Comerç

Barcelona City Council's Directorate for Commerce, Restaurants and Consumer Affairs has launched a €500,000 line of subsidies to help shops and restaurants make the leap to the digital world. The aim of the subsidies is to continue to improve establishments' digital maturity so that they can meet the public's new needs.

The subsidies are only available to:

- Individual retail establishments.

- Municipal market stalls (all other collective retail establishments are excluded).

- Individual commercial establishments providing any of the following services:

• Mechanical repair shops and services
• Photography and audiovisual services
• Copy and print shops
• Repair services
• Retail travel agencies
• Dry cleaners and laundries
• Hairdressers, beauty salons and clinics
• Ready-made food and catering services
• Bars and restaurants
• Veterinary clinics with a physical shop

• You must have commercial premises on the ground floor and/or with a street entrance in the city of Barcelona’s urban area.
• You must adjust your investment expenses to the aim and subject matter of this call.

Subsidy recipients must also meet the usual requirements, which are set out in section no. 8 of the call document.

The eligible expenses, which are explained in greater detail in the call document, may be split between the various sections and subsections envisaged, which are not mutually exclusive. The actions are therefore as follows:

Business strategy

• Drawing up business and digital transformation plans.
• Drawing up marketing and digital communication plans.

Digital communication

• Digital content creation.
• Managing and publishing online content: website and news (blog), social media (community manager), newsletters.

Digital marketing

• Advertising through search engines (SEM, Display, etc.).
• Search engine positioning (SEO).
• Advertising on social media (Social Ads).
• Website and social media analytics.

Online sales channels and omnichannel retail

• Own online sales channel.
  • Implementation of an online sales website (e-commerce).
  • Implementation of an online sales app (m-commerce).
  • Digitising, managing and publishing product catalogues.
  • Integration with logistics and distribution operators, payment gateways and information systems for the establishment (customer management, POS terminal, warehouse management and more).
  • Integrating e-commerce with Google Shopping, Facebook and Instagram.

The grant will be for up to 50% of the cost of the eligible action(s), with a €3,500 cap per application. The rest of the cost must be covered by the applicant, either directly or with co-funding from third parties (public or private, national or international bodies).

The following are not eligible:

• The acquisition of capital goods, such as hardware, or of chattels.
• Renting, financial leasing or hire-purchase expenses.
• Indirect taxes or income tax.
• The cost of wages and social security costs of permanent and temporary staff payable by the natural or legal person.

Applications may be submitted from 23 April to 22 May 2024 inclusive.

The application documents must be submitted electronically through Barcelona City Council's e- headquarters.

Applicants must submit the following compulsory documents when making the application. More detailed information on these can also be found in the call document:

• The subsidy application form, which includes a Declaration of Compliance and a brief description of the activity for which the subsidy would be used.
• The online presence and digital maturity questionnaire, which is available here.
• Documentation relating to third-party bills or budgets.
• Up-to-date certificate or document certifying the applicant's tax registration status with the Tax Agency (registration in the Register of Business Owners, Professionals and Withholding Parties, application for a tax identification number or changes to your tax situation).
• Bank details, provided as stipulated in the call document.
• If the applicant is a natural person, a photocopy of their Spanish national identity document (DNI). If the applicant is a legal person, a photocopy of its NIF (the card showing its tax identification number) and a photocopy of its representative's Spanish national identity document (DNI).

This is a non-competitive call for subsidy applications. Therefore, as stated in the terms and conditions of the call, subsidies will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with the order of submission of applications within the period established in the call, until the budgetary item has been fully used. Once the budgetary item has been fully used, the submission of an application will not entitle applicants to receive a subsidy.