Salvador Illa lauds Catalan economic growth while warning against complacency

Catalonia’s president, Salvador Illa, praised the region’s economic performance in the presentation of the 2025 annual economic report. He said the Catalan economy grew by 2.7% in 2025, outpacing the euro‑area average of 1.4% and slightly below Spain’s 2.8%, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth above the eurozone. Illa highlighted rising wages, modest productivity gains of 1.1% per hour, and progress on housing, but warned that the “good macro‑economic moment” does not benefit all households equally. He cautioned against “autocomplacency” and called for continued focus on productivity, talent, innovation and the business environment.

The report notes external headwinds, including the conflict in Iran and higher energy prices, which could slow growth to around 2.3% in 2026. Illa and Economy Minister Alícia Romero stressed that the government has “all the machinery in motion” to sustain the transition toward a more productive, higher‑value model while avoiding stagnation.