data. This represents an increase on 2015 figures of
18.9% and 15.7%, respectively.

The breakdown of this increase by geographical market is:

28.4% to Latin America

17.7% to North America

14.7% to the Middle East

11% to Africa

21.1% to Asia

50

Barcelona is an outstanding venue
thanks to the balance between its
proximity to the rest of Europe and
its prime location at the heart of the
Mediterranean
More than 100 airlines fly from Barcelona Airport to 205 different
destinations. These include:
27 domestic destinations
143 European destinations
35 intercontinental destinations
Barcelona Airport is constantly growing and offering new routes,
the most recent being direct flights to Chicago.
Barcelona Airport offers short travel
times to all major European cities,
with every European capital less than
2,700 km away
Interior of Terminal 1, Barcelona Airport
Number of operations
at Barcelona Airport
The number of operations from Barcelonas international airport
increased to 307,864 in 2016, 6.6% more than in 2015. In terms of
the number of passengers, Barcelona Airport ranks 2nd in Spain
and 9th in Europe. When ranked only by destination-based flights,
not transfer flights, it ranks fifth in Europe, after London, Paris,
Istanbul and Moscow.
Barcelona is strategically located due to the large number of flights
to and from many destinations, particularly European capitals.
Flight distance from Barcelona
Less than 2,700 km from anywhere in Europe
In addition to its prime location, Barcelona offers short travel
times to every European city.
As shown in the above map, the distance from Barcelona to most
European cities is less than 2,700 km, with fast and easy
connections to the rest of Europe.
51
 Competitive prices
Barcelona leads the European flight price rankings

Barcelona is considered one of the best-connected cities in

Europe, not only because it has the 7th busiest airport in Europe
in terms of passenger traffic, but also because of its established
but growing flight network, which offers very competitive prices
within European Union. It is estimated to be the busiest airport in
Europe in the number of passengers transported by budget
airlines. The market share of budget airlines in Barcelona is
significantly above the European average: 68% compared to 42%.
This results in a more competitive pricing system, which means
easier connections with the rest of Europe.

Between 2016 and 2017, Barcelona added 14 new competitively

priced destinations, most of them international, to their
destination portfolio. Among the agreements that enabled this
expansion were those signed with Air China, with flights to
Shanghai; Level, with flights to the United States and Latin
America; Plus Ultra, with flights to Havana; and Norwegian Airlines,
with flights to San Francisco and New York. These agreements
allow the airport to expand its international presence whilst
maintaining its competitive business model.
Interior of Terminal 2 of Barcelonas airport
Another advantage for European Medicines Agency employees is
Barcelonas excellent connections to London. Direct flights depart
daily from Barcelona to the British capitals airports, including An airport accessible for everyone
Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted, with flight prices as low as
25 one-way during the busiest seasons of the year, such as Barcelona Airport offers a free assistance service for passengers
Christmas, Easter or the summer holidays. with reduced mobility. These services provide support for check-in
and boarding (security controls, luggage, etc.).
Moreover, Barcelona Airport has multiple meeting points for this
service.

Barcelona airport offers both EMA The airport's private terminal

employees and visitors a first-rate
airport, with more than 205 Barcelona Airport also has the necessary infrastructure to meet
the demand of corporate aviation, such as that tied to large
connections and an ideal blend of events. During the week of the Mobile World Congress the airport
managed 343 private flights. The terminal is open 24/7, 365 days a
traditional and budget airlines year, and has a total area of 2,188 m2.

44
million passengers at Barcelona
Airport, making it one of the most
important air transfer hubs in
Europe
14 68%
new competitively priced market share of budget airlines,
destinations, most of them compared to the 42% European
international and across all average
continents

Source: AENA

52
Awards, certifications and recognitions Key figures and indicators
Received by Barcelona Airport Barcelona Airport in statistics

Barcelona Airport has implemented an Integrated Quality and As shown below, Barcelona is in a strategic position due to the
Environmental Management System, certified according to ISO large number of flights to and from many destinations, particularly,
9001 and ISO 14001 standards. European capitals. Barcelonas international airport boasts
connections to every European capital and most of its main cities,
It received the award for Best Airport in Southern Europe from
ensuring ease of travel for all visitors to the EMA headquarters.
Skytrax in 2011, 2012 and 2014, ranking second in 2015. It has
consistently been among Skytraxs Top 10 Southern European
airports.

It received the Best Airport award in the Over 25 Million

Passengers category from ACI Europe in 2010 and 2014.
Weekly direct flights from Barcelona
In 2012, Airline Network News & Analysis presented Barcelona
Airport with the Euro Annies Award, recognising it as the
airport with the highest passenger growth in Europe in the
Above 10 Million Passengers category. Zurich 42
Moreover, Barcelonas international airport received the Routes Vienna 20
Europe Award for Best Airport Marketing in the Mediterranean
and Southern Europe category. Venice 22
In 2012, it was certified by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency Warsaw 18
AESA, meeting the international standards recommended by Stuttgart 21
the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO, and
showcasing the safety and technical standards achieved. Stockholm (ARN, NYO) 36
The airport conducts yearly quality surveys among airlines and Sofia 10
passengers, in order to monitor the efficiency and perception Rome 82
of the airports services.
Paris (CDG, ORY) 169
Oslo 23
The International Airport of Barcelona Milan (BGY, LIN, MXP) 79
has received the award Best Airport in Manchester 34
Southern Europe and Best Airport Lyon 24
over 25M passengers London (LHR, LGW, LTN, STN, SEN) 226
Lisbon 64
Punctuality Rankings Helsinki 20
Hamburg 22
European Worldwide
City Airport Geneva 48
Ranking Ranking

1 11 Madrid MAD Frankfurt 56

2 15 Frankfurt FRA Dublin 39
3 18 Munich MUC Copenhaguen 36
4 20 London El LHR Budapest 16
5 25 Barcelona BCN Bucharest 24
6 28 Roma FCO Brussels (BRU, CRL) 70
7 35 Amsterdam AMS
Berlin (SXF, TXL) 45
8 37 London LGW
Amsterdam 87
Source: Flight Stats Source: AENA

53
 2.2 High Speed Rail Network
The best infrastructure in Europe

Spain has the most extensive high speed rail network (AVE) in Europe. With more than 2,938 km of track and 25 years of service, it is also
the worlds second largest after Chinas, which makes it a global leader in terms of mobility and innovation. Furthermore, there are 904 km
under construction and 1,061 km more being studied.

At present, the service connects 47 cities around the country, with 67.4% of the Spanish population having access to high-speed trains in
their province. This also allows them to travel across Europe, since the Spanish and France high-speed services are connected through
Perpignan.

High-speed rail network

Current situation of the service in Spain

High-speed rail in Spain is a worldwide benchmark. It is now 25

years old and has more than 2,900 km of track in commercial
operation. Whats more, it is not only the second largest network
in the world but also one of the best equipped, with the most
cutting edge innovation and design.

The service reaches 47 Spanish cities and 67.4% of the population

has access to high-speed trains in their province. However, its
benefits extend to other Spanish regions thanks to the
interoperability of the conventional and high-speed rail networks
using variable-gauge technology, which allows trains to circulate
on both. In fact, 9 out of 10 of Spanish citizens are less than 30km
away from a high-speed rail station.

2,900+ 47
km of lines cities connected
Spain has the second It connects a large
largest high speed rail number of cities across
network in the world, the country
after China.

222 km/h 99%

Average speed punctuality rate
Which makes it the Which proves the
fastest train in the quality and efficiency
world of the service

The Spanish Government has invested more than 45 billion so

far in completed infrastructures and has allocated a further 12
billion to lines currently under construction, making the Spanish
railway system a major asset in the Spanish economy.

Although this represents around 4% of GDP, its efficiency is

demonstrated by the fact that the per-km cost is much lower than
other high-speed networks around the world.

54

9 out of 10 Spanish citizens
have a high-speed rail station
less than 30km away from
their home
Spanish high-speed train
Apart from its wide coverage of the territory and its cost-efficiency,
the AVE is the fastest train in the world, faster even than Japans
bullet train (218 km/h) and Frances TGV (216 km/h). The AVE is
known for achieving almost 99% punctuality for passenger trains.
Thus, as a result, high speed trains are commonly seen as a safe,
fast and comfortable form of transport.
Kilometres of high speed lines
Spain 2938 904 1061
France 2696 80 1786
Germany 1475 368 324
Italy 981 67 221
In operation Under construction Long-term planning
Source: International Union of Railways (3rd July 2017)
Barcelona is one train ticket away from the rest
of Europe
Railway interconnectivity with the rest of Europe
Barcelona is currently connected to Paris, London and Brussels by
high-speed train. It will be soon connected to most European
capitals, which is the aim of the European Commissions Investment
Plan for Europe (EC IPE). Part of this Investment Plan will be
dedicated to building high-speed rail networks in order to support
the Ten-T (Trans-European Networks).
By the time the project finishes, Barcelona will be connected to
Milan in about 5 hours or to Frankfurt in about 9.
Barcelona is connected to the rest of
Europe by the fastest and most
advanced high speed rail network
55
 2.3 Moving Around Barcelona
An accessible transport ecosystem

Barcelona has an extraordinary transport network in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, efficiency and innovation. It includes metro, a
public bicycle fleet, regional trains and electric buses, among others. It applies information and communication technologies to
improving the quality of life and the sustainability of the city, and as such was reported to be 2nd in the 2016 worldwide smart cities
ranking by Juniper Research.
Barcelona Airport is less than 15 kilometres from the Torre Glories, with an approximate travel time of 25 minutes by either bus, metro,
train, taxi or car during normal times and 35 minutes during the rush hour.

Urban transport Metro network

Barcelonas transport structure Efficient, fast and innovative

Barcelona has a complex, dynamic and efficient urban transport

network, which offers a large variety of different means of
9 metro lines covering all of the city

transport to its citizens and visitors, allowing them to find the best
fit for their lifestyle. This variety ensures the strength of a growing 156 metro stations all over Barcelona
transport system.

To illustrate the complexity of the system, there are more than 119 kilometres of metro railways
765 public transport lines available. However, Barcelona is an eco-
friendly city that is dedicated to the promotion of sustainable
means of transport. During 2016, non-motorised mobility,
381.5 millions journeys

including walking and cycling, accounted for 48.7% of all journeys

undertaken in the city. This highlights the importance of Barcelona Metro, as shown on the map below, connects
sustainable transport in Barcelona. every part of the city through a complex yet efficient
network aimed at providing much needed mobility to its
citizens.

Source: Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB)

Barcelona Metro Map

56
Through a wide range of mobility options, Barcelona has a Barcelona has a large diversity of
dynamic and active environment that fosters its citizens quality of
life . transport that offers a complex yet
This complex network reinforces Barcelonas ability to host the efficient accessibility network both
European Medicines Agency, underlining the high accessibility of within the city and across the rest of
the location, as well as providing assurance that Barcelona has an
adequate infrastructure. the metropolitan area
Aside from ease of mobility due to an outstanding transport
system, Barcelona has relatively short travel distances across the
city.

Bus network Railway network

Covering both Barcelona and its surroundings Efficient, fast and innovative

railway services divided in commuter trains and

99 bus lines covering the metropolitan area 8 tram

bus stations throughout Barcelona and its railway stations in the surroundings of
2,529 surroundings 139 Barcelona

857 kilometres of bus lanes and journeys 500+ kilometres of railways

190,1 million journeys 108+ million journeys

Barcelonas bus network includes a complex and efficient The railway network in Barcelona services range from urban
system of buses that range from regular urban buses to long-- mobility to daily commutes between the city centre and nearby
distance buses connecting Barcelona to its neighbouring areas. towns and residential areas.

Source: Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) Source: Spanish Ministry of Development

Mobility accessible for everyone The Metro Line 9 is an international

reference for unmanned transport as
Barcelonas transport network is fully prepared and adapted an example of excellence and quality
to offer mobility services for everybody. Buses, trams, trains,
metro and stations, etc. are developed to help people with
reduced mobility to move freely around the city.

100% 90%
accessible accessible
buses metro stations

Barcelona Metro, L5 Sagrera Station 57

 Sustainable Transportation
Barcelona as a sustainability hub
Barcelona has a large variety of green
Barcelona is consolidating its position as a world leader in green transport options that ensure the
transport services. 75% of its citizens use sustainable means of sustainability of the city and provide
transport, including public transport, cycling, electricity-fuelled
transport or walking. The city offers a wide range of sustainable additional options to its citizens
transport including:

Bicing, a public bicycle sharing system with more than 6,000
bicycles. More than 100,000 users and 420 stations scattered
all over Barcelona ensure maximum efficiency when using this
sustainable yet practical means of transport. The service is
available for a modest annual price of 47.16.
Electric Bicing is designed to be a complementary service that
works in the same way as Bicing but with a electric bicycles.
With a network of 41 stations in parking spaces and 5 outdoor
stations, this system is aimed at those making longer-distance
trips.
Barcelona boasts more than 180 km of cycling lanes across the
city. Due to infrastructures and initiatives of this kind, Barcelona
ranks as the 11th most bicycle-friendly city in the world.
Barcelona ranks as the 11th most
bicycle-friendly city in the world, due
to its extensive network of bicycle
lanes and its public bicycle sharing
system, Bicing
Electric mobility: Barcelona has more than 550 public
charging points which are free of charge and found at stations
in every district to ensure full coverage across the city.
A growing private-owned fleet of electric vehicles. The
introduction of private sustainable initiatives such as eCooltra,
an electric scooter sharing platform, has increased the portfolio
of sustainable means of transport.
Barcelona is promoting the use of electric cars and motorcycles by
giving monetary incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles;
hosting events such as EVS27, the biggest international Electric
Vehicle Symposium Exhibition and installing the public charging
points, among others.
Additionally, there is a growing public-owned fleet of sustainable
vehicles. The Barcelona Metropolitan Area is increasing its
sustainable fleet. As a result of all of these sustainability measures,
Barcelona is viewed as a green hub in Europe and a reference point
for the rest of the world.
Bicing bicycles

58
 Urban transport pricing
Barcelonas transportation system at competitive prices

The public transport network in Barcelona, which includes trains,

metro, buses, trams and bicycles, offers fluid and safe mobility
across the whole metropolitan area, whilst ensuring competitive
prices in comparison to other major European cities.

Barcelona has an integrated tariff system which grants access to

different means of transport with a single ticket. There are different
fare options for the daily commute, including a ticket for 10
journeys at a price of 9.95. There are also other specific tariffs,
such as T-Mes, which offers unlimited use for 30 days, or T-50-30,
which allows 50 trips within 30 days.

Under 16s travel free of charge by using the T-16. Senior citizens
(+60) have a Pink Ticket, the price of which depends on the family
income.

Charging station

Map of bicycle lanes and Bicing stations in Barcelona

Bicing stations

Bicycle lanes

59
 Direct connection between the airport and
Barcelona
The outstanding transport options between the city and
the airport

The ability to travel from the airport to the European Medicines

Agency headquarters, to hotels where its visitors are staying and
to the city centre is an essential component of the proper
functioning of the Agency and the organisation of its meetings and
activities.

Each year more than 36,000 expert visitors, patients, health

professionals, representatives from the pharmaceutical industry
and officials from state medicine agencies, amongst others, visit
the European Medicines Agency headquarters to participate in
more than 560 meetings.
Barcelona
The accessibility of Barcelona Airport is outstanding and Airport
represents one of the citys strengths, enabling travellers to get
from the airport to the city centre (12.5 km) in less than 20
minutes. There are several means of transport to take passengers
from the airport to the city centre:

A shuttle bus, Aerobus, which has a cost of

5.90 per single trip and 10.20 per round trip, as
well as three public bus lines which cost 2.10 per
journey. These lines are: L46, L16 and L17. 25 minutes from
the Torre Glories
(16 km)
Metro Line 9 connects the city centre with both
airport terminals. This means of transport takes
32 minutes and costs 4.50.
20 minutes from
the city centre
Taxi ranks at both terminals provide private (12,5 km)
vehicle hire at all times, with fixed prices for the
journey to the Port of Barcelona. Prices to the city
centre and other key locations, range from 23 to
30.

Suburban train Line R2 North goes from Paseo de

Gracia to the airport and back in less than 25
minutes and costs 5.

Car-hire companies are open 24/7 and have

offices all over Barcelona and Spain at very
competitive prices.

Barcelona was the first city in the

world to get Biosphere Certification,
which is a guarantee that the city is
managed sustainably and responsibly

60
 Transport to the Torre Glories
Transport to the new headquarters of the European
Medicines Agency

The Torre Glories location has excellent accessibility though being

at the heart of the urban transport network, where all of
Barcelonas transport systems meet.

The Torre Glories has an outstanding number of connection

opportunities to the key places in Barcelona.

Metro lines. The Torre Glories is located next to the

L1 metro Glories station, and is a few minutes walk
from the L2 Monumental and L4 Bogatell stations.
These stations permit travel to any part of the city
within minutes. Additionally, three tram lines stop at
the Glories station - T4, T5 and T6 - expanding the
accessibility of the location.

Bus lines. Barcelonas bus network also covers the

Torre Glories and its surrounding areas, connecting
it with the rest of the city within minutes. There is a
wide range of bus lines connecting Glories to other
parts of the city, including the airport and Sants
Estaci, Barcelonas main train station. Some of the
bus lines include 6, 7, H12, 55 and 67.

Railway. When travelling outside of Barcelona, the

railway is an efficient means of transport, which is
also located a few minutes walk from Torre Glories
in Clot. There is a wide range of commuter trains
going to nearby towns. These trains include R1, R2,
R3 or RG1.

Car access. Aside from all the public transport

systems that connect Glories with the rest of the city,
the location of the tower in one of the most
accessible sectors of the city allows for easy and
efficient movement by private vehicle. Parking lots
GLORIES are located within metres of the tower
PLAA CATALUNYA

61
 2.4 Accommodation Facilities
A wide and diverse hotel offer

Each year the European Medicines Agency receives over 36,000 visitors who stay in the host city for an average of two days. These visitors
need, aside from effective connections to the main European cities, a wide selection of quality accommodation facilities in order to ensure
that their stay is as comfortable and productive as possible. Barcelona has a great range of hotels, which are very competitive in terms of
both quality and price.

Hotels in Barcelona
The highest quality at the best prices

Due to the prevalence of tourism in the city, Barcelona has a great
range of accommodation options spread across the city. A large
variety of districts, environments and urban landscapes welcome
all visitors. Currently, Barcelona has a total of 218 high-end four
and five star hotels, offering a total of 51,060 beds.
High-end hotels
5,103 beds in 5 stars High Luxury hotels
Barcelona will provide a dedicated service in order to make the
hotel booking process easier for the European Medicines Agency
and its visitors.
In Barcelona, business visitors account for 35.7% of hotel
occupants, underlining the readiness of the citys accommodation
infrastructure to host the European Medicines Agency.
Barcelonas accommodation facilities are not only among the best
in terms of quality and range of high-end hotels, but also among
the most competitively priced. Barcelona has one of the most
competitive value-for-money hotel systems.

5,774 beds in 5 stars hotels

8,471 beds in 4 stars Superior hotels

31,712 beds in 4 stars hotels

Source: Barcelona City Council

These high quality hotels are part of an accommodation structure

that offers more than 72,000 hotel beds counting all types of
hotel.

Barcelona and its surrounding area offer the following range of

establishments:

Types of accommodation in Barcelona

Casa Fuster Hotel

Type of accommodation Number Beds

Barcelonas excellent range of hotels is
Hotels 433 72,892
ready to absorb the high volume and
Hostels 295 6,563 intensity of the Agencys meeting
Youth hostels 123 8,792 activities, with more than 430 hotels
Touristic rooms 15,065 64,780
and 72,000 beds.
Source: Government of Catalonia

62
International conferences
Barcelona, world leader in international conferences
Barcelona is one of the top cities in Europe and the world in terms
of most international conferences hosted by a large variety of
associations and on a wide range of topics. The city is well
equipped to host all sorts of international gatherings related to
the European Medicines Agency, thanks to its excellent
accommodation facilities, outstanding accessibility and mobility
environment.
International conventions of great importance endorse Barcelona
as one of the best locations to organise business conferences
thanks to its facilities and its friendly and dynamic culture.
Some of the elements that make Barcelona one of the leading
cities in terms of international conferences are its unique
atmosphere, its weather and diet, embodiment of the
Mediterranean lifestyle, and its dynamic and cosmopolitan spirit.
On this basis, Barcelona is able to compete with some of the most
important cities in the world.
Moreover, Barcelona is a city of art, history and music, receiving
some of the most important festivals and events in Europe, and
permitting millions of annual visitors to enjoy a city filled with both
history and tradition, as well as creative and innovative activities.
The international conference infrastructure is a key element.
Barcelona City Council and other stakeholders have created an
official entity to take charge of the promotion of these events: the
Barcelona Convention Bureau. The BCB promotes Barcelona as
the leading venue for meetings and offers free advisory services
for organising international meetings and conferences.
Barcelona ranks 3rd in the world for
international meetings according to
the International Congress and
Convention Association
The International Congress and Convention Association, ICCA,
publishes a yearly world ranking of the number of meetings by
country and city. Barcelona ranked 3rd in 2015, behind Paris and
Berlin. On a national level, Spain ranked 4th, behind the United
States of America, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, the Union of International Associations, UIA, placed
Barcelona 9th in the world for the Top International Meeting Cities,
accounting for 1.4% of all meetings, and, along with Geneva, being
the only city that is not a national capital.
Experience of Barcelona
Mobile World Congress as a success case
Barcelona has been the venue for world renowned international
fairs such as the Mobile World Congress, achieving:
Attendance of more than 108,000 professionals in one week
from all over the world at the Mobile World Congress 2017.
Coverage by approximately 3,500 members of the international
press and media.
These figures show Barcelonas commitment to the major leaders
of each sector, providing an environment that is among the best in
business-friendly cities.

