Catalonia Plans AI to Streamline Urban License Procedures

Sunday 18 May 2025 - 11:04

By: Zahouani Ilham

Catalonia Plans AI to Streamline Urban License Procedures

The Generalitat of Catalonia launched an administrative reform last November aimed at simplifying the most complex procedures. Five months on, the committee responsible for proposing efficiency improvements has put forward ten actionable measures based on digital transformation, which will be implemented before the end of the year. The highlight is the plan to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate the issuance of urban planning and environmental licenses, and to automate report generation to further reduce processing times. However, this innovation requires a legal amendment, which the Generalitat plans to initiate internally before summer.

Additionally, a new Directorate General for AI will be established after May to drive the digital transformation of the administration and integrate technological innovations. This new office will promote effective data use, enabling a significant advance in governance to simplify administrative procedures.

The reform also includes creating a corporate platform called TSCat to manage subsidies and grants more efficiently, aiming to cut processing times by 30%. This platform will launch new calls in September and migrate existing ones in early 2026. It excludes social rights aid and scholarships, which have separate platforms.

Furthermore, the Generalitat will enhance proactive services by offering potential applicants pre-filled forms, contingent on data consent. To improve citizen engagement, ten new Citizen Attention Offices and five mobile units will support 80 municipalities, alongside launching digital tools to facilitate access to public services.

A new public-private collaboration model will also be introduced by the Department of Economy and Finance by the end of the year. The Generalitat has recently authorized refinancing up to 3.5 billion euros of debt through banks, opening doors to private financing beyond public sources.

Finally, the reform separates administrative leadership into two levels—senior executives and career civil service managers—to ensure management continuity and improvement. This structural change will require new legislation, expected to start drafting before summer. The reform will also strengthen the Escola d’Administració Pública de Catalunya and launch the Catalunya Futur selection model to recruit new profiles in AI and ecological transition, addressing generational renewal.

Already completed are three measures from the reform’s action plan, including simplifying Generalitat’s websites and mobile apps, reducing the number of digital portals from 134 to 74 by Q3 this year. Other ongoing HR initiatives aim to improve job quality, promote public service culture, and reduce temporary employment to below 8%, in line with EU standards.