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Catalonia is the fourth region in all of Europe in terms of foreign investment attraction in 2015, according to the Financial Times’ FDI Markets. According to this source, foreign investment in Catalonia reached €5.224 billion euros, the highest figure on record and only bettered by a region in England, one in Scotland and another region in Russia. 

25% of this investment was destined for the ICT sector, which according to Catalan Ministry for Business and Knowledge, Jordi Baiget, proves the “traction effect” of the Mobile World Congress for the Catalan economy. Baiget also pointed to Catalonia’s geographic situation and the power of its neighbouring markets as causes of this good figure, together with its qualified workforce and its solid, diversified and innovative business network. In March, the Financial Times report FDi European Cities and Regions of the future 2016/2017, recognised Barcelona as the best city in Europe for foreign investment.

15% of the foreign investment in 2015 went to the automotive sector and 8% to the services sector. Food and drink, electronics, biotechnology and chemicals attracted 5.3% of the foreign capital respectively and metallurgy and textiles 4.5%.

In terms of the value chain, in first place we find industrial-manufacturing projects (36.6%), followed by services (22.3%) and headquarters (12.5%). Food and agriculture, electronics, biotechnology and chemistry attracted more than 5% of the foreign capital.

The country leading the list for foreign investment projects in the 2014-2015 period is the United States, with 16.9% of the total. It is followed by France (11.6%), Japan (8%), China (7.2%), Germany (5.3%) and Switzerland (5.3%).

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