Barcelona has two venues, Fira Montjuc and Fira Gran Via, with
more than 400,000 m2 of exhibition floor space spread over 14
Barcelona has ample experience in pavilions and two congress centres. These venues host around a
thousand events a year. Moreover, the International Convention
organizing international conferences Centre (CCIB) with 100,000 m2 and capacity for 15,000 visitors, and
and has the capacity to meet the the Palau de Congressos, with capacity for 3,000 visitors,
complement the infrastructure available for large events.
demands of these events
Barcelona international conferences

Barcelona receives thousands of conferences every year, with The majority of

visitors from all over the world participating in a wide range of meetings in Barcelona
congresses, events, meetings and conventions. Barcelona 23,4 are organized and
hosted 1,974 meetings in 2016 alone. 1,974 76,6
attended by
international
MEETINGS organizations and
Type of Event Number of participants participants, as shown
13,2 in these graphs
Congresses 317,140
590,773
Workshops, symposiums and courses 19,931
PARTICIPANTS
86,7
Conventions and incentives 253,702 Spanish
Total 590,773 International

Source: Barcelona Convention Bureau

63
64
 3
International
Educational
System
The best environment
to raise your children

Education is a key tool for economic development

and competitiveness. It plays an essential role in
social cohesion and the integration of residents from
around the world.

The Spanish education system is structured in stages,

levels and years or grades of learning. A childs age
determines his/her level of study.

The city of Barcelona is fully prepared to host and

respond to the educational needs of the children of
EMA employees. In this sense, the 18 international
schools offered by Barcelona have more than enough
capacity to meet the needs of EMAs staff.

The availability of places in nurseries and schools, as

well as in universities and business schools, responds
comfortably to the needs presented by EMA staff.

University of Barcelona Library 65

 3
3.1 | A Consolidated Educational System

3.2 | A Wide Range of Childcare Facilities

3.3 | Outstanding University System

66
Wide-range of 18 2,600
international schools International schools
that follow a foreign
new places each
year
International schools as a key factor curriculum
in attracting foreign talent, which in
turn helps to strengthen the 23 7
Barcelona brand multilingual schools different curricula and
that follow the local teaching languages
curriculum

An accessible nursery 312

network nurseries

The wide and varied range of

nurseries and childcare centres, 79,000
including facilities that provide total nursery places
multilingual care

9 5
Manufacturing excellence universities in
Barcelona
business schools in
Barcelona
Several world class universities and
higher education institutions
adapted to the European system and
orientated to the job market
40,000 2
Erasmus students in of the business schools
Spain are in the European
top 10 ranking

67
 3.1 A Consolidated Educational System
Wide-ranging offer of international schools

The Spanish academic system is structured in stages, levels and years or grades of learning. This system is oriented towards childrens
development and is organised across four levels of education.
Formal education starts when children are 3 years old and continues until they enter university or pursue a professional training
qualification. Education is compulsory in Spain for all children between 6 and 16 years old, covering the children of EMA staff who are in
primary school (231) and secondary level (149).
There are three types of educational institution in Barcelona that provide compulsory education: state schools, subsidised private schools
and private schools.

International Schools
Multilingual and Multi-educational Systems

International schools are a key factor in attracting foreign talent,
which in turn helps to strengthen the Barcelona brand.
Barcelona and its surrounding metropolitan area boasts a wide
variety of quality schooling options, including more than 40
international schools which have a capacity of about 22,900
children, and offer 2,600 new places each year.
There are French, American and British schools in Barcelona.
There is also a German school, an Italian school, a Japanese school
and a Swiss school.
These schools offer their respective national educational systems:
British, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Swiss and U.S., among
others.
Some of these schools opt to transition students to the local
system for secondary education in order to improve their chances
of being accepted to study at Spanish universities.
Other schools continue with the foreign curriculum so their
students can apply to universities in their home country. These
country-specific international schools are funded by their
respective countries and follow their specific curricula.
Although, these international schools are open to students of all
nationalities, priority is given to nationals of the schools funding
country.
Most of the international schools have publicly expressed their
support and commitment to facilitate the enrollment of children
who move to the city and whose parents work in the EMA. Likewise,
Barcelona has achieved the support of BISA (Barcelona
International School Association) to aid families in the selection of
the most appropriate schools and in making the landing process as
smooth as possible.
Should Barcelona be chosen as the EMAs host city, employees will
be given an introduction to the different schools and a survey will
be conducted to find out the families preferences. Pre-reservations
will be made for the corresponding course on the basis of the
survey responses. A more detailed description of this process can
be found in the Landing Office chapter.

Multilingual schools: key figures

18 23 7 2,600
INTERNATIONAL MULTILINGUAL DIFFERENT NEW PLACES
SCHOOLS SCHOOLS TEACHING EACH YEAR
that follow a that follow local LANGUAGES
foreign curriculum
curriculum

68
 There are two types of international school in Barcelona: schools
that follow their countrys curriculum and schools that teach in
foreign languages while following a Spanish curriculum.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS THAT FOLLOW THE LOCAL

18 FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS THAT FOLLOW A 23 CURRICULUM
FOREIGN CURRICULUM

These schools teach a foreign curriculum and conduct These schools follow the local curriculum, school calendar
lessons in a foreign language. and holidays but teaching is conducted in a foreign
language.
Some schools are sponsored by foreign governments.
Other schools are not associated with any government, The schools are generally private, but may be state-
but follow the curriculum of a certain country. They are subsidised, which will greatly affect the fee scheme.
certified by the appropriate body, or have negotiated Students that attend these schools are looking for an
agreements with local governments to offer students intercultural environment and the possibility to learn a
double certificates upon graduation. foreign language.

Location of the international schools in Barcelona 1

6
7

17

10

18

26
29
41

34

20

15
33
4 5

35

12

14 27

8
39

36

30

28

24

22
31
23

21

16

25

32

13

37

11

19

38

40

69
 Educational programme School options
Stages of education Diverse schooling institutions

In addition to the international schools, Spain has a local There are three types of educational institution in Spain and
educational programme adapted to the local curriculum. Barcelona in which the EMA children could study:

These schools can also offer high quality multilingual options Public schools
but within the Spanish school system. These publicly-funded schools are owned by the government,
The national educational programme covers a childs academic offer free tuition and are secular.
studies from 3 to 18 years old, and is structured as follows: Enrolment is in spring and determined according to catchment
Pre-school education area, among other factors.

For children between 3 and 6 years old. It is universal and free State-subsidised private schools
of charge. Although, it is not compulsory, the majority of These schools are privately owned and managed. They may be
children enrol into this first educational period. secular or non-secular, and tuition is subsidised by the
Primary education government.

For children between 6 and 12 years old. It is the first
compulsory stage of education.
Secondary school, which corresponds to two levels of the Spanish
academic system:
First, Compulsory Secondary Education, is for students
between 12 and 16 years old. It is the second and last
compulsory stage of education
Then, students can choose between working or continuing
their studies. If they decide to continue on the academic path,
they have two different options: the Bachillerato, or
Professional Training.
The enrolment process is shared with that of state schools.
Private schools
These schools do not receive any government subsidies,
therefore the families cover all tuition costs.
In addition to the international
schools, Barcelona offers a broad
selection of high quality schools that
follow the Spanish curriculum

Distribution of schools in Barcelona

43.4% 26.0% 30.6%

408 244 288

State Private
State Subsidised
Schools Schools
Schools

Source: Consorcio de Educacin de Barcelona, Government of Catalonia

70
Enrolment criteria and tuition
A variety of admission processes

State and state-subsidised schools have the same enrolment The following chart provides an overview of the educational options in
criteria and follow the same admission procedures. Although all Barcelona, including the nature of education (compulsory or non-
state-subsidised schools follow the same basic curriculum, each compulsory) and the number of corresponding academic centres in
the area:
school may apply its own methodology and specific educational
programme.
Furthermore, state subsidised schools voluntarily participate in the Not compulsory education.
government subsidy programme by fulfilling the requirements for 1. Pre-school Children between 3 and 6 years old.
receiving subsidies established by the Catalan Government. education
357 schools in Barcelona, 49.3%
These types of schools do not charge any tuition. Families public and 50.7% private.
contribute on a voluntary basis for all other expenses outside the
scope of compulsory education.
In contrast, private schools follow their own specific criteria and Compulsory education.
procedures when enrolling and/or admitting children into their Children between 6 and 12 years
schools. 2. Primary
old.
education
336 schools in Barcelona, 50.3%
public and 49.7% private.

Compulsory education.
Children between 12 and 16 years
3. Secondary
old.
education
218 schools in Barcelona, 32.6%
public and 67.4% private.

Non-compulsory education.
Children from 18 years old.
4. High school
158 schools in Barcelona, 39.2%
public and 60.8% private.

Source: Government of Catalonia

Education for everybody

Public services to support students with special needs
and hearing, behavioural and motor skills difficulties

The Spanish educational system strives to encourage the

enrolment of children with special needs in schools with a
conventional curriculum in order to foster a more inclusive
environment.
The Zonal Educational Services (SEZ) are multi-disciplinary teams
formed by the:
Pedagogical Resource Centres (CRP)
Psych Pedagogical Counselling Services (PSA)
Counselling teams in social language and cohesion (ELIC)
The SEZ collaborate with, and provide support to, teachers in
public and private educational centres. Their activities are financed
by public compulsory education funds, a part of which is
specifically assigned to the effective realization of the educational
project of each centre.

71
 3.2 A Wide Range of Childcare Facilities
An accessible nursery network

Children under 3 years of age require special attention. Barcelona offers an extensive network of nurseries that provide exceptional nursery
care and education to children between the ages of 4 months and 3 years. This specific level includes the children of EMA staff who are in
pre-school (96).
The city of Barcelona and its surrounding areas offer a wide and varied range of nurseries and childcare centres, including facilities that
provide multilingual care. In terms of location, the childcare centres are evenly distributed across the Barcelona city centre and its
residential neighbourhoods, offering parents a multitude of options depending on the location of their home or workplace.

Nurseries in Barcelona
Public, private and subsidised centres

Barcelona offers both state nurseries, the cost of which is partially

subsidised by the government, and private nurseries, which can be
totally or partially subsidised by public funds.
These are located throughout Barcelona and its surrounding
areas, and include several multilingual centres and day care
facilities. The centres welcome children between 4 months and 3
years old.
In addition, Barcelona has a network of municipal nurseries, which
is made up of a total of 98 centres throughout the city. Next year,
the city will have 10 more municipal nurseries.
Furthermore, the city has private nurseries that can be totally or
partially subsidized by public funds.

Nurseries in Barcelona

24
Public
43
103
Private

Private totally
state-subsidised

Private partially
142 state-subsidised

Source: Barcelona City Council

There are 312 childcare centres in

Barcelona, which offer 79,000 places
for children

72
The Spanish government is committed to assisting the workers of
the EMA and their families with all aspects of their relocation plan, In total, 15 of the citys 98 municipal
but one of the main focuses is on their childrens education. This
includes finding nursery places, organising enrolment and nurseries are located within a radius
managing all necessary paperwork.
of 3 km from the tower, or 20
minutes by public transport

Nurseries Map of Barcelona

73
 3.3 Outstanding University System
Manufacturing excellence

Spain has 84 universities; 50 of them are public universities and the rest are private. Barcelona offers university students a prestigious
higher education system, which integrates over seven centuries of history and tradition into the European Higher Education Area. The
university system includes 9 universities, with 5 state universities and 4 private. In addition, Barcelona and its metropolitan area are made
up an important cluster of life and health sciences, with 285 companies, 27 research centres, 4 university hospitals, 7 science and
technology parks and 7 universities that offer studies in biosciences.
Barcelonas network of universities are renowned worldwide for their distinction in fields as diverse as architecture, design, biomedicine,
chemistry, mathematics and economics. Furthermore, research centres at Catalan universities have been recognised as Campus(s of
International Excellence.

Universities
European dimension

Spain is a member of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA),

which implements a higher education system that is compatible
and comparable with other European universities. Barcelona has several world class
As such, all Spanish universities have adopted the European universities and higher education
system of Bachelors degrees, Masters degrees and Doctorate
degrees. As such, all degrees taught in Catalonias universities
institutions, both state and private
follow the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
The Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency is the entity
responsible for ensuring that all degrees meet European
standards.
The higher education system offers degrees that are adapted to Spain is the Pompeu Fabra
the job market. As a result, 90% of graduates find themselves in country that University is the
employment within three years of finishing their studies. receives the best Spanish
most Erasmus university for
Alongside teaching degree courses, Catalan universities provide students economics
library services, teaching laboratories, language services, sports
facilities, medical insurance and services, as well as job banks for
graduates.

Key figures of the university system in UCM* is

Barcelona Barcelona, is the
considered to 3rd favourite city of
be the best USA students
Spanish
9 188,000+ university
(Google Education)

Universities students in the

Barcelona area

UAM** is UAB*** is
477 30,000+ recognised as the
Europes 3rd best
recognised as
Europes 5th best
masters students in masters & PhD young university young university in
programmes at universities in the QS Top 50 the QS Top 50
in the Barcelona area Under 50 Under 50

UCM*- Universidad Complutense de Madrid

UAM**- Universidad Autnoma de Madrid
UAB***- Universidad Autnoma de Barcelona

74
International students Business Schools
Erasmus programme Distinguished European schools

Spain, as the Erasmus EU report indicates, is the country favoured
by most Erasmus students from all over Europe (12% - 40,000),
above Germany and the United Kingdom. Around 16%-17% of all
Erasmus students in Spain choose to study at Catalan universities
each year.
In addition, campuses carry out internationalisation programmes,
which promote student study abroad and attract foreign students
through bilateral agreements with other universities around the
world. Each year the universities in Barcelona attract around
23,000 foreign students, who account for 12% of all students
enrolled. Many MSc and PhD programmes are taught in English.
The main foreign languages spoken fluently in the Barcelona
metropolitan area are:
English: 1,289,400 people
French: 834,400 people
German: 102,900 people
Life science and high-tech topics
Cutting-edge subjects
Barcelona is an internationally-accredited brand with a high
concentration of prestigious business schools (5) that offer a wide
variety of courses (from MBAs to state-of-the-art training for the
business world).
In particular, the city is home to two of the best Business Schools in
the world: ESADE and IESE. Both schools are at the top European
and international rankings.
The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2016 includes these two
Barcelona schools in its list of the top 25 business schools in the
world: IESE in 16th place, ESADE in 23rd place.
In addition, the ESADE is placed 6th and IESE 8th in the European
Business School Rankings 2016.
Barcelona is the only European city
that has two business school in the
European Top 10 ranking

Spain is a worldwide benchmark of excellence for research in FT European Business School Ranking 2016
areas such as biotechnology, photonics, energy and
nanotechnology.
N Business School Name City
This research is carried out in close contact with its universities.
The principal mission of the research is to discover breakthroughs London Business
and advances in knowledge that benefit society and bring about 1 London (UK)
School
economic prosperity.
There are nearly 500 research groups in Catalonia, and most of 2 HEC Paris Paris (France)
them come under the umbrella of university departments and
centres. Fontainebleau
3 Insead
More than half of the jobs in Catalonia are generated in high- (France)
knowledge sectors and Barcelona is ranked 4th in Europe and 11th
in the world for scientific production. 4 IE Business School Madrid (Spain)

5 University of St Gallen St Gallen (Switzerland)

Universities in Barcelona offer life
sciences studies, with more than 6
ESADE Business
Barcelona (Spain)
School
39,000 students enrolled in life
science and health degrees 7 SDA Bocconi Milan (Italy)

8 IESE Business School Barcelona (Spain)

In addition, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) welcomes

around 25,000 degree students and 2,300 doctorate students Lausanne
9 IMD
each year, specialising in the fields of architecture, engineering, (Switzerland)
science and technology. Rotterdam School of
Rotterdam
10 Management, Erasmus
(Netherlands)
University
Source: Financial Times

75
76
 4
People First
Universal and free
health and social
security system, a
competitive labour
market and
affordable, high-
quality housing

The four key elements that constitute the

backbone of a city, and define its quality of life, are
health, social services, employment and housing,

Spain delivers on each of these aspects, fulfilling

the requirements to be considered a great place
to live.

Regarding health, Spain has one of the best

national health systems in the world, and offers a
consolidated system of social incentives for
families, the elderly and people with disabilities.

In terms of jobs, Barcelona has a competitive

labour market which not only outperforms the
national average, but also equals or betters other
top European cities.

Finally, with respect to housing,, the city of

Barcelona and its surrounding areas have a
diverse and high-quality real estate offering.

Vall dHebron Mother and Child Hospital 77

 4
4.1 | The Most Efficient Healthcare System

4.2 | Social Security in Barcelona

4.3 | A Competitive European City

4.4 | Housing Options

4.5 | Cost of Living

78
Universal healthcare of 453 12
the highest quality public hospitals in
Spain
public hospitals in
Barcelona
One of the best-performing health
systems in the world, which is 13,144 53
universal and free to all primary care centres in Primary Care Centres in
Spain Barcelona

Maternity and People with

Social welfare paternity disabilities

Integrated system orientated to Large or single- Students with

improving citizens welfare by parent families special needs
providing information, care and
support to families Elderly people Adoption and
or dependents fostering

4th
Thriving labour market Eurozone economy 28%
A productive work environment and of new jobs in the
one that allows access to quality public 2,24 eurozone were
created in Spain from
services and utilities million employees 2014Q1-2017Q1

Affordable, high quality

10,000+ 800
houses for rent /month of average
housing rental price

Broad range of housing, both for rent

and for purchase, at affordable prices 65,000+ 264,000
houses for purchase of average sale price

23%- 59%-
Better Life for a Better Consumer Prices
23% lower in Barcelona
Rent Prices
59% lower in
Price than in London Barcelona than in
London
Barcelona presents a real value for 32%-
money for its price competitiveness Restaurant Prices
32% lower in Barcelona
than in London

79
 4.1 The most Efficient Healthcare System
Universal healthcare of the highest quality
Spain has the highest life expectancy in the European Union, with its citizens living to 83.3 years old on average. In comparison, the EU
average life expectancy is 80.3. This might be due in part to the Mediterranean diet, but mainly it is due to Spains outstanding public
healthcare system, which is one of the best in the world.
The Spanish National Health System, which provides universal healthcare to all of its citizens, is made up of 112,346 doctors and
164,385 nurses all highly specialised and with many years of training.
The National Health System has a wide network of primary care centres and hospitals. Primary care centres are the first point of contact
for citizens wishing to access healthcare. They perform diagnoses, resolve common health problems, provide social assistance and also
offer home care services. For more serious healthcare issues, there are the hospitals, which perform acute diagnoses, administer
specialised treatments and carry out surgical operations.

National Health System Designed for the people

An excellent universal service
In a recent study published by The Lancet, Spain ranked 8th in the
world for the provision of accessible and quality healthcare, ahead
of countries such as USA, UK, Germany, France and Italy.
Spain has the most efficient public
healthcare system in the world,
The National Health System provides each patient with his or her
own personal family doctor, who is responsible for promoting and
maintaining patients health, preventing and treating problems, and
making home visits when necessary.
The system also sets up campaigns and comprehensive health
programmes on common illnesses with the aim of educating both
patients and the public at large. All data gathered by the National
Health institutions regarding access to appointments and clinical
reports are used to analyse and improve patient benefits.

according to Bloomberg (Bloomberg Users report a high degree of satisfaction with the National Health
System, as shown in the following chart:
Healthcare Efficiency Index 2015)
Evaluation of the care received by the users of
The Spanish healthcare system is based on: the National Health System
Universal coverage that spans a complete portfolio of free 0.6% 2.6% 1.7% 1.3%
healthcare services. Its main features are: 13.1% 15.2% 18.2%
10%
Immediate access to primary care in 13,144 centres.

