This is the Government's plan to win over 2,000 exporting companies in the midst of a tariff war

BarcelonaThe trade war provoked by the Donald Trump administration, as well as its interventions in other countries, have heightened geopolitical tensions and disrupted traditional trade relations. In Catalonia, 67% of the €4.35 billion in exports to the United States have been affected. equivalent to 2.9% of all Catalan exports worldwideThis will be one of the main impacts on Catalonia's trade balance in 2025, and it remains to be seen whether, after two consecutive years of exports exceeding €100 billion, Catalan companies will be able to maintain this pace. To address this, the Catalan Government has launched Catalunya Exporta, a new program to help up to 2,000 companies begin their internationalization process—that is, start selling abroad for the first time. Interested companies can participate in workshops and seminars to develop skills in areas such as international operations management, financing, and the structure of an export department. For three years, they will receive support and mentoring from an international trade specialist who will develop a roadmap for them to begin exporting.

Consistency, the Achilles' heel

One of the program's main objectives is for half of these new companies to become regular exporters by 2030. This is a significant challenge for the sector, as currently only one in ten companies that begin selling abroad manage to establish themselves as regular exporters. "Of the 10 companies, only four are still exporting in the second year," explained Cristina Serradell, director of Acció's international business unit, at a press conference this Monday. The program will last three years and has a budget of 3 million euros, provided by Acció, the Catalan government's business competitiveness agency, through the Responem Plan, a 1.5 billion euro initiative approved by the government in April 2025. The Minister of Business and Labor, Miquel Sàmper, explained that the program aims to consolidate the Catalan export ecosystem, with more companies and greater diversification in an uncertain world. "We want to reach the 19,000 companies that export regularly," explained Sámper. Currently, Catalonia accounts for 26% of Spanish exports. The number of Catalan companies exporting to the United States grew by 80% from 2020 to 2024, while the number of companies importing American products doubled. The United States is Catalonia's top export market outside of Europe—behind countries like France and Germany—and its second-largest import market, surpassed only by China.

To give a push to overcome stagnation

Serradell also explained that this program aims to expand the export base—adding another 2,000 companies—because, while the number of internationalized companies reached a record high of 18,345 last year, the growth rate of this indicator is expected to slow. It's important to note that the stagnation in Catalan companies' exports in 2024—a 0.5% drop—is not only due to the effects of inflation stemming from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, but also to a decline in the volume or number of units exported. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, sales abroad grew by 21.5%, 17.9%, and 6.1%, respectively, driven by the increased value of products, which, being sold at higher prices, allowed total Catalan exports to surpass the €100 billion mark. The new program is coordinated by Acció and will be offered through internationalization support agents accredited by the agency, including chambers of commerce, employers' associations, and organizations such as Amec.