Andorra, Catalonia and Occitania Business Forum Adopts Cooperation Declaration

The first Cross-Border Business Forum (FET), organised by the Andorran Business Confederation (CEA), concluded with a joint declaration setting out the foundations for a shared economic cooperation agenda between Andorra, Catalonia and Occitania.

The declaration, adopted after three days of panel discussions and sectoral debates, commits the participating business organisations to removing the barriers that currently hamper economic relations between the three territories and to promoting joint projects in strategic sectors.

A central message is that economic cooperation between the three territories is not starting from scratch, though the organisations acknowledge that practical obstacles and underexplored areas of collaboration are still holding back the region's full potential. The document points to the experience of other small European countries, arguing that deep integration with neighbouring regions is key to generating prosperity and mutually beneficial synergies.

Among the priorities set out are improvements to road, rail and air connections, the removal of obstacles to freight transport and the movement of workers, easier recognition of professional qualifications, shared training programmes and mechanisms to attract and retain talent.

Energy cooperation is another major objective, with proposals to strengthen interconnections, guarantee supply and advance renewable energy. The declaration also backs joint projects in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the circular economy and the agri-food sector, alongside efforts to improve the legal certainty of business operations.

On the institutional side, the declaration supports the creation of a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) for the Andorra-Pyrenees region, with private-sector participation. The aim is to establish a stable structure capable of turning institutional agreements into investment, business initiatives and concrete economic projects, and business organisations argue that this future framework must take the private sector's voice into account.

The forum brought together business, institutional and academic representatives from the three territories over three days, with debates covering energy, technology, transport, universities and agri-food production.

CEA president Gerard Cadena said the declaration reflected the business community's wish to take a direct part in the region's economic future and to overcome the limitations imposed by borders.