An extensive network of emergency care and outpatient

clinics. 86.3% 82.2% 88.3% 80.5%

Hospitals that handle 47.2 million cases per year: there are 453
hospitals in the SNS network, each equipped with refined
technology and specialist knowledge.
Family doctor Specialists Hospital Care Urgencies
Highly trained professionals Very good / Good

The National Health System operates a specialised postgraduate Average / Bad / Very bad

training system based on excellence and equal opportunities, in Do not know / Did not answer
which nearly 30,000 health science postgraduates participate.
Source: Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality
The system organises around 50,000 training activities per year,
teaching participants to use state-of-the-art healthcare
technologies and apply new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, The Spanish National Health System
which have recorded high levels of accuracy.
has the 9th most doctors per capita
Participants also learn to apply information and communication
technologies to patient management systems, resulting in an (3.8 per 1,000 inhabitants) in the
increasingly widespread use of electronic medical records and
prescriptions. OECD

80
Main Indicators of the National Health System
An exceptional care network
The Spanish National Health System is one of the best-performing
health systems in the world, with results that notably exceed the
European Union average. 40% of the Catalan budget is devoted to
health services.
Spanish Healthcare key figures
01. Spain has the highest life expectancy in the
European Union: 83.3 years, compared with the EU
average of 80.3 years.
02. The system is made up 112,346 doctors and 164,385
nurses.
03. Spain boasts the highest rate of transplant
patients in the world per million inhabitants, at
100.7 (Source: National Transplant Organization,
2015).
04. Spain has the lowest rate of breast cancer
mortality in the European Union: 176 cases per
million inhabitants.
05. 3 out of 4 women are screened for breast cancer in
accordance with protocol.
06. Childhood vaccination coverage is around 97%.
07. The heart ischemia mortality rate is amongst the four
lowest in the EU (41.9%), with a 39.5% decrease in
mortality risk in the 21st century.
08. 3 out of 4 women are screened for breast cancer in
accordance with protocol.
09. Spain has 21,832 pharmacies, with a wide
geographic spread.
Source: Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality
71.6% of Spaniards rate their health
status positively. In the European
Union the average figure is 67.1%
Healthcare services in Barcelona
An exceptional care network
EMA practitioners will have access to one of the most
comprehensive healthcare networks in the EU; a network that is
internationally recognised for the quality and range of its services.
The Catalan Health Service is responsible for coordinating,
financing and regulating the activities of the public health services
in Catalonia. Together with the Barcelona Health Consortium, it acts
to guarantee the right to affordable, high-quality and efficient
health protection through public health services.
The Catalan public health system covers a wide portfolio of medical
services, including auxiliary and intensive care services. The citys
most important university hospitals are considered to be among
the best providers of intensive care services in the country, offering
intensive medicine, hemodynamic monitoring, transplants,
advanced medical imaging, robotic surgery, (among others), and
allowing access to 48 medical specialties and 6 official nursing
specialities.
Citizens may also opt for private healthcare insurance. According to
the OECDs latest data, 15.6% of the Spanish population had
comprehensive private health insurance coverage in 2014. In terms
of private health, the region of Catalonia has the third highest
private health expenditure in Spain (699 per capita), according to a
Fundacion Idis report. This quality has attracted large numbers of
international patients.
Universal coverage
European Health Insurance Card
Any European citizen can enjoy full and unlimited treatment in
Catalonias health system.
Within the framework of the collaboration agreement between the
Catalan Health Service (CatSalut) and the office of management and
liquidation of the individual rights of the European Commission
(PMO), all officials of the European institutions (including EMA staff
and their beneficiaries) are entitled to a European Health Insurance
Card. A personalised service will assist staff in applying for and
obtaining the health card, which allows the owner free, universal
access to the entire Spanish health network with no grace periods.
A referral hospital will be assigned for EMA employees and their
families.
The hospital will designate a contact person to provide assistance
in each of the EMAs official working languages, thereby ensuring
that all staff receive the medical care they need and understand the
advice given, which is especially important for those with chronic
illnesses and those with children.
81
 Hospitals
National and international reference centres
2 of the Top 5 public Spanish
Hospital care offers specialised diagnosis, treatment and
hospitals are located in Barcelona
rehabilitation which cannot be received at the primary care level.
Hospitals close to Barcelona
Spain has 453 public hospitals operating within the National
Health System network, and another 340 private hospitals. For
every million inhabitants, the country has: 16.2 TAC; 5.3 digital
angiographs; 4.9 linear accelerators; and 100 haemodialysis Hospital Bellvitge
devices. 44 Spanish hospitals have organ transplant programmes. Hospital Duran i Reynals
In Barcelona, public hospitals provide excellent emergency Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol
services and elective and non-elective medical treatment. They are
staffed by some of the best medical professionals in the world and Hospital Sant Joan Desp Moises Broggi
are equipped with the latest in medical technology. This allows
Hospital Sant Joan de Deu
them to give a comprehensive response to patient requirements,
and enables successful treatment of health issues of varying Hospital General de Catalunya
degrees of seriousness.

Barcelonas public hospital network is organised into different

levels of care, which guarantee a good resolution capacity and flow EMA staff and their families will have two reference hospitals,
of patients. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Hospital del Mar, due to
their different specialisation areas and pathologies. Moreover, there
The city has four high-tech hospitals, which cover virtually all
will be a paediatric referral unit in the mother and child care unit of
medical and surgical specialties, and provide clinical services and
the Hospital Universitari Vall DHebrn.
clinical support units, university teaching centres, public health
services, research centres, laboratories and other facilities that
complete the full healthcare package.

Barcelona has 58 hospitals of which 12 are public and 46 private.

Of those 46 private hospitals, 24 are part of the Public Network of
Hospitals of the National Health System (SNS). The main hospitals
in the Public Network of Hospitals in Barcelona are listed below:

Public Network of Hospitals in Barcelona

Hospital del Mar (includes Hospital Esperana)

Hospital Clnic i Provincial de Barcelona

Hospitals
Hospital Plat (Public and Private)

Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor

Primary Care Centres
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau

Fundaci Puig Verd

Hospital Dos de Maig

Hospital Universitari Vall DHebrn

Hospital de Sant Rafael

82
Primary care
The first level of on-site access to healthcare
Primary care is citizens first point of contact with the healthcare
system. All other services are accessed by referral from the family
doctor, except for the 061 telephone support centre (CatSalut),
or emergency services, which can be accessed directly.
Primary care centres are the point of call for face-to-face medical
attention, when citizens have a health problem or want to prevent
a health problem occurring.
They offer: diagnoses and treatment of common health problems;
health and social assistance; health promotion services;
preventive, curative and rehabilitative care; a home care service;
emergency or continuous care; and sexual and reproductive
health services.
These centres are distributed throughout Barcelona and are
grouped in basic health areas (BHA). BHAs are territorial units,
which are determined by geographical, demographic, social and
epidemiological factors, and take into account the accessibility of
services and the efficiency of organisation of healthcare resources
in a given area.
The primary healthcare of citizens residing in each BHA is assigned
to a primary healthcare team (PHCT), made up of general
practitioners, paediatricians, dentists, nurses, nursing assistants,
social workers and administrative personnel.
Hospitals and Primary Care
Centres Map of Barcelona
Primary care centres
There are 13,144 primary care centres in Spain, each
within 15 minutes of every home.
There are 53 primary care centres (CAPs) in Barcelona,
distributed throughout the citys 10 districts.
Emergency care
24/7, 365 days a year
Barcelonas public health system relies on a network of different
resources and channels to respond to the demand for emergency
medical attention.
This demand can cover a wide range of different situations, each
requiring a specific response (from minor emergency demands to
life threatening situations).
Emergency care is administered by teams in primary care centres
and hospitals, as well as via the telephone line 061 (CatSalut
Responds), an emergency service that covers the entire Catalan
territory, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Primary care centre professionals are usually able to resolve most
health problems within their normal work schedule.
Outside of these hours, patients can attend Primary Care
Emergency Centres (PCEC), which operate 24 hours a day, every
day of the year. To improve capacity for resolution of emergency
health problems, the PCECs carry out analytical tests, and provide
radiology services and viewing areas.
The PCECs aim to provide acute, quality care that is easily
accessible for all. They operate in consultation with the emergency
hospital services and the EMS (Emergency Medical Service), thereby
contributing to the decongestion of emergency hospital
admissions.
061 CatSalut Responds
Healthcare assistance over the phone
As for the rest of Catalonia, the 061 CatSalut Responds service is
the fastest and most practical way for residents of Barcelona to
access the Catalan public health system.
It is a telephone and internet service that offers residents
emergency medical advice and general healthcare information, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year. By dialling 061, residents can request
immediate assistance, home care or ambulance services, as well as
check the location of their assigned primary care centre, clarify
doubts regarding medical treatment, receive information about
administrative procedures or enquire about actions related to the
health card, among others.
The 061 CatSalut Responds is part of the Common Core Portfolio,
which includes those welfare services that are fully covered by
public funding. It is provided by 200 medical professionals (doctors,
nurses and technicians) who are experienced in giving over-the-
phone and written health advice, and has a translation and
interpreting service.
83
 Health and social care
Interdisciplinary programmes

Social healthcare or geriatric care is the care of patients with chronic

degenerative diseases, dementia, and other neurological diseases, as well
as care of those people in recovery phases or in the advanced phases of
terminal illnesses.

This care is provided by highly-experienced evaluation and support teams

in inpatient and outpatient units of healthcare centres that are structured
to enable effective attention and treatment.

Barcelona provides such care through subacute, convalescence, palliative,

psychogeriatric and long-stay care centres. It also provides alternative
resources, such as:

Functional interdisciplinary socio-health units (UFISS);

Home care programmes and support teams (PADES);

Comprehensive outpatient evaluation teams (EAIA);

Hospital day care.

The Guttmann Institute is a renowned

hospital in Barcelona for medical
treatment and surgery and for the
comprehensive rehabilitation of people
with spinal injury, acquired brain
damage or other disabilities of
neurological origin

Mental healthcare
A comprehensive model of insertion

Mental health care prioritises insertion back into the community. It provides
care through several different channels, including outpatient units,
rehabilitation centres and hospitals, depending on the needs of the sick
and their families.

Barcelona delivers integrated mental health services through

interdisciplinary teams of psychiatry, psychology, social work and nursing
professionals.

Those that require this type of care in Barcelona can be treated at mental
health units, inpatient psychiatric services, mental health and day care
centres.

84
 Pharmaceutical care
Complementary care assistance

Pharmaceutical care resources for users of the Catalan health

system in the primary care setting are pharmacies, pharmacy kits
and primary care pharmaceutical services.
In Catalonia, pharmacies usually open 40 hours per week. However,
there are some late-night pharmacies, and some that are open
during weekends and holidays. This means that there will always be
a pharmacy open nearby, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Pharmacy kits are pharmaceutical units located in areas without
pharmaceutical care services (rural, tourist, residential or industrial
areas). The kits operate in association with pharmacies, with all
dispensing of medicines performed in the presence of a
pharmacist.
Medicine depositories are pharmaceutical units linked to a hospital
pharmacy service or pharmacy office responsible for the medicines
in a healthcare facility.
Primary care pharmacy services are responsible for providing
pharmaceutical care in the primary care centres of basic health
areas.
Barcelona also provides specialised pharmaceutical care through
hospital pharmacy services. These services are responsible for the
pharmaceutical care of the patients admitted and the outpatients
that attend the hospital.
The price that patients pay for prescription medicines is dependent
on their level of income. An alphanumeric code indicates the
percentage of the cost of the medicine that each patient has to pay,
with higher earners paying more, and lower earners paying less.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are there to provide immediate help and advice for

dealing with minor aches and pains. Spanish pharmacists are highly
qualified and can give their customers expert advice on which over-
the-counter medicines to take and how.
Catalonia has 3,619 of Spains 21,382 pharmacies just under 15%
- and 2,291 of them are located in the province of Barcelona. The
availability of Barcelonas pharmacies is as follows:
More than 1,000 pharmacies (about 1,023) are located in
Barcelona city centre and its metropolitan area.
Around 21 pharmacies are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year and 36 are open 12 hours a day.

Pharmacy in Barcelona
85
 4.2 Social Security in Barcelona
Universal social welfare benefits

The different social services are designed to improve difficult personal, family or social situations, by undertaking a comprehensive
assessment of the situation and defining a structured work plan to target the critical areas. They also provide guidance on which
resources, services and social benefits are best suited to specific needs.

These social benefits are mainly offered to families (to recent working mothers/fathers and to large or single-parent families), elderly
citizens and dependents.

A Country That Cares About Families Social benefits for large or single-parent families
Maternity and paternity subsidies

Families with three or more children (under the age of 21, or 26 if

Following childbirth or adoption, working mothers and/or fathers
can enjoy a legally established period of parental leave.
In addition, they receive a subsidy to cover the economic loss that
this interruption of work entails.
This benefit amounts to 100% of the parents salary, and is paid for
by the National Social Security Institute (INSS).
To be eligible to receive the subsidy, new parents must fulfill the
following requirements:
Be affiliated to the social security system, or have a status
similar to affiliation.
Have made 180 days worth of social security contributions in
the 7 years immediately prior to the start date of the parental
leave, or, alternatively, have made 360 days worth of
contributions through all work undertaken before the
aforementioned date.
Maternity
New mothers are entitled to 16 weeks uninterrupted
leave with full pay, extendable at either end in case of
early or late delivery, disability or hospitalisation of the
newborn.
they study) can apply for large family status. This status allows
these families to receive preferential treatment in several
institutions, entities and commercial establishments.
Families with one or more economically dependent children living
with a single parent, can apply for single-parent family status.
The social benefits offered to both family types are similar. They
can be categorised into the following sets of benefits:
Economic
Assistance for and following birth, adoption, supervision
or fostering, subject to the income level of the family
unit.
Housing
Tax deduction in Personal Income Taxes (IRPF), as well
as a tax reduction on capital transfers made for house
purchases.
Education and culture
Education: Priority in pre-enrollment processes for
kindergartens and state-owned schools.
University: Reduced university tuition fees.

The first 6 weeks are mandatory for the mother. The Linguistic policy: Discounted registration fees for
remaining 10 weeks may be taken by the mother, the father language tests.
or both.
Information and communication technologies (ICT)
knowledge: 30% discount on accreditation of
Paternity competences in information technologies.

Fathers (or the other parent, in the case of same-sex Cultural equipment: Reduced ticket prices to several
couples) are entitled to 4 weeks uninterrupted leave. theatres and museums.

This period is also extendable in cases of early or late Transport

childbirth, disability or hospitalisation of the newborn. In Discounts on public transport.
both cases, leave may be taken on a full-time or part-time
basis.

86
An accessible municipality
Social services for people with disabilities
Barcelona is considered to be a friendly city for people with
disabilities. The city has one of the most accessible urban
environments among European cities.
Much of the public transport has step-free access: all bus lines are
step free, as well as an increasing number of underground
stations.
Other special services include the support service provided at the
beaches in summer, adapted municipal information services,
accessible sports facilities and accessible game zones for children
with disabilities.
In Barcelona, disabilities are no barrier to development of a
successful career, nor to receiving necessary occupational training.
Those people with a mental illness or physical, learning, hearing or
visual disability should obtain a Disability Recognition Certificate,
which is generally recognized and will give the holder access to the
specific resources they need.
In Barcelona, various social services are available for people with
disabilities, including the following:
Special transport service
This is a complementary transport service provided in those
cases where the available regular transport has not been
adapted for people with disabilities.
Early health attention for small children
Preventive actions for the detection, diagnosis and
therapeutic assistance of children under 6 years old with any
development disorder and an attention service for their
families.
Work integration service
Specialised service designed to get people with disabilities
into work.
The service offers:
Information, evaluation and professional orientation.
Preparation of individual itineraries to support training
and job placement.
Provision of training and labour resources.
Information and legal advice on work issues.
Collaboration with professional entities and institutions
Personal assistance service
Personal assistant service to help people with disabilities
carry out their daily activities.
A city that takes care of its senior citizens
Social services for elderly people or dependents
Barcelona offers diverse social services for its senior citizens and
their families.
Home care
Comprehensive and personalised care for citizens (mainly, but
not limited to, senior citizens) or families that have difficulties
carrying out basic activities or need support with their
personal and social development.
The home care service includes support with personal
hygiene, food preparation, administration of medicine,
personal mobility and home cleaning.
Tracking system
Constant remote tracking and detection of dangerous
situations for people with cognitive impairment.
Pink Card
A card that provides free or reduced cost access to
metropolitan public transport, with no distance or time
limitations.
Tele-assistance
Provision of a device for the elderly or people with a disability
that warns of situations of risk in the home (the services has
been given to 91,000 people), 24-hour permanent care and
immediate action in case of emergency.
The tele-assistance service installs simple warning devices
in users homes, which are connected by telephone to the
central call centre of the emergency services (around
68,000 devices have been installed).
It also provides a wireless device to allow users to move
freely around the house, and even shower, with the
security of being able to call from anywhere.
Temporary residential care for elderly people
There are about 263 residential care homes in Barcelona,
which receive elderly people with physical or psychological
deterioration for temporary stays of a maximum of two
months a year, so that their families can rest.
Senior travel
The Senior Travel programme is provided in collaboration with
the Institute of Elderly and Social Services (IMSERSO), a
national institution that manages social benefits for the
elderly. Barcelona City Council reserves 2,000 spaces on the
State IMSERSO Tourism Programme and partially subsidises
them for holders of a Pink Card.
Nearly 90% of Barcelonas streets
are accessible for wheelchair users
and almost all traffic lights are
adapted for people with visual
impairments
87
 Adoption and fostering
Programmes to care for children

Family support for foster parents

This programme is designed for those people or families who

are committed to childrens well-being, who fully understand
the responsibilities that come with fostering, and whose
personal and family situation allows them to offer
themselves as a host family.

Adoption

Those wishing to initiate the process of international

adoption are advised to make an appointment by telephone
for an informative meeting of the Catalan Institute of
Reception and Adoption (ICAA). Alternatively, those
interested can contact the International Adoption
Collaborating Entities (ECAI). In Spain, same sex couples can
also adopt in the standard way.

All the information related to adoption can be found on the

ICAAs website, or requested directly from them in writing.

Subsidies for care of children with disabilities

The Catalan government establishes the amount of benefit

to be received for each fostered or adopted child.

The Government may establish supplementary amounts for

children with disabilities, the number of children fostered or
adopted, or for any other circumstance that requires special
dedication.

Subsidies for families with low income

The purpose of this subsidy is to provide financial support to

those low income families with one or more children, in
order to prevent situations of child vulnerability.

88
Sant Pau Hospital
89
 4.3 A Competitive European City
Thriving labour market

The EMA requires a location that not only fosters a productive internal work environment, but also one that allows optimum access to
public services and utilities. Barcelona performs well on both these fronts. In addition, Barcelonas capacity for growth, job creation and
its diverse labour market make it a competitive European City.

Based in an area favoured by commercial and tourist traditions, the Catalan population has always been multilingual and multinational.
Over 814,000 foreign nationals aged between 16 and 64 live in Catalonia. About 276,000 of these are of European origin, and 288,675
live in Barcelona, 17,8% of its population.

Labour market
Overview of the labour market in Barcelona Spain accounts for almost one in
Spain is the 4th largest economy in the eurozone and the 5th every three new jobs created in the
largest economy in the EU. In 2016, Spain's GDP grew by 3.2% in Eurozone in the period from 2014
terms of nominal GDP, and 3.5% in GDP per capita, making it the
fastest growing European economy last year. The rate of Spains Q1 to 2017 Q1
economic growth continues into 2017, with an accumulated GDP
and annual recorded growth of 3%. In the period from 2014Q1 to
According to data from the City Council, the unemployment rate
2017Q1, 28% of new jobs in the eurozone were created in Spain.
in the last quarter of 2016 was 11.6%. In the second quarter of
2017, it decreased to 8.7%, putting Barcelona close to the
According to data from Barcelona City Council, the activity rate in average for the European Union.
the last quarter of 2016 was 80.8%.

In the same period, the employment rate grew to 71.4%,.

Main employment figures in the Barcelona
region
This equates to 3,197,900 people in employment in Catalonia, 75%
of which are located in Barcelona. These workers demonstrate a Type Rate
dynamic economy with a wide variety of jobs.
Activity rate (4Q 2016) 80.8 %

Unemployment rate
8.7 %
(2Q 2017)
Millions of employees per city (2015)
Employment rate (4Q
71.4 %
2016)
Barcelona 2.25

Source: Barcelona City Council

Vienna 1.21

Furthermore, according to data from the Public Employment

Amsterdam 1.20
Service and Eurostat, in broad terms, the employment rate (of
people between 20 and 64 years old) in Barcelona is similar to
Brussels 1.19 that of the European Union.

