Catalonia Parliament Passes Rural Municipalities Statute

The Catalan parliament has approved a new Statute of Rural Municipalities aimed at tackling depopulation and ageing in the region's small towns. The law expands the definition of rural municipalities to 599 localities, up from an initial list of 590, after additional applications were accepted. It introduces a package of measures, including targeted financial aid, streamlined bureaucratic procedures, housing incentives, support for local commerce, and tax benefits for new residents.

Data from a recent government study show that while Catalonia's overall population grew 8.2% to 8.12 million between 2015‑2025, over half of its 476 municipalities with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants house only 190,000 people (2.3% of the region’s total). These micro‑towns face high elderly ratios (over 82% have more than 20% of residents aged 65+) and limited services, with only 53.8% retaining a primary school. The statute seeks to reverse this trend by improving infrastructure, encouraging permanent settlement, and fostering economic diversification.

Implementation began shortly after the law’s passage, with the first set of incentives already being rolled out to municipalities across the interior and Pyrenean areas.