Key Findings
- City size is not a predictor of performance: Larger cities (such as Barcelona and Madrid), medium-sized cities (such as Valladolid and Pamplona), and smaller cities (such as Logroño) perform well in several areas, reinforcing that effectiveness of local business regulatory processes and institutional capacity rather than city size are key in shaping regulatory outcomes.
- City performance varies across the five business regulatory areas: Badajoz and Barcelona lead in Business Entry; Valladolid in Business Location and Business Insolvency; Barcelona in Utility Services; and Pamplona in Dispute Resolution. These leaders create clear opportunities for peer learning, where best practices can inform improvements elsewhere.
- Utility Services is Spain’s strongest-performing topic, supported by robust regulatory frameworks, advanced digital services, and efficient connection processes. Business Location scores lowest largely due to gaps in digital integration for property transfers, building permits, and environmental approvals.
- Barcelona shows the widest variation, with a 30-point gap between its highest and lowest topic scores (Utility Services and Business Location). Gijón, Madrid, Las Palmas, and Valladolid are more balanced, with spreads around 21 points, indicating comparatively consistent performance across the five topics.
- Spanish cities generally score higher on the Regulatory Framework (Pillar I) than on Public Services (Pillar II) or Operational Efficiency (Pillar III). On average, cities score particularly high in Pillar I for Utility Services (93.9), Business Location (82.1), and Business Insolvency (80.9).