Lisbon 1.14
The unemployment rate in
Barcelona for the second quarter of
Copenhagen 0.96

Source: Eurostat - Urban Europe Statistics 2016 2017, 8.7%, is similar to the EU
average

90
Labour environment
Sectorial opportunities

More than half of the jobs in Barcelona (54.2%) are in knowledge-

intensive activities. The city is at the core of this segment of the
economy in Catalonia, with employment in Barcelona representing Barcelona provides a rich and
43.6% of all knowledge-intensive employment:
diverse labour environment, full of
Barcelona has now reached a critical mass in terms of its labour
market in sectors with high added value:
opportunities for the families of
EMA staff
Catalonia is the region with the fifth highest number of jobs in
high-tech industries in Europe, and seventh highest number of
workers in science and technology, with more than 730,000
jobs in this field. This represents a substantial increase from
2015, when the city was ranked ninth in terms of knowledge-
Job-seeking support for partners of staff in
intensive high-technology services.
Barcelona
With 16,367 companies and 149,468 employees, the retail
trade is one of the most important sectors of Barcelonas
economy. This sector accounted for 21.9% of all companies
Barcelona's research centres compete with those in the world's
and 14.5% of jobs in the city at the end of 2016.
leading cities for attracting international talent to their ranks.
The sectors which generate most employment are industry and Although life in the Catalan capital is an incentive for relocating,
services: insertion of the partners of these scientists into the local labour
market can pose a challenge.
In the industry sector, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and agri-
food stand out, as does vehicle manufacturing. As part of the EMA's reception in the city of Barcelona, a Landing
Office will be set up to provide support to couples and families of
In services, activities relating to tourism, trade, logistics and
EMA staff.
transport, as well as those relating to new technologies, record
positive growth trends. Within its framework of services, this office will offer a programme
orientated towards helping the partners and family members of
The fact that the Catalan population has always been multilingual EMA staff look for job opportunities in Barcelona.
only enhances this environment. This is thanks both to the regions
commercial and tourist traditions and to a 288,675-strong foreign The programme will first carry out a profiling service in order to
community residing in the city of Barcelona. determine each participants personal and professional profile. On
the basis of their profiles, participants will then receive regular
Catalonia as a whole is home to more than 814,000 foreigners notifications containing available and suitable vacancies.
aged between 16 and 64 years old, 276,000 of whom are
European citizens. Moreover, Barcelona has various public institutions that are
dedicated to promoting employment activities, such as:

The Public Employment Service (SOC) of the Government

of Catalonia. This is an autonomous body attached to the
department of the regional government that is responsible for
Employees in Barcelona by knowledge employment. SOC is the body that manages and implements
intensity, 2016: occupational programmes and services for maintaining
and promoting stable and quality employment.

High-tech Medium-high Barcelona Activa, is an organisation of Barcelona City Council

industries; tech which is responsible for promoting economic policy and local
1% industries; development to improve the quality of life of its citizens. The
3.2% objective of Barcelona Activa is to boost the citys economic
Other Knowledge activity, promoting citizen empowerment and the readjustment
employees; intensive of territories to achieve a fair model of economic development.
45.8% services; It fosters employment and entrepreneurship, and
50% supports companies from the perspective of a plural
economy.

Source: Government of Catalonia

91
 4.4 Housing Options
Affordable, high-quality housing

Housing is a key feature of life in a new city. Barcelona has become one of the most preferred destinations for a large number of
multinational companies, organisations and individuals who decide to settle or start operations in Spain. It is also an increasingly
popular choice among foreigners looking for second or holiday homes.

Barcelonas city centre and surrounding metropolitan areas offer numerous residential options, with competitive rental and sale prices.
These living options are complemented by the cultural activities and multiple outdoor experiences that the city offers. Barcelona is also
a major tourist destination and conference venue, holding many important events, such as the Mobile World Congress.

Affordable and Quality Housing In addition, Barcelonas inhabitants perceive it to be a city where
good housing can be found at a reasonable price. The percentage
A comfortable city to live in of inhabitants that support this statement is higher than in other
European cities, as the EU urban audit perception shows:

One of the most important factors of the decision to rent or

Barcelonas city centre and metropolitan areas offer numerous
purchase, besides price, are the comfort and quality features of the
residential options, from urban apartments to detached housing.
residence and the building. In this regard, the age of the building
A comparison of the average rental price of the European cities in becomes a key factor to be considered.
2016 shows how competitive Barcelonas rental sector is.

The average rental price in Barcelona is 12,8 /m2 Is it easy to find good housing in your city
at a reasonable price?
La Vila Olmpica: 15 /m2 El Poble-sec: 14 /m2
Barcelona 31%
La Barceloneta: 14.8 /m2 Grcia: 13.6 /m2
El Poblenou: 14.7 /m2 La Sagrada Familia: 13.5 /m2 Brussels 19%
El Gtic: 14.6 /m2 Les Corts: 13.1 /m2 Vienna 18%
Santa Caterina: 14.5 /m2 Sants-Montjuc: 11.8 /m2 Amsterdam 10%
El Born: 14.5 /m2 Horta-Guinard: 10.8 /m2 Copenhagen 8%
El Raval: 14.3 /m2 Sant Andreu: 10.3 /m2
Stockholm 7%
Sarri-Sant Gervasi: 14.1 /m2 Nou Barris: 9.9 /m2

Source: Rentswatch Source: Eurostat perception survey results (2015)

The home purchase and rental market in Barcelona is large and Spains housing is on average newer than that of other
varied. It currently offers more than 10,000 apartments and European countries. Most housing in Catalonia was constructed
houses to rent, and more than 65,000 to purchase, according to between 1991 and 2011, in contrast to most Central-European
the main real estate websites. cities, as shown by the following map.

Around 52% of the citys 680,000 homes are between 61m2 and
90m2 in size. The average rental price of a two-bedroomed
apartment in Barcelona is about 800 per month, and the average EU housing by most common period of
sale price is about 264,000, according to data provided by the construction
main real estate websites.

Key aspects of the real state prices in Barcelona

Average sale Average sale

price of pre- price of new
owned homes: homes:
3,392 /m2 5,233 /m2
Average rental
price:
12.80 /m2

Source: Barcelona City Council, 2016 Source: Eurostat statistics

92
Short-term accommodation
A wide hotel offering
Newcomers who wish to secure short-term accommodation in
Barcelona to allow themselves time to search for a more
permanent home will find a wealth of options in the city.
However, Barcelonas popularity as a destination for short breaks
and the many international events it regularly hosts give the city a
hotel occupancy rate of 75-85% - one of the highest in Europe.
It is therefore advisable to arrange short-term accommodation at
least two to three months before arrival, to ensure greater choice
and cheaper rates.
Medium and longterm accommodation
Multi-family residential building
Any stay in a rental property that is longer than six months is
considered medium or long-term accommodation. Long-term
accommodation refers to a stay of at least a one year duration.
Temporary contracts can be drawn up for six to eleven month
periods and are renewable. This type of contract is normally used
for holiday lets and is more expensive. The new Residential
Tenancies Act of June 2013 provides that the duration of leases is
freely agreed between the parties. If the duration is less than three
years, it will be extended on expiry to three years, and thereafter
automatically year by year.
In Barcelona, locals are used to living in multi-family residential
buildings. Single-family detached homes with a garden or even
semi-detached homes are very difficult to find in the city centre.
Those who wish to live in this type of house should look to
residential areas outside the city.
Flats may be rented furnished or unfurnished. Furnished flats
include basic living, dining and bedroom furniture, and basic
appliances such as a refrigerator, cooker and washing machine.
Rental contracts
Leasing process
Once an apartment has been chosen and the owner agrees to
rent the property, the first thing to do is make a down payment.
The down payment is usually equal to a months rent and
becomes part of the deposit once the lease is signed.
Owners reserve the right to choose a tenant based on their
references and specific conditions. All prospective tenants should
expect to have to provide the owner with a copy of their work
contract and/or other proof of income, as well as a copy of their
passport or residence card.
Tenants that wish to leave the property and terminate the contract
are required to send written notification to the landlord at least
two months beforehand, specifying the date of cancellation of the
contract.
Buying property in Barcelona
Purchasing process
Before initiating any purchasing process, foreign nationals are
required to have a NIE (foreign identity number) and a Spanish
bank account to pay not only for the property itself, but also the
applicable professional fees, taxes and charges on the
purchase.
Another important step is to hire a reputable and independent
solicitor (advocate). If the interested buyer does not speak
Spanish or Catalan, a bilingual solicitor can also translate
essential documents.
Foreigners also have the option to take out a mortgage, either
with a Spanish bank or a Spanish subsidiary of their local
branch. Maximum loans are generally 75% of the purchase
price.
Once a property has been chosen, the solicitor will then carry
out all the necessary checks to ensure that the sale is legal and
that there are no debts secured against the property.
It is important to note that, in Spain, mortgages can be passed
on to the new owner. Once the solicitor has provided written
confirmation that everything is in order and checked that there
are no burdens on the property, the buyer should sign an
earnest money contract, setting the term of the final sale before
a notary, and stating the price and the method of payment.
There is no need to sign anything else until the signing of the
title deeds (escritura pblica).
When signing the earnest money contract, the buyer must
make a payment, which is usually 10% of the sale price. The
contract must provide a comprehensive description of the
propertys specifications and characteristics.
If the owner then decides not to sell or breaches the earnest
money contract, they must refund double the amount paid as
earnest money. If the buyer breaches the earnest money
contract they will forfeit the amount paid.
The full title deeds are signed by the seller, the buyer and a
notary on the sale completion date, and usually take a few
months to process.
EMA Housing Service
Ad-hoc service offered by the Landing Office
The Landing Office will offer a specific service that will search for
and track the best available property options in the
metropolitan area of Barcelona, through dedicated real estate
agents.
Similarly, a briefing in London and a preliminary survey will
serve to determine the needs and preferences of each EMA
family: area, number of rooms, and particular needs.
This information will enable the Landing Office to find the best
and most appropriate housing option for each EMA Staff
member.
93
 4.5 Cost of Living
Better Life for a Better Price

Barcelona is considered to be one of the best places to live in Europe. The good weather, its cultural and social offer or its accessibility are
reasons to choose it over other European Capitals, but Barcelona is also a fashionable city at competitive prices. Its citizens enjoy of an
admirable quality of life having a purchasing power much higher than the rest of Europe.

Although being a European hub of quality workers and being a pole for tourism, Barcelona has been able to keep prices down. Rent prices,
for instance, are much lower in Barcelona (59% less) than in London or restaurant prices are 32% less than the Englands capital.
Therefore, retention rates will be higher when moving to Spain than other cities since European Medicines staff will be able to improve
their local purchasing power.

-23% -59% -32% -13%

Consumer Prices Rent Prices Restaurant Prices Groceries Prices
23% lower in Barcelona 59% lower in Barcelona 32% lower in Barcelona 13% lower in Barcelona
than in London than in London than in London than in London

Santa Caterina Market

94
 LONDON BARCELONA SAVINGS
Average costs per month for list of Average costs per month for list of Difference in cost
relevant and comparable goods at relevant and comparable goods at expressed as a
2017 prices 2017 prices percentage

MARKETS
Milk (1L) 1.02 0.77 - 25%
Eggs (12u) 2.39 1.88 - 21%
Water (1.5L bottle) 1.04 0.55 - 47%
Imported beer (0.33L can) 2.02 1.20 - 41%
RENT
3-bedroom apartment in city
centre 3,537.50 1,335.98 - 62%
3-bedroom apartment outside of 2,241.54 949.92 - 58%
centre

BUY APARTMENT
Price per square meter in city 16,252.90 4,408.95 - 73%
centre
Price per square meter outside of
8,192.02 2,939.47 - 64%
centre

UTILITIES
Basic (electricity, heating, water,
garbage) for 85m2 apartment
159.54 127.20 - 20%

RESTAURANTS
Meal (inexpensive rest.) 16.97 11.00 - 35%
Meal for 2 (mid-range rest.) 62.21 40.00 - 36%
Cappuccino (regular) 2.97 1.70 - 43%

TRANSPORTATION
One-way ticket 2.83 2.15 - 24%
Monthly pass 149.31 50.00 - 67%
Taxi 1 hour waiting 40.16 21.27 - 47%
Gasoline (1L) 1.34 1.21 - 10%

CHILDCARE
Preschool, private (1 child) 1,191.26 385.62 - 68%
International primary school,
yearly (1 child) 17,469.97 7,520.00 - 57%

SPORTS AND LEISURE

Fitness club 51.97 44.37 - 15%
Cinema 13.57 8.50 - 37%

Source: Numbeo

95
96
 5
Business
Continuity
Plan
Providing a seamless
transition to your new
home and ensuring the
capacity to maintain the
day to day activity
Barcelona offers a solid Business Continuity Plan
aimed at minimizing the impact of the transfer of the
European Medicines Agency.

The objectives of the plan are to ensure that the

activity of the Agency continues its day to day activity
without disruption and that the same high quality in
its results is maintained, to guarantee that the
Agencys staff have a smooth arrival and to provide
the necessary infrastructure to support the EMAs
operations.

In order to provide a comprehensive and effective

plan that shows both the readiness and the
adaptability of Barcelona to host the European
Medicines Agency, the Business Continuity Plan has
been structured into three key aspects: talent
retention, daily operations and infrastructure.

97
AEMPS Headquarters
 5
5.1 | Overview

5.2 | Talent Retention

5.3 | Daily Operations

5.4 | Infrastructure

5.5 | Timeline

98
 The Business Continuity Plan will have three key
Overview of the elements

relocation strategy Talent retention Daily operations Infrastructure

Plan to ensure a smooth transfer

and avoid any service disruption

A seamless transition
The Landing Office is designed to ensure
to your new home that the process is tailored to the specific
The Landing Office to assess needs and preferences of the Agencys
the retention of the existing staff
talent

Guaranteeing the day 363 Spanish 2.8 million initially

to day operations of experts nominated by committed to put in place the
the AEMPS, according measures regarding
EMA to the EMA personnel
The buildings installations are
up to date to ensure optimal 226 137
members of the AEMPS
service staff
external experts

A ready-to-use building 51,000+ 5th ranked European

Region in number of ICT
ICT Professionals
and ICT infrastructure workers

A city that complies with all

infrastructure requirements
4 top tier 14 top rated biomedical
data centres research centres

A detailed plan for a

smooth process
Moving to Barcelona represents an
overall improvement for the
Agencys finances

99
 5.1 Overview
Overview of the Relocation Strategy

The European Medicines Agency is responsible for the evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines for human and
veterinary use and, as such, plays a key role in guaranteeing health and standards across the EU. It is a global leader in regulation alongside
the US Food and Drug Administration and its actions have important consequences on economic and industrial agents.

Any delays in its activity could, therefore, have a negative impact on the health of all European citizens, on the economic and industrial
development of the health sector, and could lead to a loss of European leadership compared to other regulatory regions. Thus it is crucial
to ensure that the EMA can continue to provide services regularly and without interruptions. The Business Continuity Plan is based on the
capacity and reliability of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS) and the commitment of the government at the
national, regional and local level. It is designed to carry out the activities of the European Medicines Agency during the transitional period.
The plan will also ensure that the best environment for the relocation is in place so that the process, coordinated by the Landing Office, is
as efficient and as accommodating as possible for Agency staff and their families.

Objective of the Business Continuity Plan

End-to-end support to the EMA

The main objective of the Business Continuity Plan is to provide full

support to the European Medicines Agency and its staff, including
families, whilst maintaining the maximum productivity and
efficiency throughout the transition to the new headquarters in
Barcelona. This support will be provided by the Spanish
Government and will ensure a smooth relocation with no
disruption to day-to-day activities.

The plan is aimed at carrying out a series of actions and directives

adapted to the needs and requirements of the European
Medicines Agency to put in place a tangible and specific set of
solutions. Moreover, the plan will be highly flexible, so that the
Agency is able to deal with any challenges that may arise without
complications. Additionally, the Business Continuity Plan aims to
be a complementary strategy to the continuity plan of the Agency
itself, aligning the objectives as well as providing this adaptability.

Breaking down the main objective, the Business Continuity Plan for
the European Medicines Agency and its transfer from London to
Barcelona has three specific objectives.

Ensure uninterrupted activity and quality

standards Torre Glories reception desk
1 Guarantee that the activity of the Agency continues
uninterrupted and with the same quality standards

Design a smooth relocation process

2 Ensure that the people have a smooth relocation process
and promote the retention of talent
Guarantee the continuity of daily operations
3 Set up the necessary infrastructures before the relocation
to support daily operations
The Business Continuity Plan will
ensure that the relocation process is
as smooth and efficient as possible,
allowing the Agency to continue its
work with the minimum possible
disruption

100
Approach
Key elements of the Business Continuity Plan
The Steering Group will be in charge
of the coordination between the
The methodology to be implemented in the Business Continuity
Plan will have three key elements that are necessary in order to
European Medicines Agency and
guarantee an accommodating transition for the Agency and its Barcelonas candidacy to ensure an
staff:
efficient and effective transfer
Daily
01 Talent Retention 02 Operations
Coordination
Ensuring fluent communication

In order to ensure the alignment of strategies and methodology for

03 Infrastructure
Talent Retention. In order to ensure a seamless
transition for all EMA staff, the candidacy offers a
Landing Office that will help in making the move as
smooth as possible.
Daily Operations. Spain, with the help of the Spanish
Medicine and Medical Devices Agency, has devised a
strategy to ensure that EMAs day to day activity is not
affected by the relocation..
the relocation of the European Medicines Agency, Barcelonas
candidacy proposes the creation of a committee to manage and
coordinate the whole move.
The committee, called the Steering Group, will adopt and
implement measures appropriately adjusted to the transition plan
of the Agency, ensuring that there is no duplication or lack of
communication that may result in either a lack of efficiency or poor
resource management. The Steering Group is focused on
maximizing the efforts to provide an effective transition.
The management of the Steering Group will ensure fluent
communication with the European Medicines Agency Brexit
Preparedness Group.
The proposed management structure is the following:
Steering Group proposed structure
Barcelonas
EMA
candidacy

Infrastructure. The candidacy offers a ready-to-use Senior Senior

building adaptable to EMAs specific needs, a cutting- Management Management
edge IT infrastructure and an ready talent pool in
Barcelona for attracting new talent. Preparedness Steering Preparedness
Group Group Group
Therefore the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical
Devices will mitigate the risks through the assumption of these
key activities during the necessary time to ensure continuity
and the minimum disruption of business.

STEERING GROUP
The functions of the Steering Group will include:
The Steering Group will be formed by key
stakeholders with the institutional weight, the
Institutional management of relations with the various
technical knowhow and the necessary
resources to assure the functionality and stakeholders involved, based on the needs of the Agency.
success of the transfer. Materialisation of a smooth transition, meeting the
The group will remain active during the requirements for the building and support for both Agency
European Medicines Agency relocation process staff and information systems.
until the transfer and its related tasks are Management of additional support needed for both staff and
completed and the Agency is completely settled material resources.
in Barcelona.

101
 Barcelonas candidacy Steering Group structure
Coordination of the European Medicines Agencys transfer to Barcelona

In order to ensure a smooth and easy transition for both families of the employees and for the Agency itself, the Spanish candidacy will
create an office aimed at the coordination and support of all the essential elements of the relocation and its main stakeholders. This office
will work hand-in-hand with the group designated by EMA for the relocation.

Barcelonas Steering Group structure

Project
Coordinator Management
Office

Relocation
Building and Procurement Coordination
Daily Strategy and
Landing Office Functional and Supplier with
Operations Moving
Planning Management Administrations
Arrangements

Housing Recruitment

Education Training

Activity
Health
coordination
The proposed structure aims to
Employment offer a holistic approach to the
relocation strategy for the Agency
Social life and give EMA the maximum support
in the end-to-end process to
Administrative
processes
guarantee the success of the project

Biomedicine Research Centre

102
102
 Detail of objectives and functions of the Stearing Group

Group Objetive and main functions

Ensure a smooth and seamless transition for EMA staff and their families
Landing Office The employees and their families will receive personalized support in the following
areas: housing, education, health, employment, social life and procedures

Maintain the quality and efficiency of the day to day operations of the
Agency
Daily Planning task distribution between the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical
Devices (AEMPS) and EMA to ensure that activity is not affected by the relocation
Operations
Assumption of selected EMA tasks by AEMPS
Training of necessary personnel

Define and implement the relocation strategy

Identification of critical processes for EMA
Relocation
Definition of the order in which business units should be transferred
Strategy and
Assessment of dependency between units and which ones should be transferred
Moving
simultaneously
Arrangements
Detailed plan for business unit relocation, and alignment with the temporary
assumption of activities on behalf of AEMPS

Tailor the building and its configuration to EMAs needs

Building and Functional planning of the building
Functional Distribution of spaces on each floor based on unit requirements and workflows
Planning Identification of necessary adaptations to each floor and the building
Monitoring the progress of the building refurbishment

Guarantee the provision of services and goods to EMA

Identification and analysis of all service and goods contracts currently being
executed in EMA
Definition of the transition strategy and timeline for each contract
Procurement
Development of a framework agreement between the Spanish Administration and
and Supplier suppliers before EMAs landing to cover service and goods contracts in the months
Management between the decision and tendering of new contracts
Coordination between suppliers and EMA
Identification of needs and support in new tenders and identification of potential
suppliers

Ensure alignment and coordination of all public administrations

Coordination
Coordination with the multiple administrations and agencies which will give support
with to EMA in the relocation process (Ministry of Health, Government of Catalonia,
Administrations Barcelona City Council, Spanish Medicines Agency, etc.)

