Barcelona takes the prize, but Zaragoza wins European recognition

Zaragoza experienced a historic day for its local businesses this Wednesday in Brussels, having been recognized as one of Europe’s leading cities in the inaugural European Capitals of Small Retail 2026 Awards. The Aragonese capital was among the select group of finalists in the Visionary Cities category, an award launched by the European Union to highlight the most robust and innovative models of support for small businesses. In this first edition, the award was ultimately given to Barcelona.

In this first edition of the awards promoted by the European Union, Zaragoza was selected from hundreds of applications to compete in the category of cities with more than 250,000 inhabitants , alongside Utrecht and Barcelona. The three finalists were recognized for their role as socio-economic hubs, their commitment to the self-employed and SMEs, and for fostering vibrant, resilient, and forward-thinking local business ecosystems.

Throughout Wednesday, the finalist cities had their own stands in Brussels to showcase their policies, programs, and even their tourist attractions. In the case of Zaragoza, the Councilor for Economy, Digital Transformation, and Transparency, Carlos Gimeno, was responsible for presenting the city’s business model to the European institutions, with particular emphasis on Volveremos, the flagship loyalty program that has generated an economic impact of over 300 million euros since its inception.

TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF COMMERCIAL HISTORY

The Zaragoza bid has highlighted 2,000 years of commercial history, 35 municipal markets, 6,000 local businesses, and a sustained investment exceeding €8.5 million annually in direct aid, modernization, training, and the revitalization of streets and neighborhoods. It’s a model that combines tradition and modernity, local commerce and innovation, and has successfully kept the commercial streets vibrant in all 15 districts of the city.

Although the award ultimately went to Barcelona, ​​Zaragoza leaves Brussels with official recognition from the European Union as one of the three visionary cities for small businesses in Europe. “Two thousand years of trade have only been the beginning,” was the message with which the Zaragoza delegation concluded its participation, convinced that this European leap is not an end, but rather a starting point.