President Costa visits Barcelona May 5 and 6

The President of the European Council, António Costa, is in Barcelona (Spain) on 5-6 May 2025 to meet with regional leaders and visit key industrial and research infrastructures in the fields of the automotive sector, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation.

The visit highlights the important role of European regions such as Catalonia in further advancing European integration and contributing to the EU’s strategic priorities. It also reflects the EU’s ongoing commitment to enhance Europe’s industrial capacities, promote innovation and competitiveness and support the dual green and digital transition.

The meeting in Barcelona started with a visit to the SEAT factory, a key node of the Spanish automotive industry that makes an important contribution to the EU’s industrial and ecological transition towards a cleaner automotive future. There, the President had the opportunity to meet with the company’s interim CEO and learn more about its crucial role in the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

President Costa’s statements at the press meeting following his visit to SEAT’s facilities are:

“Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be back here in Barcelona, at the invitation of the President, Salvador Illa. I believe that the European institutions must be close to the citizens, to the regions. This is an opportunity to visit Spain, which is now the great economic engine of Europe, and especially Catalonia, which is the most dynamic region. And now that it is returning to stability, it is exercising very well the leadership of this double transition.

Today I was able to visit Seat, a large company in the automotive sector, which is leading the change towards the electric car, which is decisive for sustainable mobility. Tomorrow I will also have the opportunity to visit the Barcelona Super Computing Centre, which is already one of the most powerful computing centres, which is introducing quantum computing and which has recently been chosen as one of the new artificial intelligence factories, and which is a very powerful institution for supporting start-ups and all the most innovative companies in the region. And of course, it is also an opportunity to work with the Generalitat and also to participate in a session at the Cercle d’Economia. So I’m delighted. And, despite the rain, it is sure to be a very warm visit, as always.”

The President will then address the Cercle d’Economia, an independent civic association founded in 1958 which brings together business, academia and government and aims to contribute to public debate on the main challenges and opportunities shaping economic, social and political progress. Speaking at the Cercle‘s annual meeting, the President focuses on the EU’s response at a time of geopolitical upheaval.

During his visit, President Costa has the opportunity to meet with regional leaders, including the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, to discuss the most pressing European and local issues and Catalonia’s role as one of the most industrialised and economically dynamic regions in Southern Europe.

Today, 6 May, President Costa will also visit the Barcelona Supercomputing Center-National Supercomputing Centre (BSC) and the ALBA Synchrotron, two leading research organisations driving European aspirations for digital innovation and AI development. They are spearheading efforts in high-performance computing and advanced materials research, which are central to the EU’s broader goals of research and technological leadership.

More information: European Council