Monitor the progress of the relocation process

Project Tracking of the global relocation timeline
Management Coordination of stakeholders
Office Risk analysis and mitigation plans

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 5.2 Talent Retention
A seamless Transition to your New Home

One of the key elements of the transfer strategy and one of the main goals of the Business Continuity Plan is the talent retention of the
organization. Whilst the logistic transfer is also an essential element, the retention of existing talent is crucial when assessing the
continuity of the Agency and its duties.

Concerning talent retention, the continuity strategy aims to provide all the tools, information and support to the existing Agency staff in
order to ease and smooth their transfer experience, facilitating the process of moving to a new city through the provision of a series of
landing services.

Overview of talent retention

One of the keys to the success of the relocation of the European In order to ensure a smooth transition for the European Medicines
Medicines Agency is its capacity to retain the existing talent; the Agency Staff, the Landing Office has three specific objectives that
transfer will be smoother if a high percentage of staff moves with aim to provide the best service to each employee: minimize the
the Agency. transfer impact, easy the landing experience, and offer a customer
plan for each employee.
Barcelonas candidacy business plan addresses talent retention by
setting up a Landing Office that will ease the landing experience Even though any relocation has some impact on the staff of the
for the Agency staff and their families and provide the assistance organisation, Barcelonas candidacy offers a city that can retain
of highly qualified individuals and institutions. talent, both through its Landing Office and due to the fact that,
according to the media, various surveys of current EMA employees
The Landing Office will offer a bundle of services completely
suggest that Barcelona is the favorite among a number of cities.
tailored to the needs of each employee and their families,
attending to their particular needs and providing with them
personalized assistance during the whole process, from the
moment of the announcement of Barcelona as the new
headquarters for the Agency until one year after they have settled
in the city.

Torre Glories break area

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The Landing Office
Ensuring a smooth transition for the European Medicines Agency staff

The main objective of the Barcelona Landing Office is to ensure talent retention by showcasing the attractiveness of Barcelona, its total
dedication to and support for the European Medicines Agency and its high living standards, as well as by offering a package of services
tailored to the needs of each employee. The goal is to minimize the impact of the transfer in terms of talent loss by providing tools to the
Agency staff for a fruitful and smooth landing experience.
The specific objectives of the Barcelona Landing Office are

Minimize the transfer impact

1 Ensure the landing process has minimum impact on the European Medicines Agency professionals lives, and safeguard the
continuity of Agency operations.

Ease the landing experience

2 Ease the landing experience and the transfer of European Medicines Agency employees and their families, providing all the
tools required for a smooth transition.

Offer a custom plan for each employee

3 Offer every European Medicines Agency employee a custom plan that is adapted to their needs and families, including a
personalized itinerary.

How will the landing services be accessible?

Overview of the landing service communication channels available to the European Medicines Agency staff

In person Over the phone Via internet

Dedicated offices will provide Landing A Call Centre will be set up to respond Information on most of the procedures
Services: before and during landing in swiftly to the needs of all the European will be available via the EMA landing
London; and during and after landing, in Medicines Agency staff and their families website, easing the landing experience
Barcelona for everyone

Pre - transfer Throughout the process From anywhere

LONDON

During the pre-landing phase, the

London Landing Office will be available
at the current EMA headquarters.
Landing &
integration
BARCELONA
While the transfer process is taking place
and after the landing, the Landing Office
will be ready in the new EMA location in
Barcelona.
To ensure the best possible service for
EMA employees, a team of experts will
be available through a call centre to
provide assistance during the landing
process.
The Landing Office will provide EMA
professionals with access to a
dedicated website that integrates all
the landing services and makes them
accessible from all devices and
locations.
All the information, briefings and
instructions will be published on the
website. Services such as the
questionnaire or the personalised plan
will be available through the employees
personal space.

105
 Landing service portfolio
Overview of the services that the Landing Office will offer

HOUSING Finding a new home for the family

The housing services will help the staff of the European Medicines Agency and their families find a
new home based on their requirements and preferences, established during the personal interview.
The service will include information sessions about the different areas of the city and its lifestyle.
Additionally, the housing service will also include housing assistance for the first year in Barcelona to
provide further assurance.

Helping parents find the right school EDUCATION

Choosing the right school can be a challenge, which is why the Landing Office will outline the available
international schools and nurseries to the parents and assist them in the process of signing up. The
places for the children of the Agency staff will be assured due to the agreement with the Barcelona
International Schools Association. Additionally, the Landing Office will give briefings on the universities
and business schools in the city.

HEALTH Presenting the universal, free and high quality healthcare

Spains world leading healthcare system will also figure in the landing process through information
sessions and personalized assistance. The system is universal, covering everyone under any
circumstances, and free. The European Medicines Agency staff will be guided through the different
options and characteristics of the healthcare system, as well as the available hospitals and primary
attention centres of Barcelona.

Supporting partners in their job seeking efforts EMPLOYMENT

Acknowledging the importance of finding a new job in order to properly start a life in a new city, the
Landing Office will assist the partners of the EMA staff through a profiling service orientated to
helping them get to know the Spanish labour market.
Additionally, trainings and self-employment options will also be presented in order to help those who
want to set up a business, through Barcelona Activa a public service available to all citizens.

SOCIAL LIFE Guiding EMA staff through Barcelonas social life

Aside from its competitive environment and leading healthcare system, Barcelona also offers one
of the most active and dynamic societies in Europe with thousands of leisure options available
daily. The Landing Office will present these options and answer any questions related to
Barcelonas social life.

Providing assistance for all types of procedures PROCEDURES

In terms of procedures, the Landing Office will assist EMA staff in two different fields. Firstly, guidance
on administrative and fiscal procedures, informing them of the existing legal requirements and fast
track for obtaining work and residence permits, as well as the fiscal framework. Secondly, assistance
throughout the process for other procedures such as, for example, opening a bank account in Spain.

106
The landing phases
Guiding the European Medicines Agency staff through the landing experience steps

Based on the relocation calendar, the Landing Office will provide its services to the Agency staff in three different stages. Theses phases are
defined by transfer milestones. The pre-transfer phase starts with the announcement of Barcelona as the new host city for EMA and
finishes three months before the transfer, the landing phase includes the period of three months which will concentrate most of the
preparatory tasks for the moving and lastly, the integration phase consists of one year after the transfer to ensure that the whole
experience has been successful.

Phases of the Landing Office

PRE -TRANSFER
From the announcement of the new host city of the European Medicines
Agency until three months before the landing takes place.
During this phase, Agency staff will answer a questionnaire and be invited to an
interview in order to draw up a custom plan, tailored to each employee, that will
1 ensure that all their needs and preferences are reflected in their landing
experience. During the questionnaire and interview, the employee will have the
chance to express interest in certain services such as the presentation of
education options or housing support. A confidentiality agreement will be signed
with each employee to ensure the privacy of the information.

LANDING
Before the transfer from London to Barcelona
The landing phase will be when the preparations for the transfer happen, helping
the Agency staff to get everything ready to move to Barcelona. During this stage,
the staff and their families will receive briefings on all relevant aspects of the city,
guidance on the healthcare and social security system and also support in the
2 services reflected in their custom plan. During this phase, EMA employees will also
be assigned a local volunteer that will support them and help them during the
landing experience.

The landing concludes when EMA staff and their families start their lives in
Barcelona, in a new city, a new school or a new job.

INTEGRATION
For one year after the relocation
EMA staff will receive assistance for the first year after the transfer in order to
ensure that the whole relocation procedure goes smoothly. In order to do so, the
Landing Office will periodically monitor the success of the experience.

3 During the integration phase, employees will have volunteers at their disposal,
who will assist them and show them Barcelona through the eyes of a local.

The Landing Office is designed to ensure

that the process is tailored to the Agencys
staff specific needs and preferences

Barcelona architecture
107
 Landing itinerary
Overview of the landing itinerary

108
109
110
Barcelona architecture

111
 Daily Operations
5.3 Guaranteeing the day-to-day operations of
EMA
In order to guarantee the smooth transition of EMA to its new headquarters in Barcelona and business continuity, it is key to have multiple
processes in place. These processes are based in two fundamental aspects of an organization: daily operations and people.

The AEMPS is already ahead of the curve and has started implementing and planning different processes, such as strengthening its staffing
structure by orientating it to the work that needs to be covered as a result of the activities that the United Kingdom will no longer carry out,
but also to support the BCP of the EMA. The AEMPS is committed to taking on the new challenges and regulatory activity caused by Brexit
and under whatever conditions are required by the EU and our European partners.

The Spanish government has already

Assumption of activities and adaptation
Adapting to EMAs needs
allocated 2.8M in order to establish a
sufficient talent pool and develop the
The relocation of EMA will require the support of the national
agencies in order to guarantee business continuity. In this sense,
necessary measures to ensure the
the AEMPS is in a position to support the EMA during its relocation continuity of EMAs work
in Barcelona both by undertaking activities at its own headquarters
and by facilitating the transfer of part of its staff to the
headquarters of the EMA in Barcelona for specific periods of time.
Temporary displacement of staff. The AEMPS can support the
AEMPS proposes two main types of support to EMA during the
EMA by allowing some of its staff to provide assistance in the new
transfer:
headquarters through national secondments for a specific period of
time, as stipulated in the "Decision of the Executive Director "EMA /
27614/2017, of February 1st 2017.

Temporary assumption
of activities
The AEMPS would assume,
temporarily during the transfer
or until the EMA recovers its
workforce, those activities that
were temporarily suspended or
de-escalated within the BCP
Temporary
displacement of staff
The AEMPS can provide
temporary staff to EMAs new
headquarters in Barcelona in
order to provide assistance
where required.
The AEMPS may also assign temporary staff (for example, in the
weeks of the transfer) or longer-term temporary staff (between 1
and 6 months) to carry out or support activities, although these
could not be channeled through national secondments. In the latter
case, the AEMPS would assume both the salary and the daily
allowances of the displaced persons.
The main benefits foreseen by the AEMPS for these two means of
support regarding the assumption of activities and displacement of
staff are the following:

Temporary assumption of activities. This would include, for Flexibility in the

Expert knowledge
displacement of
example, the secretariat of groups, task forces or committees, as support
staff
well as the organization of some of the meetings if necessary. In
general, the AEMPS could assume those activities of categories 2
and 3 of the EMA's Business Continuity Plan (BCP) so that it could Smooth transition Temporary support
dedicate its resources to the activities of higher priority. These of activities on need
functions would be assumed with own personnel and / or with the
support of the reinforced network of experts of the AEMPS.

112
Personnel Expansion and Training The AEMPS will offer to take charge
Relocation and training of talent
of the regulatory training of its new
Any relocation has an impact on the staff of the organization to personnel In order to make it
some extent. However, Barcelona offers a great advantage in
comparison to other cities because it is also considered an ideal possible for the EMA to devote the
place to work and live. The city offers housing, health and maximum number of resources to
education, it is an open and welcoming city, it is well connected
with all of Europe, and renowned for its leisure and tourism. priority activities
According to the media, a number of surveys of current EMA
employees suggest that Barcelona is the city of choice. This should
help reduce the impact of having a high rate of talent loss during
the transfer.
Nevertheless, the loss of personnel to some extent is inevitable.
For this reason, AEMPS has already started executing various
measures regarding personnel.

Measures regarding personnel

Restructure of Increase of Increase of the

AEMPS AEMPS pool of external
workforce workforce experts

Restructuring of AEMPS workforce:

The AEMPS will strengthen its staffing structure by

orientating it to the work that need to be covered
as a result of the United Kingdom will no longer
carrying out various activities, but also to support
the BCP of the EMA. This dual objective means that
this initiative can be started even before the choice
of the new headquarters. The restructuring
involves the structured consolidation of teams
around experts capable of assuming leadership at
European level in specific areas of work.

This restructuring will be carried out between

September and December 2017 and will allow the
creation of work teams that can take on
procedures that are no longer executed in the
United Kingdom, as well as chairships or co-
chairships within the EMA working groups,
temporary assumption of activities and leading the
training of personnel in certain aspects.

113
 Increase of AEMPS workforce. The AEMPS has or
will implement personnel selection processes that will
allow it to increase its workforce. These will be carried
out in three successive waves.

1/ The first wave will be launched in July 2017 and

will involve the hiring of 40 additional people to
increase the ability to take on procedures as well
as dedicating resources to the ensure the
business continuity of the EMA during its
transfer to Barcelona.

2/ The second wave also underway, is a process of

selecting and consolidating staff that, as late as
the second half of 2018, involves the selection of
another 40 people. In the probable event that
part of this consolidated staff already forms part
of the temporary staff of the AEMPS, its position
may be replaced by new advisers which will yield,
at the end of the process, a total of 40 additional
persons.

3/ The third wave, scheduled for mid-2019, will

entail a process of selecting and consolidating
staff, which, as explained above, will yield a total
of 60 consolidated persons who shall be added
to the net workforce should it be necessary.

Increase the pool of external experts. People who

are part of the AEMPS network of external experts,
and who have a high level of expertise in specific areas,
will collaborate in supporting the EMA in addition to
being part of other AEMPS support actions or being
able to supply any loss of personnel as a result of the
EMA transfer.

The AEMPS external experts network currently has

137 people working for the EMA. The AEMPS will
further increase this capacity through:

Quarterly
Call for experts
training program

The AEMPS will make this pool of experts available for

the EMAs activities and as part of the support, offering
the EMA the possibility of participating in the
recruitment.

114
AEMPS Capabilities
Wide range of competencies
The AEMPS has a recognized capacity to provide the support
required by the EMA, thanks to the wide range of competencies
that it has through the entire life cycle of medicines. This, together
with the wide variety of European experts, means AEMPS is a
perfect partner. The AEMPS competencies are the following:
Regulation of human and veterinary medicines, across
the range of medicines from chemical medicines to
biotechnology medicines and advanced therapy
medicines
Inspection
Official medicine Control Laboratories
Clinical trials
Pharmacovigilance
Activity as Health Technology Assessment for
medicines
Spain is the second country in Europe for expert input to the
European network of experts, which is coordinated by the EMA.
Currently there are
363 Spanish experts nominated by the AEMPS,
according to the EMA
226 members of the AEMPS staff
137 external experts
European countries contribution to the European Medicines Agency
Contribution by countries Medicines for Human Use
Maximum 1st quartile 2nd quartile
The maps shown above demonstrate the strong and solid positioning of Spain in the first quartile regarding both the contribution of
medicines for human use as well as for veterinary medicines.
The AEMPS is highly committed to
the fulfillment of the High-Level
Strategy 2016-2020 of the network
of European Medicines Regulatory
Agencies
The participation of Spain in the activities of the EMA includes a
presence in all committees and most of the different working
groups, scientific advice and inspection. The contribution to the
different procedures of the EMA is also notable, appearing in the
group of countries that leads almost all of them, both in medicinal
products for human use and veterinary medicines
The Spanish experts who participate in the Network of Agencies
and the EMA Committees not only represent a large and active
participation, but are also specialized in terms of expertise in
aspects that are very relevant to regulation such as advanced
therapy medicinal products, biological agents in general or
biotechnological medicines including biosimilars in particular.
The AEMPS is an Agency open to change and with a remarkable
vision of the future. It is committed to the fulfillment of the High-
Level Strategy 2016-2020 of the network of European Medicines
Regulatory Agencies that make up the EMA and the European
national agencies. In this environment, it maintains a high level of
participation within the network of agencies and in the different
groups of the European Commission, with emphasis on relevant
areas such as access to innovation, better use of medicines,
shortages, telematic information exchange systems or
antimicrobial resistance. The AEMPS has also been a pioneer in
the adaptation of national legislation to the new Regulation of
Clinical Trials, thereby serving as a model for other countries.
Contribution by countries Veterinary Medicines
3rd quartile 4th quartile minimum
Source: AEMPS with EMA data
115
 5.4 Infrastructure
A ready-to-use building and ICT infrastructure

Infrastructure is a key element to guarantee a smooth transition to the new venue. In this case, Barcelonas whole infrastructure is
already available to host a European institution; It has the perfect building which is already prepared to welcome the Agency. Besides
that, the candidacy will guarantee that all requirements and special infrastructure needs are met before, during and after the relocation
period. This duty will be covered by the Steering Committee, ensuring the flexibility and coordination of any changes or adaptations the
Agency may need to adopt in the building. Moreover, ICT public and private entities will also help to ensure the EMA can continue and
strengthen its business by offering a wide range of services and products. Additionally, talent availability is a key factor to ensure the
business continuity. In this regard, Barcelona offers great opportunities and has become a global hub for innovation.

Ready-to-use building Meeting All Requirements and Needs

A functional venue for highly qualified workers Plug & play venue

By presenting the iconic and unique venue of Torre Glories,
Barcelona eliminates one of the main handicaps in moving the
Agency from London to the new host city.
It meets all suitability concerns of the new building as it has all the
requirements in terms of security, accessibility, space and design
that the Agency might need. Furthermore, the adaptability analysis
and works will be able to start from minute one after the city is
chosen.
The Torre Glories facilities are suitable for the specific needs of the
European Medicines Agency and will guarantee a smooth and quick
set up thanks to the adaptable infrastructure and technical facilities,
providing any tailored requirements and characteristics needed to
ensure the optimal service.
The new and efficient installations of the building mean that
minimal adaptations need to be made before the arrival and
throughout the occupancy by the Agency.

With top-level IT facilities including UPS, AV control room, high-

Barcelona is already able to host the
European Medicines Agency as it
offers a prepared and high-efficient
building that will ease the relocation
process
speed connectivity and Wi-Fi reaching all floors, storage rooms,
main equipment and secondary rooms, it is well prepared to start
business the day after the candidacy is selected.
There is no need for electricity, telephone-lines, air-condition
cooling and heating station, water supply, flooring materials,
acoustics and lighting installations to be installed.

Furthermore, the building is totally secure with supervised car and

Barcelona could adapt to the tight transition period as the building bicycle parking spaces and CCTV cameras inside and outside the
already has almost all of the attributes required by the Agency. building.
This will minimize the risk of disruption while meeting all deadlines.
However, this is not only a well prepared building, it is also a well
This would result in a fast and efficient relocation of the institution,
connected and accessible venue, with rapid links to the airport and
thereby maintaining the efficiency of the Agency and passing on its
the city. Additionally, it is part of a technological hub which will
benefits to EU citizens.
provide any innovative and suitable services that the Agency might
Eliminating the time-consuming process of looking for a new host
need to continue with its activity throughout the transition and
building is a key strength of Barcelonas candidacy. Instead, the
stabilization periods.
team will be able to concentrate on guaranteeing the continuity of
the service and focus on strategies to fulfil all the EMAs
requirements.

116
Adaptability and coordination with the Steering
Committee to ensure that meets the needs
A relocation office ready to help

Although the building already presents most of the characteristics

demanded by the Agency, there will be a designated committee
focused on analyzing all the requirements and improvement
opportunities in the building.
This committee will control the whole process of relocation, from
running the analysis, to following up the building modifications and
performing regular visits to the office during the whole process. This
unit will be formed by top rated public servants, construction and IT
experts and technicians that will communicate and coordinate
regularly with the European Medicines Agency representatives.
Their main tasks will be to:

1 2 3
Analyze the Plan the Meet regularly
requirements transition in and on demand
and building coordination with the Agency
characteristics with EMA reps representatives

4 5 6

Visit the building Control and Analyze and

facilities in order accompany the fulfill all EMA
to plan actions works requirements
performed over the years

In other words, the committee will have to respond to any

requirement the Agency might have and establish a strong long-
term relationship with the European Medicines Agencys
representatives that will avoid disruptions in the service it provides
and mitigate the risks that might arise during the relocation process
and afterwards.

Barcelonas candidacy is based on a

strong infrastructure augmented by
an outstanding and already prepared
venue, together with a complete plan
to mitigate risks and minimize
disruption of the business

117
 Data Centres in Barcelona
Transition plan
Barcelona will design a relocation
Barcelona has multiple top certified Data Centres (DC) that can
strategy and a cloud strategy to
serve as the new unit for the Agency. All of these DCs guarantee the full security of the
guarantee at least 99.98% availability during the year and less data and the continuity of the
than 2 hours mean interruption in a year. As colocation
facilities, any of these DCs also allow the EMA to deploy its own service during the whole process
servers, networks and storage hardware, powering them by
redundant high performance internet connectivity, electricity
and refrigeration. Their architecture allows full protection
against the worst technical incidents without ever interrupting
the servers.
Barcelona as the new host city will guarantee that the
relocation process poses no threat to the continuity of their
business and operations, specifically regarding technologic
services, a key element.
To do so, there will be a transition period of some two years
for the data centre change and a stabilization period
afterwards.
EMA DC infrastructure movement includes main and back-up
DCs relocation to new sites and a cloud strategy design.

1. Main and Back-up Data Centre relocation strategy

Data Centre requirements inventory

Data Centre option analysis which will include the cost of

each option, their location, premises, communication,
networks and security and the providers analysis.

