XXVII Congress of Free Zones of Ibero-America: Barcelona, a benchmark in the sector

The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) participated in the 27th edition of the Congress of Free Zones of Ibero-America, organized by the Association of Free Zones of the Americas (AZFA) and held in Curaçao from November 13 to 15. Pere Navarro, the CZFB's Special Government Delegate, and Blanca Sorigué, its General Director, represented the institution at the sector's largest gathering in Ibero-America, where more than 800 free zones host over 11,000 companies.

Blanca Sorigué was re-elected as a board member of the AZFA, which will continue to be chaired by Claudia Pellerano. She also participated in the opening ceremony of the congress as Vice President of the World Free Zones Organization (WFZO).

In turn, Pere Navarro participated in the session titled "Incubators and Venture Studios: Catalysts for the Success of Free Zones," where he emphasized that: "Barcelona brings together several key ingredients: it is an engine of economic development that drives innovation and collaboration; it is an educational hub with top-tier schools and a talent magnet for attracting and developing specialized professionals; and it boasts a strategic location that connects it to the world, serving as a bridge between continents and diverse markets."

The CZFB at the World Free Zones Congress

The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) played a prominent role in the 10th edition of the World Free Zones Congress, organized by the World Free Zones Organization (WFZO) from September 23 to 25 in Dubai. Pere Navarro, Special Government Delegate at the CZFB, and Blanca Sorigué, General Director of the CZFB, presented the institution's successful model during the event.

The congress brought together 2,000 attendees from 160 countries and featured some of the world's most prominent free zones. Thirty-five speakers addressed the key challenges global free zones face, especially in this era of transformation driven by new technologies and their increasingly important role in promoting more sustainable, environmentally conscious models.

Blanca Sorigué, re-elected as Vice President of the WFZO, delivered the closing remarks of the congress, further highlighting the Barcelona Free Zone's international importance and leadership. "The WFZO World Congress has provided the sector with a global platform while also challenging us to prove that free zones are becoming more sustainable and are playing a key role in regional economic development through job creation," Sorigué stated. que generen molts llocs".

Pere Navarro also reflected positively on CZFB's participation: "Over three days, all global free zones shared the challenges we face—but more importantly—we shared possible solutions to address them confidently." He added: "We're incredibly proud to see that the Barcelona Free Zone is considered a global benchmark in our sector, mainly because we don't offer tax incentives, which are the main attraction in most other free zones. That's why we've had to reinvent ourselves, supporting innovation, sustainability, the SDGs, Industry 4.0, and the new economy. The result is a successful model admired across the sector."

OECD-CZFB Pilot Project to Certify Free Zones with the Highest Standards of Security and Transparency

The Special Government Delegate at the CZFB, Pere Navarro, and the General Director, Blanca Sorigué, met with representatives from the OECD, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the TIC Council (Association of Certification Companies) to officially launch the pilot project, which selected Barcelona Free Zone as the site for developing the technical component of a new international certification.This certification aims to highlight the highest global security and transparency standards in international trade.

The meeting, held at DFactory Barcelona, marked a significant milestone. As Pere Navarro emphasized: "This agreement guarantees the identification of companies that comply with international standards of transparency, oversight, and regulation, which will allow us to move forward in economic and social progress." Blanca Sorigué added: "We are not only advancing toward becoming the first Free Zone in the world to obtain this certification, but we are also helping to define the model for others to follow."

MedaWeek24

At the MedaWeek24 inaugural event, Pere Navarro highlighted CZFB's ongoing efforts to drive economic and social progress and to improve people's quality of life. He noted: "MedaWeek is an opportunity to promote the economic progress of the Mediterranean region."

Blanca Sorigué participated in the "Now&New" session, presenting the progress of the second phase of DFactory Barcelona, and later joined a roundtable discussion on the role of Mediterranean cities in fostering industry and innovation alongside Marisol Lage (DIBA) and David Giménez.

The Special Government Delegate also parti cipated in FITAC 2024, one of Latin America's most prominent logistics and international trade congresses, held December 2–4 at the Puerta de Oro Convention Center in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Navarro delivered a keynote presentation on: "The Barcelona Free Zone and its Commitment to Digitalization and Global Sustainability". Navarro also joined a panel titled: "Free Zones and Their Role in Reconfiguring Global Value Chains,” alongside Juan Pablo Rivera Cabal, President of Grupo Zona Franca de Bogotá, Manuel Fernando Martínez Álvarez, Special Government Delegate at the Tenerife Free Zone, Gabriel Corujo Bolaños, Special Government Delegate at the Gran Canaria Free Zone.