Selection of provider

Application migration plan (Main and Back-Up DCs)

1. Cloud Strategy Design

Cloud migration Strategy objectives and guidelines

Cloud migration detailed strategy

Cloud migration design and dimensioning

Cloud migration execution plan (communication &

networks & security; infra-structure & setup)

Application migration plan and new application roll-out

plan

Internal technical staff Cloud and new technologies

training

Barcelona will provide a technical Project Management Office in

order to monitor and oversee the whole process and to guarantee Barcelona meets all the Agency
a smooth transition of the Data Centre requirements in terms of data centres
and cloud services as it has 20
colocation data centres, 74 cloud
service suppliers and 2 network
fabrics

118

Barcelona Metropolitan Area has 20
Colocation Data Centres, 4 of them top
tier (1 Tier IV and 3 Tier III). Therefore,
Barcelona will guarantee a soft
transition as it has top resources in
terms of data centres.
MareNostrum
Data Centres in Barcelona
Information technology activities in Barcelona are supported by
a robust infrastructure that also represents a strength when
assessing the importance of an ICT network for the European
Medicines Agency. At least one data centre with Tier IV and
three Tier III certified date centres in Barcelona provide the
necessary security and technological requirements for the
Agency.
Barcelona has a connectivity structure made up of 20
colocation data centres, 74 cloud service providers and 2
network fabrics.
This extensive infrastructure is matched by a specific expertise
in data centres among professionals in Barcelona and more
generally in Spain. Spain enjoys a prominent position in the
European classification of Data Centres certified by Uptime
Institute as Tier III and IV, only behind the United Kingdom and
Italy.
So, the Barcelona area and Spain in general have excellent
professionals in terms of data repairs, data centre security,
maintenance and innovation.
All in all, Barcelona will provide an optimal data centre
framework that will have the certificates required by the EMA
and which will offer the maximum reliability and performance in
terms of service level, availability and efficiency. This, in turn, will
guarantee continuity of EMA servers and its activity.
Data centres by country
(2017)
Tier III Tier IV
Italy 5 14
Spain 8 6
France 2 1
Denmark 1 1
Netherlands 1 1
Ireland 2
Portugal 1
Austria
Belgium
Sweden
Source: Uptime Institute
119
 ICT Infrastructure
A prominent model that reinforces itself

Spain is more than ready to host the European Medicines Agency
in terms of the information and communication technologies
sector as it is considered to be one of the most advanced,
competitive and innovative cities in Europe. It will not only
guarantee the continuity of the service, but also its ICT sector
competitiveness will generate added value to the daily work of the
Agency and to its impact on society.
The Agency will benefit from being in this environment as the city
has a large number of technology companies and highly qualified
tech professionals who will contribute with knowledge exchange
and innovative solutions for the Agency. Additionally, Barcelona
offers a high speed connection network that covers most of the
city, and which will provide both the Agency and its professionals
with their connectivity needs, Finally, in order to secure the
continuity of the service, Barcelona also has some top tier data
centres which will guarantee more than 99,98% availability of the
service.
A leading ICT sector that is backed by
public initiatives to make Barcelona
one of the ICT leaders in Europe and
the perfect candidate for the Agency
Barcelona is an economically dynamic city, with a GDP of 64,241
M and more than 170,000 established companies. This
economic complexity and dynamism, along with the presence of a
strong digital sector, a highly competitive software development
environment, and being one of the biggest industrial digital
clusters in Europe, make Barcelona the perfect candidate for the
European Medicines Agency, combining a dynamic, complex and
diversified economy with a city that evolves around the
progression of its leading ICT ecosystem.
Regarding the ICT industry itself, this activity accounted for 7.4% of
Barcelonas GDP and accounts for 10% of jobs created during
2016. Furthermore, since 2016, international investors are also
aware of the importance of this industry in Barcelona, given that
16% of all foreign direct investment projects in the Barcelona Area
were ICT related.
The city has a prominent ICT sector with more than 2,500 ICT
companies, fostering an ecosystem that facilitates competition,
cooperation, exchange of information and the innovation
necessary for Barcelona to rise up the ICT competitiveness
rankings.
The sector will help the Agency to continue its activities efficiently
as it is a sector constantly seeking new and innovative solutions for
companies and society; information management and technology
have become an inherent part of the Agencys mission to promote
and protect public and animal health, but also to consolidate its
leading role in the field of authorizing, maintaining and supervising
medicines for human and veterinary use. Therefore, being part of
this hub in Barcelona will benefit the Agency in multiple fields such
as improved procedures, big data analysis, medicine and
veterinary approvals.

55,000+ tech companies operating in Spain

12,800 of them operating in Catalonia

84,600+ ICT professionals in Catalonia

14,650 million in global turnover

There are about 12,800 IT companies operating in the city, which

accounts for 23% of all IT companies in Spain. The global turnover
of the sector is 14,650 M. These companies include software and
hardware developers, Data Centres, telecom equipment
companies, tech services, technology consulting companies and
dynamic and innovative start-ups.

The leadership of Barcelona in the field of technology has fostered

the presence of top international companies that have established
their IT based shared services in the city.

Barcelonas Collserola Tower

120
 A clear example of the value that public institutions can add is the
2,500 7.4% recently adopted National Agreement for a Digital Society
reached by the Government of Catalonia, aimed at the
ICT companies of Barcelonas GDP
coordination of the efforts of all public administrations to face the
in Barcelona. It is one of the ICT sector is the 3rd challenges and leverage advantages of technology. Specifically
the most important ICT largest industry in regarding the health sector, TIC SALUT, an Agency within the
hubs in Europe Barcelona in economic health department, was created to promote the development
activity and use of technology in the health field.
It has been promoting, for 11 years, the development and use of
10% 16 % ICT in the health sector, with 138 ICT and health experiences
registered and 216 apps.
of 2016 job vacancies of Barcelonas 2016
were created in the ICT direct foreign
sector investment projects
the ICT sector is one of foreign investors are The Spanish public administration
the leaders boosting
employment rate
trusting Barcelonas ICT
sector
understands the importance of ICT
and has promoted a large number of
Source: Barcelona City Council public initiatives to foster technology
and innovative practices
The public administration will also seek to guarantee the
continuity of the business. The multiple alternatives and services
promoted by public administrations in recent years have helped
Furthermore, Barcelona also has an iconic public initiative called
to position Barcelona in the top league and now, the European Barcelona Supercomputing Centre - Centro Nacional de
Medicines Agency will not be an exception. Supercomputacin (BSC-CNS) which is the national
supercomputing centre in Spain. It specializes in high
performance computing (HPC) and manages MareNostrum, one
of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe, located in the
Torre Girona chapel.
BSC is at the service of the international scientific community and
of industry that requires HPC resources. Its multidisciplinary
research team and its computational facilities, including
MareNostrum, make BSC an international centre of excellence in
e-Science.
With a total staff of more than 500 R&D experts and
professionals, BSC has been successful in attracting talent, and
its research focuses on four fields: Computer Sciences, Life
Sciences, Earth Sciences and Computer Applications in Science
and Engineering.
Most of BSC's lines of research are developed within the
framework of European Union research funding programmes,
and the centre also carries out basic and applied research in
collaboration with leading companies. The quality of its research
has been recognized by the Spanish government with the Severo
Ochoa Excellence Centre grant for cutting-edge Spanish science.
It is, therefore, a powerful asset that reinforces Barcelonas
candidacy as it is an opportunity for the institution and the
European Medicines Agency to work in collaboration and
contribute to enhance their business.
There is no doubt that Barcelona and its ICT sector will enhance
the work and impact of the European Medicines Agency.

121
 Telecommunication Network
Assuring connectivity for the European Medicines Agency

Barcelona has a reliable and broad range of telecommunication facilities, such as high speed internet and full 3G, 4G and 4G+ coverage,
that will ease the work of the European Medicines Agency. Additionally, more than 80% of all households in the Barcelona metropolitan
area are connected through Fibre to the Home (FTTH) fibre connection, a percentage that keeps increasing year on year and which will
benefit EMA professionals.

Spain has a high degree of fixed broadband internet coverage. It

stands out as the European Union country with the highest Overall internet speed by country (Mbps)
penetration of broadband. The speed of the fixed internet network
in Spain is in line with the average of other countries. This
assumption is based on the percentage of households with a
capacity of at least 30 Mbps. The average of countries in the
following chart is 83%.

Spain offers high quality mobile coverage, and good data rates; it is
among the countries with the highest 3G and 4G mobile
coverage. The map shows how Spain belongs to the group of
countries with a degree of coverage of 3G and 4G superior to 90%
of mobile phones. Similarly, the 3G / 4G data rate in Spain is
situated in the upper-middle area when compared to all European
countries (see maps to the right).

Internet coverage
% of homes with internet connection by type

FTTH Cable VDSL

41.34 2.17
98%
Spain 62%
8%

0% 3G & 4G Availability (%)

Belgium 96%
91%

93%
Portugal 87%
0%

32%
Netherlands 92%
85%

7%
Austria 41%
85%

5%
Ireland 45%
81%

5%
Germany 67%
61%

62%
Sweden 44%
22%

58%
Denmark 61%
53%

11%
Italy 0%
54%

33%
France 6%
18%

98.54 36.5
Source: ETNO European Telecommunications
Network Operators Association
Source: OpenSignal

122
European Big Data hubs
Barcelona and its surroundings are developing a 4.0 industry
sector based on Big Data. Due to this heavy investment in the
promotion of Big Data, a growing number of companies choose
Barcelona as one of Big Data's global centres.
Number of Big Data hubs by country
13
12 48 10
55
11
12
57
10
Source: Barcelona City Council
The map above shows the leadership Barcelona presents in terms
of the number of Big Data companies based in the city. This is a
result of many factors, such as professional availability and
knowledge, the quality of life and its powerful tech environment,
that induce companies to set up here.
The image of the city is also strenthened by The Big Data CoE
Barcelona, which is a centre created by Eurecat Tech Centre and
the local government to promote and develop Big Data tools as
well as the adoption of new trends.
This hub will also create value for the Agency as it is one of the
most innovative sectors and collaborates with sectors such as the
pharmaceutical, veterinary and biomedical industries.
Catalonia produces 1% of the worlds
scientific output, with 0.11% of the
worlds population.
Barcelona, a city that boosts innovation
According to Start-up Heatmap Europe, an initiative that maps the
attractiveness of start-up hubs in Europe, Barcelona ranks fifth
among other European regions. The existence of an active and
innovative environment has an impact on the pharmaceutical
sector. There are several highly technological companies that
provide innovative solutions here in Barcelona. In fact, 24.4% of all
Spanish start-ups are in Barcelona with a global revenue of 1.3 B.
56% of the investment in start-ups made in Spain goes to
Barcelona-based companies.
The fact that Barcelona is one of the most innovative cities in
Southern Europe is in part due to the multicultural friendly
environment but also the multiple actors supporting
entrepreneurship, such as Barcelona Activa, which has been
actively guiding start-ups for more than thirty years. The Agency
provides technical support to entrepreneurs for the completion of
their projects. Additionally, there are several private initiatives that
act as accelerators of highly innovative companies, such as
StartbootCamp and mVenturesBCN. The first is an international
initiative, focused on supporting early-stage tech founders to
rapidly scale up their companies. In Barcelona they focus on the
Internet of Things and Data Tech. mVenturesBCN is an initiative of
the Mobile World Capital, with the support of public and private
institutions, focused on empowering start-ups to boost the digital
transformation of society.
The dynamism and complexity of the IT sector in Barcelona is also
proven by the existence of several IT business associations, such as
ASEITEC, the Business Association of Computer and
Communication Technologies of Catalonia, which brings together
companies and telecommunications. Moreover, Barcelona has an
entire district to host technological companies, the 22@ district.
The presence of relevant IT start-ups guarantees the possibility for
companies and institutions to have access to all the value chain of
IT products and services.
Barcelona is considered to be one of
the most attractive cities for start-ups,
ranking fifth in Start-Up Heatmap
Europe
123
 Talent Availability Knowledge
ICT professionals Research and biomedicine professionals

Barcelona has become a global benchmark for innovation. It is the Spains major science laboratory is Catalonia, with over 1.52% of
third city in Europe in terms of attracting ICT investment. There GDP going to R&D. Its output is a quarter of the nations total, and
are more than 2,500 ICT sector companies, 210 technological nearly 1% of world production - on a par with Finland and Scotland.
parks and technology research centres, and 9 international Nature magazine recognized its significant contribution in fields like
benchmark science facilities. medical research. In fact, six of Spains leading clinical research
units are in the region.
Barcelona has the talent, infrastructure and framework to
generate new business. With more than 51.000 ICT professionals, The healthcare and life sciences boast 41 research centres and 780
Barcelona is the 5th European region in number of ICT workers research groups. The 41 research centres working in the
behind Stuttgart, Lombardy, Munich and Istanbul. biosciences and related fields have a joint total of more than
10,000 people on staff, 5,660 of whom are researchers. Some of
these centres are global leaders in their fields: examples include
51,000+ 15,000+ genomics, with the CRG (ranked 9th among global biomedical
centres), and photonics, with the ICFO (best institution in the world
ICT workers ICT related students in physics).
Barcelona is one of the among them are
European hubs for computer engineers,
available ICT workers telecommunications or
AV systems

5th 5,900+ 12

European Region in new engineers

number of ICT workers annually
only surpassed by the university
Stuttgart, Lombardy, network produces
Munich and highly qualified
Istanbul. professionals

13,469
students involved in technology related 01
traineeships
apart from computer science engineers
and graduates, there are a large number
of highly prepared professionals

Source: Barcelona City Council

02
There are highly prepared new professionals entering into the
market every year in the Barcelona metropolitan area: more than
15,000 ICT related students (computer engineers, 03
telecommunications or AV systems), and more than 5,900 of
04
these students graduate in the region annually.

Spanish engineers are one of the most in-demand professional

groups in Europe because of their technical competency and
competitive salaries.

The average salary of an IT specialist in Barcelona is 30,000 ,

48,400 for an IT manager position or 31,000 for software
engineers compared to an average software salary of 35,000 in
UK or the 38,000 in the Netherlands.

Barcelona also has a dynamic ICT job market, as more than

13,000 new traineeships are started annually in the city and the
number of ICT companies has been constantly growing since
2008.

124
 Barcelona has leading science parks linked to prestigious
universities and medical facilities, such as Barcelona Science Park
(PCB), Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (BBRP), UAB Research
Park (PRUAB), and August Pi i Sunyer Institute for Biomedical
Research (IDIBAPS).
In order to coordinate all these institutions and promote
innovation and research results, the BioRegion was created. It is a
pioneering initiative to bring together the interests of all
stakeholders in the biotechnology sector (administration,
universities and companies) to make Catalonia an international
benchmark in the biomedicine and biotechnology sectors.
14 top rated biomedical research
centres that consolidate Barcelona
as a leader in the sector
With 1.2% of the population of the
European Research Area, the region
has captured 3.3% of the grants
awarded by the European Research
Council
The BioRegion of Catalonia has set itself the objective of
contributing to economic and social development via the
promotion of the strategic biotechnology sector, which is
considered not just a means to increasing knowledge but also as
motor for the economy. To reach this objective, the BioRegion is
coordinating biomedical and biotechnological research in
Catalonia in order to create an adequate environment for the
transfer of knowledge and technology, to contribute globally to the
development and commercialisation of innovative biotechnological
products, and to consolidate a powerful business sector.

The New Biomedical Map of Barcelona

13 14
01 Bioengineering Institute of Catalonia 08 Centre for Genomics Regulation (CRG)
(IBEC) Research line: Investigates the working of
Research line: Production of artificial biological human genetic code
tissues and disease diagnosis kits Researchers: 190
Researchers: 30

02 Barcelona Science Park 09 Centre of Research into

Research line: Research for consolidated
pharmaceutical companies and the stimulation
of new companies in the biomedicine field
Researchers: 1,100
05
03 Institute of Biomedical Research
Research line: Prioritises cancer, diabetes, and
re-emerging infectious diseases like malaria and
tuberculosis
Researchers: 290
Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL)
Research line: Investigates the influence of
environmental factors on the risk of becoming ill
Researchers: 30
10 Barcelona Centre for Regenerative
Medicine
Research line: Investigates the development
patterns of human tissues from mother cells
Researchers: 26

04 August Pi Sunyer Biomedical Research

Institute (IDIBAPS)
Research line: Investigates the causes and
treatment of illnesses for which laboratory
research can bring benefits to patients
Researchers: 350
11 Institute of Predictive and
Personalised Medical Research
Research line: It will investigate the influence of
genetic codes in the risk of becoming ill
Researchers: 40

05 Vall dHebron Research Institute

11 Research line: Investigates neurosciences, 12 Research Centre of Animal Healthcare
cardiovascular diseases and cancer (CRESA)
06 Researchers: 390 Research line: Investigates infectious diseases
found in farm animals
Researchers: 42
06 Catalan Institute of Cardiovascular
Sciences
Research line: Investigates cardiovascular 13 Agrigenomics Research Centre
illnesses and their treatment Research line: Investigates the improvement of
Researchers: 60
07 agriculture and livestock techniques

07 Biomedical Research Park of

08 09 10 Barcelona 14 Centre of Animal Biotechnology and
Research line: By the CMRB and the CRG, it also Gene Therapy
plays host to researchers of the Pompeu Fabra Research line: Investigates metabolic illnesses
University and Municipal Institute of Medical like diabetes and obesity from animal
Investigation transgenetics and investigates new treatments
Researchers: 850 (including those at CREAL, based on genetic therapy
CRG, and CMRG) Researchers: 70

125
 The BioRegion is already showing results:

Between 1992 and 2016, 111 life scinces spin-offs

were created, 95 of which are still active (2016).

The region contributes 3.15% of all European

scientific production in the health and life
sciences, 1% of all global scientific production.

41 research centres (32 of which are CERCA centres),

18 university hospitals, 12 universities that offer
life sciences degrees; 3 large science facilities, 7
technology centres and 14 science and
technology parks with activity in the life sciences.

With 1.2% of the population of the European Research

Area, the region has captured 3.3% of the grants
awarded by the European Research Council (ERC),
35% of which go to life sciences.

2% of companies in the BioRegion are SMEs. In

recent years the number of micro-companies has
increased considerably due to the creation of start-ups
in the field of life sciences and health.

The 12 Catalan universities that offer health and life

sciences degrees graduate 5,500 students each
year. Three of these universities (UAB, UPF and UB)
are among the top 200 in the world (Times Higher
Education ranking, 2015).

Barcelona has unique capacities in genomics and

structural biology and stands out in areas like
medical chemistry, nanomedicine, omic sciences,
bioinformatics and big data.

The main therapeutic areas in which biotech and

pharma companies work are cancer (often focusing
on rare diseases) and neoplasms, dermatology,
infectious diseases, and diseases of the nervous
system and the respiratory system.

In terms of medical technology, their main areas of

activity are producing reusable instruments, dental
devices and electromagnettic devices.

Therefore, due to its high availability of professionals, research

institutions and their aligned coordination with the public
institutions, Barcelona is considered one of the most important
hubs in terms of biomedicine, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
in Europe and worldwide.
Hence, it is the perfect candidate to host an Agency which aims to
foster scientific excellence in the evaluation and supervision of
medicines, for the benefit of public and animal health in the
European Union.

126
Sincrotrn Alba

127
 5.5 Timeline
Overview of the Relocation Plan
The following timeline is an initial proposal for the transfer relocation plan of the European Medicines Agency, which will be detailed by the
joint workgroups of EMA and the Spanish Administration once the decision of the new location is taken, and discussed and approved in the
Steering Group.

2017 20
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J

Decision over EMA new location

milestone
Transfer

Steering Group creation

s

Monthly Steering Group Meeting

AEMPS activities to support

SELECTION O
Selection of new professionals SELECTION OF 40 PROFESSIONALS 40 new people
daily operations of EMA

PROFESSION

Public call for experts

Staff restructure

Training new staff

AEMPS assuming EMA tasks

Rental agreement

Building adaptation
Building transfer

operations

Relocation and moving support activities

Support in the selection of new

services and goods providers
Procurement and ICT

Backup Data centre migration

transfer

Procurement and IT transition

support activities
staff and
Landing

families
for the

PRE TRANSFER

128
 Timeline Highlights
Overview of the key elements of the initial calendar

The national, regional and local administrations of Spain are committed to guaranteeing the start of the building adaptations, the day after
Barcelonas election.
The Spanish Medicines Agency will hire 160 new employees to support EMAs daily operations during the relocation process
The Spanish Administration will support EMA in the selection and transition to new services and goods providers, guaranteeing services
during relocation.
The Landing Office services will ensure a smooth and seamless transition for all EMA employees.

018 2019
Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

The EMA relocation is complete

OF 40
40 new people SELECTION OF 60 PROFESSIONALS 60 new people
NALS

Testing and kick off of the building

Functional units visit to the new building

Moving to the new building: Torre Glories

Main Data centre migration

EMA Help Desk support

LANDING INTEGRATION

129
130
 6
European
Agencies
Spread
Geographical
distribution and
effective
management

The European Council at its December 2003

meeting looked at the locating of the offices and
decentralized agencies of the EU.

In the conclusions of the Council, in the context of

the planned incorporation of new member states,
it was decided to take into account geographical
spread, among other factors, when locating the
future headquarters of new offices or agencies.

Giving priority to the newly acceded states for

hosting these decentralised units was confirmed
in 2008 and has been included as one of the
criteria to be assessed in the procedure
established to decide on the relocation of the EMA
and EBA in the context of the withdrawal of the
United Kingdom from the EU.

Pedrera 131
 6.1 European Agencies Spread
Spains relocation commitment

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralized Agency that has been in operation for over 25 years. During this time, the EMA
has gained prestige as an entity for the regulation of medicinal products in active collaboration with other international agencies.

The EMA supports pharmaceutical innovation and ensures that European citizens have access to effective and safe medicines as soon as
possible.

Given the importance of the Agencys work, it is crucial to ensure that a climate of trust is created in order to facilitate the authorization of
medicines and supervise their safety, whilst maintaining efficacy.

Our candidacy for EMA relocation in Barcelona

EXPERIENCE IN AGENCY MANAGEMENT

3 of the 34 EU decentralised agencies were successfully located in Spain in 2017. As

such, Spain has proven experience in the management of these agencies. These
agencies are the EU-OSHA (Occupational Safety Agency) located in Bilbao, EFCA
(European Fisheries Control Agency) located in Vigo and EUIPO (the European
Intellectual Property Office) located in Alicante. All have been successfully established in
each location.

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Spain ratifies its commitment to the criterion of geographical spread for the location of
European Agencies and Organisations that may be created in the future.

CONTINUITY OF THE ACTIVITY WITH A SMOOTH TRANSITION

The absolute priority must be to ensure the continuity of the Agency's activities and the
continued health protection of all European citizens. In the case of relocation of an
Agency with many years of experience, Spain considers it fundamental to maintain the
continuity of the activity, offering a smooth transition to ensure maximum levels of
efficiency.

ARRANGED FACILITIES & SERVICES

Additionally, the EMA should be operational in its new location on the date of withdrawal
by the UK. For this reason it has been set out in this document that the Spanish
proposal for the relocation of the EMA will be both on schedule, and also, fully capable
of retaining the current staff at the London headquarters (talent retention).

ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT

Furthermore, we offer conditions that are attractive to both work and social
environments. Finally, our proposal recognises the importance of ensuring easy mobility
for those experts that are required to periodically relocate to the Agency in order to
develop their activities normally.

132
Barcelona skyline

133
134
 7
Leading the
Way in R&D
and Pharma
One of the key
sectors of the
Spanish economy

Research and development in Spain are built on a

solid foundation, designed and promoted by public
administrations through infrastructure, research
centres and support services.

Universities and businesses also play an important

role in the success of Spanish R&D. Thanks to their
efforts, our country is now recognised across the
globe as a benchmark in sectors such as medical
research, clean energy, intelligent infrastructure, bio
and health technologies, molecular biology,
biochemistry, industrial technologies, information
and communication technologies, aeronautic and
space research, and naval technology.

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the key

sectors of the Spanish economy, both because of its
innovative character and its R&D investment
capacity (over 590M a year), as well as for the
employment that it creates.

135
Parc de Recerca Biomdica de Barcelona (PRBB)
 7
7.1 | Leading the Way in R&D

7.2 | Cutting-Edge Research

7.3 | Pharmaceutical Hub

7.4 | Robust Science Bionetwork

136
 1 Cutting-edge research
Research community
Solid foundation, designed and
promoted by Public Administrations 2 A pharmaceutical hub

through infrastructure, research

centres and support services.
3 Robust science bio-network

30%
increase
R&D leadership in number of clinical trials
between 2005 and 2016
A powerful, cohesive and productive
research network that is driven by
its leading position in clinical and
3rd
ranked European country
biomedical research in number of clinical trials
1st
European country
to pass national legislation
on clinical trials
1st
ranked country in clinical
trials with advanced
therapy medicinal
products

Solid pharmaceutical
industry 13,000M+ 70%
The biggest industrial sector in the pharmaceutical increase
Spanish economy, based both on production in the pharma industry in
medicines for human and for Spain over the past 10
years
veterinary use

Scientific network
A city with a well-established
scientific community of global
relevance
41 90
research centres institutions for scientific
specialising in biomedicine research in biomedicine and
and health sciences health sciences in Spain
9 14
hospital research science and technology parks
institutes dedicated to biomedicine, life
sciences and health.

137
 7.1 Leading the Way in R&D and Pharma
Barcelona: a biomedical research hub

Spain has a powerful, cohesive and productive research network that is driven by its leading position in clinical and biomedical research. At
the core of this network is Barcelona, which is recognized as the main biomedical research hub in Southern Europe.

Spains pharmaceutical production industry is among the top in Europe for both human and animal medicines, with the Spanish veterinary
sector ranking 3rd in the EU-27. Moreover, the Spanish pharmaceutical market is the 6th largest on the continent in terms of direct
employment generation in the sector. 136 pharmaceutical companies are based in Catalonia, representing almost 40% of the national total.

The scientific community living in Barcelona is well established and of global relevance. It makes highly active contributions to industry
research and boosts the citys international scientific activity.

Spain: a leader in research

R&D overview
1 Biomedical research overview

Spain: a leader in clinical research

Spain is one of the leading countries for research both at the
European level and worldwide. Its position is supported not only
by the numbers of personnel dedicated to research in the Barcelona: the main hub of biomedical research in
country, but also by its levels of scientific production and its Southern Europe
capacity to attract competitive public funding.

A solid pharmaceutical industry

Pharma and biotech industry

2 Veterinary medicines industry

Catalonia as an industrial pharmaceutical hub

The pharmaceutical industry is the biggest industrial sector in
the Spanish economy in terms of Gross Added Value per
employee. The veterinary medicines industry is strategic for
Spain due to its importance for environmental protection policy
and the public health system.

An integrated system from research to consumption

Scientific network
3 A city with a well-established scientific community of
global relevance

A scientific hub that attracts scientific communication

Spain has an integral vision of the life cycle of the medicines it and media
produces, which is reflected in its commitment to the medicine
production process from start to finish. Barcelona has become, in
recent years, a very important scientific hub thanks to Spains
ongoing commitment to science and technology.

138
Pompeu Fabra University 139
 7.2 Cutting-Edge Research
R&D overview

Spain is one of the leading countries for research both at European level and worldwide in terms of scientific knowledge production and
R&D personnel

Spain: a leader in research Spain is among the worlds top 10 countries for scientific output.
A powerful, cohesive and productive research network Much of this efforts is concentrated in the medical field, where
there has been a spectacular increase in production, growing from
8,526 documents published in 1996 to 24,084 in 2015.

Spain is one of the leading countries for research both at the Evolution of production in the area of
European level and worldwide. Its position is supported not only by
the numbers of personnel dedicated to research in the country, Medicine in Spain (N of docs)
but also by its rate of scientific production and its capacity to 30,000
30.000
attract competitive public funding.
25,000
25.000
Over 200,000 professionals are dedicated to the field of R&D in 20.000
Spain, 23% of whom are located in Catalonia. 122,000 of Spanish 20,000
professionals work in the creation of new knowledge, products, 15.000
15,000
processes, methods and systems and in the management of the 10.000
respective projects. 27,000 of these are located in Catalonia. These 5,000
5.000
figures include postgraduate students who carry out R&D activities.
00
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Total staff in R&D Source : Scimago Journal & Country Rank, 1996-2015

Germany 549,283 Spain is also among the countries that have received most funding
United Kingdom 466,689 from the EUs Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research
France 366,299
and Innovation. To date, it has received more than 10% of the total
funds awarded and has yielded the 4th biggest return on
Spain 208,767
investment.
Italy 163,925
In terms of leadership, Spain has been steadily increasing its
Netherlands 110,536
position in the European Framework Programmes for Research,
Poland 109,611 taking on the leadership of 15% of initiatives in the Eighth
Sweden 101,820 Framework Programme, compared with 11% in the Seventh.
Portugal 78,290 Furthermore, Spain is now second in the list of countries that lead
Austria 71,448 most initiatives in the area of health. 37% of the funding for these
initiatives goes to Catalonia.
Total researchers by country
Return by country and leadership in SC1 initiatives
Germany 351,923 in Horizon 2020
United Kingdom 276,584
Country Rate
France 268,422 United Kingdom 16.31 %
Spain 122,235 Spain 12.97 %
Italy 118,183
Germany 12.13 %
Netherlands 10.25 %
Poland 78,622
Italy 8.57 %
Netherlands 76,229 France 8.16 %
Sweden 66,643
Source: E-Corda. December 2016
Belgium 46,880

Austria 41,595

140
Biomedical Research Overview
An important research network
Development of biomedical research in Spain involves a high level
of collaboration and coordination, both between different types of
organisation (e.g. universities and healthcare centres) and across
the public and private sectors.
This collaboration often takes the form of networks, such as the
Accredited Health Research Institutes, and cooperative structures,
such as CIBER (Biomedical Research Centres Network), Thematic
Networks (RETICS) and Platforms, all of which are funded by the
Carlos III Health Institute, the main public research body in Spain.
Those dedicated to animal health are:
CISA - Centre for Animal Health Research at the National
Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology
(INIA)
Jess Usn Minimal Invasion Centre and the Centre for
Veterinary Sanitary Surveillance (VISAVET).
The Spanish animal health industry also has the Vet+i platform,
which is a multidisciplinary forum that integrates all public and
private agents working in the field.
This platforms bring together more than 340 organisations and a
significant number of relevant experts from different areas, many
of whom are part of the EMA experts network.

29
Accredited Health Research
Institutes
7 in Catalonia; 6 of which are in Barcelona
6,000 researchers in Barcelona

90
Institutions that form the
biomedical research
consortium (CIBER)
28 of which are in Catalonia

14
RETICS - Thematic networks for
cooperative health research
294 research groups
In terms of facilities, Spain has a network of Unique Scientific
2,800 researchers
Infrastructures and Techniques, which are dedicated to cutting-
750 researchers in Catalonia edge research.
Among them are the following:
NANBIOSIS - Integrated Infrastructure of Production and

4
Research support platforms
154 units
1,500 professionals
41 units and 300 professionals in Catalonia
Spain has many internationally renowned centres that perform
leading research in the fields of human and animal health.
The following are the main research centres in Spain that are
dedicated to the field of human health:
CNIC - National Centre for Cardiological Research
CNIO - National Centre for Cancer Research
CNB - National Centre for Biotechnology
Characterisation of Nanomaterials, Biomaterials and Systems in
Biomedicine.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory, located in the
Barcelona Science Park.
Infrastructure of Omic Technologies, made up of the Genomics
Platform of the National Centre of Genomic Analysis (CNAG)
and the Metabolomics Platform of the Centre of Omic Sciences
of the Rovira i Virgili University.
Integrated Biomedical Imaging Infrastructure, in which the
National Centre for Cardiological Research (CNIC) and the
Cooperative Research Centre for Biomaterials (CIC-
BIOMAGUNE) are participating.
In the field of animal health, the High Biological Safety Laboratories
(RLASB) network offers the national and international scientific
community facilities for general public use (open access),
biocontainment laboratories with P3 level biosafety, and housing
facilities for large animals, with maximum levels of biological
security.

141
 Spain: a leader in clinical research
Third in the EU for number of clinical trials
In the 2005 to 2016 period, Spain carried out the 3rd highest
number of clinical trials in the European Union that resulted in the
authorisation of medicinal products for human use.
These statistics bolster the attractiveness of Spain and Catalonia
for this type of research.
As a region, Catalonia plays a leading role in clinical trials,
accounting for 22.5% of participating centres, 36.9% of
researchers and 22.5% of patients, according to Profarma.
The centres with the largest participation rates in clinical trials of
medicinal products for human use are located in Barcelona and its
metropolitan area. These are:
Percentage of clinical trials carried out in
Catalonia
Hospital Rate

Vall d'Hebron University Hospital 46.5%

Clinical trials (2005-2016)
Clinic Provincial Hospital 36%
30.000
Santa Creu i Sant Pau Hospital 20.7%
25.000
Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital 18%
20.000
Hospital del Mar 16.5%
15.000
Bellvitge Hospital 15.5%
10.000 Source: Profarma

5.000
The number of clinical trials authorised in Spain has grown by
around 30% in the period between 2005-2016, compared with a
0
decrease of around 40% in the European Union in the same
Source: EudraCT period.
The amount of authorised clinical trials carried out in Spain as a
Within Spain, Catalonia and Madrid are the regions where most percentage of the EU total also grew over this period, from 20% in
clinical trials take place. According to the Spanish Registry of 2005 to 30% in 2016.
Clinical Studies, there is at least one Catalan centre participating in
78% of the authorised trials in Spain.
Furthermore, in almost all clinical trials in which Catalan centres In Spain, pharmaceutical industry
are involved, one centre is located in the city of Barcelona. investment in clinical research has
increased by 66%; growing from 299
Authorised clinical trials of medicinal products for
human use (2005-2016)
million to 495 million between
2005 and 2015.
900 5,000
5.000

4,500
4.500
800
4,000
4.000
700
3,500
3.500

600 3,000
3.000

2,500
2.500
500
2,000
2.000
400
1,500
1.500

300 1,000
1.000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
EU Spain
Source: EudraCT y Report of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Sanitary Products

142
High added-value in clinical investigations
In addition to an increasing number of clinical trials and industry
leadership in the area, clinical research in Spain is of high value.
Spain is a world leader in clinical trials of advanced therapy
medicines.
Requests for early-stage clinical trials, which generate the highest
added value, have grown in Spain by 16% in the last year.
Although early-stage clinical trials in the EU have decreased by 13%
in the last 5 years, in Spain the figures are reversed, with
performance of these trials increasing by around 33% in the same
period.
The upward trend continues in spending. In 2005, pharmaceutical
companies spent 25.6% of total clinical trial spending on the initial
clinical phases, which has grown to 36.5% in 2015.
Spain is 4th in the European Union for
The reason for this is to aid knowledge generation in under-
researched areas. For example, there are several areas of
therapeutic research which as yet are relatively unexplored, but
which (if investigated) would greatly contribute to the improvement
of clinical practices and knowledge of the use of medicines, which
in turn would create important health and social benefits.
Spains Clinical Trials Platform provides services for this type of
research through 29 institutions, 6 of which are in Catalonia. The
new legislation also helps in this regard, as it has introduced
advantages for non-commercial researchers conducting clinical
trials with medicines.
Spain is one of the leading countries for
veterinary clinical trials
In the field of veterinary medicines, Spain is one of the countries of
choice for conducting clinical trials. This is due, on the one hand, to
the great diversity of livestock species, and, on the other, to the
fact that it is one of the few countries that specifically legislates on
these procedures and where protocols are evaluated to ensure
compliance with best clinical practice. .

number of paediatric clinical trials.

Most of the clinical trials authorised in
Spain are multicentre and
multinational

Spain was the first country in Europe to adapt to

the new EU regulation on clinical trials

Spain was the first European country to adapt its clinical trial
legislation to EU Regulation No 536/2014 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on clinical trials of medicinal
products for human use.
Royal Decree 1090/2015 adapts Spanish legal structures to
incorporate the evaluation procedure that will apply once the
Regulation is fully implemented. The Decree also regulates the
Committees of Ethics of the Investigation of medicines and the
Spanish Registry of Clinical Studies.
This legislation has made it possible to implement a harmonised
assessment by the competent authority and the Ethics
Committees; involve national, regional and local research
structures; and, in the first year of application, reduce the starting
time for clinical trials in Spain by more than 30 days, which
represents 20% of the total term.

Promoting knowledge generation through non-

commercial clinical research

All research is given the same level of importance, independent of

whether it is performed by cooperative groups, scientific societies
or hospitals.
The scientific community has expressed a need to encourage the
performance of clinical trials by independent sponsors.

143
 Barcelona: the main hub of biomedical research
in Southern Europe
Attracting scientific talent from health and R&D
institutions
As a result of the policies of the various administrations, systematic
action has been taken in the Barcelona area to attract scientific
talent from a number of health and R&D institutions, which has
created a research network called CERCA (Centres de Recerca de
Catalunya).
This network is characterised by its vision and values, namely:
dynamism in management; autonomy in decision-making;
attraction of research talent; ambition for excellence; and periodic
evaluations at institutional level as tools for improvement and
accountability.
Together, these centres are the main recipients of Horizon2020
funding, obtaining 159 grants in the last 5 years.
CERCA centres make up the majority of the Centres of Excellence
in Spain an accreditation awarded through the Severo Ochoa
Programme, which is managed by the Spanish Secretary of State
for R&D&I.
In most centres, the percentage of publication in the first quartile
is above 70%. Moreover, 26 centres have already obtained HRS4R
recognition from the European-Euraxess Commission for the
management of their human resources in R&D.
20 of the CERCA centres work directly in biomedical disciplines and
have created 80 spin-off companies in recent years.
These companies bill approximately 90 million per year to the
private sector; an important part of which corresponds to clinical
trials.
In addition, Barcelona hosts three major scientific installations, all
of which have remarkable potential and impact on both the
development of health sciences and the manufacture of new
medicines. These are:
BSC (Barcelona Supercomputing Centre)
One of the largest supercomputers in Europe. It serves the
research community and develops programs to support
biomedicine in big data, bioinformatics, genomics, and molecular
modelling, among others.
ALBA Synchrotron
The ALBA particle accelerator is one of the most important physics
research structures in Southern Europe. Work is carried out on a
large number of projects in the area of biomedicine, especially in
the field of medical imaging. The accelerator brings to the analysis
of materials the use of techniques that allow the characterisation
of structural properties, as well as chemical, electronic and
magnetic properties.
CNAG, National Centre for Genomic Analysis
This advanced sequencing centre, operated within the framework
of the Genomic Regulation Centre (CRG), carries out important
genomic projects by obtaining sequences which are analysed and
qualified by first level professionals.
144
The most outstanding of Barcelonas contributions to biomedical
research is the diversity of the projects managed in the city, and
the unique initiatives they develop. Among the most noteworthy of
these are:
1. The headquarters of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory
(EMBL) in Barcelona, within the Genomic Regulation Centre
(CRG)
An investment of around 16 million is planned in the coming
years.
CRG and EMBL have been collaborating intensively since the
creation of the "Joint Research Unit CRG-EMBL" in 2006.
The new subset will welcome between 6 and 8 research groups
and their administrative staff.
The scientific objectives will focus on the development of tissue
biology and disease modelling, which will both contribute to the
advancement of technologies in the area of health.
2. Philanthropy and biomedical research
Among the main contributing institutions are La Caixa
foundation, the CELLEX foundation, the Pascual Maragall
foundation and the Josep Carreras foundation.
3. Promotion of the health campus in the Vall d'Hebron University
Hospital by the Government of Catalonia
4. Construction of the Centre for Comparative Medicine (CMC) by
the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) in Badalona.
This unique facility will allow biomedical research on large-sized
animals, dissection in specially-equipped operating rooms, and
bio-imaging analysis.
5. Multidisciplinary research in environmental management
The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the
UAB (ICTA) is a centre of reference for environmental studies in
Europe. This is because, within its studies on the environmental
impact on peoples health and sustainable living, it adopts an
international outlook, applies a multidisciplinary approach and
encourages interaction with stakeholders.
6. Collaboration in prestigious international networks
The CRG is a member of the small group of EU-LIFE centres of
excellence, made up of the VIB, Institut Curie, MDC, IEO, VRIC
and IMF, among others.
7. The commitment of Catalan researchers to an international
dimension
An innovative city
Barcelona is one of the 10 European
Barcelona is ranked 9th among the top 60 cities for innovative
start-ups. innovation capitals, and is particularly
One of the citys initiatives is TECH CITY. This is the fifth largest
strong in biomedicine and ICT
platform in Europes tech ecosystem, grouping 450 start-ups which
employ more than 15,000 professionals and bill more than 6,000
million.
Capital invested in innovative companies
The city is also recognised as being one of the 10 European (M) 8.8
innovation capitals, whose tech activity is at the forefront in the
fields of biomedicine and information and communication
technologies (ICT).

1
Between 2013 and 2016, Barcelona saw the creation of 175
companies in the field of biomedicine and health sciences. 95 of
these are spin-off companies generated by hospitals and research 93
centres. 3.6
57.5
8
This innovative environment has been able to attract increasingly 4.3 4.3
29.5
3.4
substantial investment to the city from national and international 13.6 10.6 11.2
10.8 10.8 10.6
investment funds over recent years, as well as from the Alternative
Stock Market (MAB). 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
MAB Direct Investment
Barcelona also has a wide range of co-working spaces, as well as
company incubators and accelerators, which business projects can Capital raised by companies legally established within the
use to mature their business models and make their activity more BioRegion (thus it does not include Palobiopharma nor
attractive to investment funds. Sanifit) MAB: Spanish sub-market for smaller, growing
companies.
The roles of BIOCAT and Barcelona Activa are key to the citys Source: Biocat Directory (February 2017)
innovative status, as these organisations are responsible for
facilitating the transfer of knowledge from the public to the private
sector, and boosting the growth of highly innovative business
projects.

145
 7.3 A Pharmaceutical Hub
Pharma and biotech industry

The pharmaceutical industry is the biggest industrial sector in the Spanish economy in terms of Gross Added Value per employee.
The veterinary medicines industry is strategic for Spain due to its importance for environmental protection policy and the public health
system.

A solid pharmaceutical industry Pharmaceutical market size 2016 (M)

Spanish pharmaceutical industry: producing medicine for
human use Country Millions of
Germany 29,150
France 27,366
Spain is home to 26 of the worlds 30 largest pharmaceutical Italy 21,538
companies according to the Forbes ranking. Of these 30 United Kingdom 18,908
companies, the top 6 have a clear commitment to Spain as they
Spain 14,124
have at least one production centre or research centre operating
Turkey 6,715
in the country.
Poland 5,246
Spain is the 6th largest market on the continent in terms of direct Netherlands 4,560
employment generation in the pharmaceutical sector, with 38,677 Belgium 4,502
employees according to the 2016 data from the Federation of Switzerland 4,210
European Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA). Half of
Source: EFPIA
these employees are located in Catalonia.
Spains high production capacity favours the export of medicinal
The pharmaceutical industry is the leading industrial sector of the
products for human use, practically all over the world.
Spanish economy in terms of Gross Added Value per employed
person. It is a highly skilled sector and its productivity is more than
twice the national average. Catalonia is the source of 45% of Spain's pharmaceutical exports,
which amount to over 10 billion, making the pharmaceutical
sector the fifth largest exporter in the country.
Productivity of the pharmaceutical
industry - 2014
Evolution of Spanish exports of
Textile, clothing, leather and 48,819 pharmaceutical products (Millions of )
Wood and cork, paper and 54,071
10,674 10,545 11,128
Metallurgy and metal products 56.040 9,106 10,041 10,276
7,351 7,926 8,071
Manuf. of furniture 59,868 5,570 6,201
Rubber and plastic products and 61,624
Manufacturing industry 73,233
Manuf. Machinery and electric 75,887 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Manuf. Machinery and 77,439 Source: State Secretariat of Commerce (datacomex)
Food, beverage and tobacco 78,536
Manuf. of transport material 89,115 The number of companies dedicated to the Biotechnology sector
123,427
in Spain has doubled in the last ten years, from 467 in 2006 to
Chemical industry
1,078 in 2015.
Manuf. Informatic products 124,032
Manuf. Pharma products 147,840 Within this sector, Spains bio sanitary field is particularly strong. A
total of 390 companies operate in the field, representing 5.3% of
GDP and jobs for 200,000 highly qualified people.
Source: INE- National Accounting and Business Survey of Companies

In 2015 the pharmaceutical industry invested 252 million in

Spain is among the leading countries in Europe in terms of both
market value at ex-factory prices (14,124 million) and
pharmaceutical production (13,953 million). More than half of
production comes from manufacturing plants based in Catalonia,
where 4 out of the 10 production plants in Spain are located.
biotechnology, which represents an increase of more than 12.5%
compared to 2014.
Biotechnological research in the country represents 25% of
pharmaceutical R&D. As evidence of the sectors productivity, the
number of patents has increase from 424 to 1,877 in that period.

146
Spain promotes R&D investment in the Pharma industrial development is high in
pharmaceutical industry Catalonia

The Plan for the Promotion of Competitiveness in the
Pharmaceutical Industry (Plan Profarma) is a joint programme
carried out in collaboration between the Ministry of Industry,
Energy and Tourism, the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
and the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality.
Its objective is to foster the competitiveness of Spains
pharmaceutical sector by supporting key activities that add value.
These activities are investment in new industrial plants and new
production technologies, and the promotion of research,
development and innovation.
One of the plans action points is to evaluate those companies that
have a pharmaceutical production plant or R&D centre in Spain, as
well as those that undertake significant research activity, mainly in
relation to basic and preclinical research.
This evaluation results in a reduction of the contributions that
companies must make to the National Health System every four
months, depending on their sales volume.
Catalonia not only accounts for 16% of the national
pharmaceutical market, but also accounts for 50% of total
employment and production in the sector, 45% of its exports and
34% of its R&D expenditure.
Most of the expenditure is invested in the research centres of the
pharmaceutical companies themselves: 588.3 million in 2015,
equivalent to 59% of the total.
The remaining 41% (416.2 million) is invested in hospitals,
universities and public centres, making the pharmaceutical
industry the main driver of public-private biomedical collaboration
in Spain.
R&D expenditure of the pharmaceutical
industry per location 2015 (M)

The pharmaceutical sector is the one that

416.2
invests and spends the most on R&D in Spain

588.3
The pharmaceutical sector is one of the industrial sectors that
invests the most in research in Spain, as a result of its need to
carry out clinical research, and also thanks to the subsidy plans
available for R&D in the sector.
Spains pharmaceutical industry invested 593 million in R&D Inner bounds
projects in 2015: 13.5% in basic research, 49.22% in clinical
Outer bounds Source: Profarma Plan 2016
research, and the rest in preclinical research, according to data
from the 2016 Profarma Plan.
Figures below show the pharmaceutical industry as the leader in
R&D in the country, ahead of the automotive and the aerospace
sector. 1 in every 5 invested by the Spanish industrial sector in
R&D comes from pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, the
pharmaceutical companies are leaders in the generation of
research employment, with about 5,000 people employed in this
activity.

R&D investment distribution per industrial sectors (2015)

Non- metallic mineral products 1,30%

Metallurgy 1,70%
Extractive and oil industries 2,50%
Rubber and Plastic 2,60%
Textile, manufacture, leather and footwear 3,10%
Construction 3,10%
Metallic manufacturing 3,80%
Electronic, computer and optical products 4,10%
Energy and Water 4,20%
Food, Drink and Tobacco 4,60%
Electrical equipment 5,20%
Other machinery and equipment 5,90%
Chemistry 6%
Other transport 13,30%
Motor Vehicles 17,50%
Pharmaceutical Industry 20,90%

Source: National Statistics Institute

147
 Veterinary medical industry In 2015, production in the veterinary industry grew by 8.7% on the
Animal health and welfare previous year.
Pharmacological and biological medicines are the most important
in terms of growth and volume, which together have a market
The veterinary medical industry is strategic for Spain due to its value of 571 million.
importance for health and animal welfare, environmental
protection, livestock sustainability, public health and food safety. The main target species are pet animals, pigs and cattle, the
medicines for which are worth a total of 735 million.
It is a stable industry with an annual turnover of 1,300 million,
and continuous growth in all animal species such as pigs, poultry,
aquaculture, ruminants, pets, rabbits, and so on.
Type of veterinary medicines produced in Spain
400 376 (2015) 12%
12%
350
40 companies in Spain are dedicated 300 11%
10%

to the veterinary industry, 26 of which

8%
250 6%
196

are headquartered in Catalonia.

200 155 5% 6%
150 107 4%
100
3% 33 2%
50
40 companies in Spain are dedicated to the veterinary industry. 24
of these are national and 16 are multinational, while 26 are 0 0%
headquartered in Catalonia.
The industry includes both SMEs and large companies. It generates
over 3,500 direct jobs, of which 50% are held by women, and more
than 10,000 indirect jobs. Furthermore, over 1,600 graduates work
in the industry (veterinarians, pharmacists, biologists, chemists,
etc.)
Mill. % Growth (14-15) Source: Veterindustria
From 2007 to 2017, production of medicines for the national
animal health market grew by 20%, while production of medicines
for export did so by 105%.
Spain exports to more than 90 countries, from Latin America to
Southeast Asia, Maghreb, the Middle East, North America, Anatolia,
Central Asia and China, among other markets. Veterinary medicines produced in Spain by
animal type (2015)
The Spanish veterinary medicine production sector is the 3rd 37.0%
biggest in the EU-27, behind France and Germany, and is among
the top ten globally, according to Veterindustria. 23.6% 24.3%

9.0%
3.6%
Production of veterinary medicines in Spain 0.2% 0.2% 0.6% 0.7% 0.9%
(M)
1,300
1,196
1,093 1,092
1,054
1,013
975
867 Source: Veterindustria
796
724 718 745 751 736

The Spanish market is the fourth biggest veterinary medicines

433 market in Europe, behind France, Germany and the United
400 Kingdom.
342 355
295 309
251

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

National Export Total Market

Source: Veterindustria

148
Catalonia as an industrial pharmaceutical hub
Top biotech companies
136 pharmaceutical companies are based in Catalonia,
representing almost 40% of the national total, according to data
from the 2016 Central Directory of Companies of INE.
The health sector in Catalonia represents 7.4% of Catalan Gross
Domestic Product. It consists of 871 companies and 95 research
centres, with profits of 15,956 million.
The high proportion of biotech companies operating out of
Barcelona is remarkable, ranking among the top cities in Europe
for this area of activity.
The biotech industry in Barcelona only continues to expand, with
175 new companies created between 2012 and 2016, at an
average of one per week.
Some of the most renowned multinational biotech companies in
the world choose the Barcelona region as a place to invest and
develop business. In addition, Catalonia generates 42% of all
Spanish medical devices.

Health sector companies in Barcelona and its

surrounding area, by type
3%
6%
Biotechnology
10% Health suppliers
29%
Professional services
Medical technology
10% Health technology
Pharmaceutical
Research institutions

17%

25%
Source: Biocat directory (February 2017)

149
 7.4 Robust Science Ecosystem
Scientific network

Spain has an integral vision of the life cycle of the medicines it produces, which is reflected in its commitment to the medicine production
process from start to finish. Barcelona has become, in recent years, a very important scientific hub thanks to Spains ongoing commitment
to science and technology.

An integrated system from research to

consumption
Integration of professionals in the sector and universal access Innovative medicines incorporated into the Spanish National
to benefits Health Systems pharmaceutical supply

Spain has an integral vision of the life cycle of the medicines it Within the portfolio of services offered by the Spanish National
produces, which is reflected in its commitment to the medicine Health System is a complete range of pharmaceutical products,
production process from start to finish. which incorporates both innovative medicines and generic and
biosimilar medicines.
These activities include:
Basic research 72% of the medicines are marketed and available to patients. Non-
funded medicines are mostly medicines that are not prescribed
Public and private preclinical and clinical research and therefore cannot be included in the provision of the SNS.
Development, manufacture, authorisation and registration of
Medicines included in the SNS pharmaceutical
medicinal products
supply - 2016
Valuation and public financing of the medicines, resulting in
their being made available to patients and health professionals Finance Commercialised % Commercialised/ Total
19,990 14,426 72.2%
Post-production marketing activities that affect the life cycle of
the medicine Source: Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality

Patient participation as a core element of the system
Patient participation in the National Health System (SNS) is a
priority for the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality.
They ensure that patients are present in all strategies of the SNS,
specifically in the area of patient safety.
Patients are the axis of the health schools network, and are
incorporated into the actions of the Spanish network of health
technology assessment agencies for health products.
Similarly, patient representatives are included in the main
committees of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical
Devices (AEMPS).
The Agency also funds a line of patient training in collaboration
with the Spanish Patient Academy (EUPATI Spain) and other
patient associations to encourage participation in all regulatory
activities.
Such activities include those related to clinical trials, medicine
authorisation and monitoring, and the development of therapeutic
positioning reporting at the AEMPS.
The Department of Health of the Government de Catalonia has set
up a Consultation of Patients of Catalonia as a strategy to ensure
that health policies are developed in line with patient needs.
267 entities are currently subscribed to the Consultation of
Patients of Catalonia.
These pharmaceutical products include medicines in all
therapeutic groups. Spain makes an effort to finance innovation.
Proof of this is the 2016 financing of the presentation of 81 new
active principles.
Among the medicines financed by the SNS are medicines for
orphan diseases, which account for 0.4% of the benefit.
Currently, generic medicines represent 58.4% of the total
medicines financed, as shown in the following table:
Presentation of medicines included in the SNS
pharmaceutical supply- 2016
No. presentations % Presentations/ Total
Generics 11,668 58.4%
Biosimilar 93 0.5%
Orphans 89 0.4%
Source: Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality
Biosimilar medicines are also considered fundamental to the
sustainability of the National Health System (SNS), as they help to
reduce pharmaceutical spending.
By December 2016, 93 biosimilar medicinal products were
included in the SNS pharmaceutical supply. These correspond to
all of the active principles authorised by the EMA.

150
A city with a well-established scientific
community of global relevance
A highly active and international scientific community
Below is an overview of the competitive and non-competitive funds
Barcelona and its surrounding areas are home to a highly active obtained by Catalan public universities during 2011-2015:
and international scientific community.
This community includes:
12 universities (7 public, 4 private and 1 online).
41 research centres specialising in biomedicine and health
sciences.
12 centres of the Higher Council for Scientific Research in
biomedicine and health sciences.
The ICREA Foundation, which acts as a strategic tool for
capturing scientific talent to participate in the community.
9 IRTA centres.
18 university hospitals and 9 hospital research institutes.
14 science and technology parks dedicated to biomedicine, life Source: UNEIX
sciences and health.
11 major research support structures (GIAI).
13 large technological centres, 6 of which belong to the Information collected from the Web of Science database shows
TECNIO network. that scientific production (or publications) of the Spanish university
system has grown steadily over the last five-year period, which has
In addition, it is necessary to highlight the scientific production of contributed significantly to the development of the universities of
the four Catalan universities that are, according to the rankings, Barcelona.
among the 250 most prestigious in the world. These universities
This growth in scientific production is illustrated below.
are shown below. The first three are also the top three
universities in Spain.
Barcelona universities ranked according to Scientific Production (N Articles /teacher)
impact and scientific output 2010-2014
Normalised av Scientific
Institution
impact Output 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Average
University of Barcelona 1.60 22,769 1.96 2.14 2.21 2.25 2.26 2.16
Autonomous University of Barcelona 1.55 19,389 Source: UNEIX
Pompeu Fabra University 1.52 5,975
Polytechnic University of Catalonia 1.24 15,156
Source: UNEIX
In 2015, public universities in Catalonia received the following The table below also highlights the general production of the
European, national and autonomous competitive funds: entire Catalan university system:

Key scientific figures per University

Total Full-time teaching and research Publications/ full time teaching and
University Publications
funds () staff with PhDs research staff with PhDs
University of Barcelona 45,902,456 4,970 2,339 2.12
Autonomous University of Barcelona 44,172,272 3,780 1,529 2.47
Polytechnic University of Catalonia 39,777,384 1,711 1,493 1.15
Pompeu Fabra University 30,601,143 1,435 452 3.17
Rovira i Virgili University 11,241,448 695 544 1.28
University of Girona 10,232,390 459 455 1.01
University of Lleida 8,370,813 970 556 1.74
Open University of Catalonia 2,753,835 125 205 0.61

Total 193,051,740 14,145 7,573

1.87
Source: Web of Science

151
 A scientific hub that attracts scientific
communication and media
Communication and diffusion of science

From this rich environment the following should be highlighted: Barcelona has become, in recent years, a very important scientific
hub thanks to Spains commitment to science and technology.
Leading institutes in different areas of knowledge:
According to the latest Science/Business consultancy report,
The Centre for Genomic Regulation, which occupies 9th
Barcelona is one of the innovation capitals of Europe, and the 4th
position among the worlds 100 best centres of
best in terms of scientific production. In addition, the city stands
biomedical research.
out as being a pioneer in deployment of digital and wireless
The Catalan Institute of Photonic Science and the Catalan technologies.
Institute of Chemical Research are two leading centres
The city has become a benchmark, a "scientific centre" capable of
which occupy 1st position in their respective areas of
attracting media interested in transmitting scientific and medical
knowledge according to rankings by the Max Planck
knowledge to society.
Institute, and which dedicate much of their research to
the area of life sciences. Spain has always promoted scientific communication and
journalism both inside and outside the national territory. The fields
The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology,
of technology, science and innovation encompass a great deal of
which has the purpose of preventing illnesses and
information that must be made available for all professionals and
improving citizens health within a context of
in the field, as well as disseminated among society in general.
environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Barcelona can be considered as one of the main hubs of activity
Through leading hospitals and excellence in clinical research,
for the communication and diffusion of science, not only in Spain
Catalonia occupies first position for clinical trials at the Spanish
but throughout Europe.
level, accounting for 27.3% of the total. Centres such as the Vall
Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) or the ISGlobal health The Scientific Culture and Innovation Units (UCC+i) are currently
institute are international points of reference. one of the main disseminators of science and innovation in Spain.
They are coordinated by the Spanish Foundation for Science and
In animal health, the main research centres / institutes are the
Technology (FECYT) and constitute a key service that improves and
following:
increases citizens level of scientific knowledge and culture.
The Institute of Research and Technology for Food and
The UCC+i have acquired a fundamental role in the diffusion in
Agriculture (IRTA), which has the mission of contributing
society of the knowledge generated in the research centres,
to the modernization, competitiveness and sustainable
universities and other institutions. They also carry out work of
development of the agricultural, food and aquaculture
great importance for the promotion of scientific culture and
sectors.
innovation, both in civil society and in industry. As such, they
The Centre for Animal Health Research (CRESA), which contribute to the transfer of knowledge and to the generation of a
drives research and technological development, studies new, more competitive production model.
and teaching in the animal health field, with emphasis on
In the field of scientific communication, the work of the UCC+i
emerging animal diseases of zoonotic characteristics.
contributes to ensuring the accuracy of the information reported
Agrogenomic Research Centre (CRAG) is a public by the media, a key requirement for a well-informed society.
consortium of multidisciplinary research established by
Of the 74 Scientific Culture and Innovation Units registered in the
the CSIC, IRTA, UAB and UB. It is dedicated to the
UCC+i Network, 12 are located in the region of Barcelona. This
investigation of the genetic factors that determine
represents 16% of the total UCC+i, making it the region with the
interesting traits in plants and farm animals.
most registered UCC+i, which is a clear sign of the commitment of
99 ICREA researchers in biomedicine and health sciences. Barcelona and its institutions to scientific communication and
They are the recipients of 30 ERC grants and were able to dissemination.
raise more than 160 million in the last five years. They
When discussing the UCC+i, it is important to mention the role
have created 12 spin-offs that have attracted 85 million
played by the Observatory of Scientific Communication (OCC), a
of investment.
centre within the University Pompeu Fabra (UPF). This centre is
committed to researching and studying the different stages of the
According to Clarivate Analytics, the Essential Science Indicators scientific and technological transmission of knowledge to society. It
(ESI) of 2004-2014 show that 14 of the most highly cited was the first university research body to focus on scientific
biomedical and life science researchers worldwide are Spanish. communication in Spain.

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A diffusion of science into civil society

Barcelona has a wide range of private institutions which are

dedicated to science and knowledge, some with deep historical
roots in the city, such as the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts
of Barcelona, the Institute of Catalan Studies, the Fabra
Observatory (which belongs to the Royal Academy of Sciences and
Arts of Barcelona).
There are also other modern institutions which have sprung up
more recently, such as the Catalan Association for Scientific
Communication (ACCC). This association was established in 1990
as a professional entity aimed at bringing together scientific
communicators, specialised journalists, scientists, broadcasters
and editors with an interest in communicating scientific
information in written and audio-visual media.
The Association has been behind five annual editions of the l'ACCC
journal, research papers, courses and teaching activities in
conjunction with universities and other institutions. They
participate in social events such as Science Week or the cycle of
conferences Science in the Street. Currently more than 260
journalists are registered with the association.
In the area of scientific communication, mention should be made
of La Caixa and its museum CosmoCaixa, an international point of
reference for scientific museology, which was the country's first
modern science museum.

Barcelona: a city of science

Barcelona has also become a venue of choice for the celebration
of events of scientific diffusion such as:
Famelab
Campus Gutenberg
Science Week
Science day in schools
Exporecerca Jove
Barcelona Science

MareNostrum Barcelona Supercomputing Centre 153

 Terrace with a view

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Acknowledgments
Photos: Arc de Triomf By Mattia Felice Palermo , Plaza Espaa By Moyan Brenn from Anzio , Casa Batll By ChristianSchd , AVE By Savh ,
Bicing By Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durn Ortiz) , Hospital Sant Pau By Enfo , Glories Tower by Ania Mendrek , AVE by Mikel Ortega , Estaci
Sagrera By IngolfBLN- Uploaded by Magnus Manske , Charging Station in Barcelona By RudolfSimon , Hospital de Sant Pau By Bernard
Gagnon, Santa Caterina Market By Llus Carro, Casa Batll by Paco CT , Interior Sagrada Famlia by Barcelona Film Commission, Cupula
Torre Agbar by Xavi Ripoll Soria
Icons (Flaticon): Becris, Chanut is Industries , Dave Gandy , Dimitry Miroliubov , Eucalyp , Freepik , Gregor Cresnar , Madebymade,
Madebyoliver, Nikita Golubev , Pixelperfect ,Scott de Jonge, Those icon, Zlatko Najdenovski

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