Barcelona City Council closed 2025 with 4.13 million citizen procedures, the highest figure in its history. The increase, of 24% over five years, is attributed to the Barcelona Fàcil plan and the rise of digital processing.
Last year, Barcelona City Council managed a total of 4.13 million procedures carried out by citizens, a figure that for the first time exceeds the four million threshold and places the daily average above 11,300 files. The accumulated increase over the last five years is 24%.
The 2025 balance reflects that the growth of administrative activity is mainly linked to procedures related to the census. More and more people are requesting registrations, changes of address, and especially certificates and documents to prove their residence in the Catalan capital. The council claims it has been able to absorb this increase thanks to the rollout of the Pla Barcelona Fàcil, a municipal programme aimed at modernising administration and simplifying procedures.
The Deputy Mayor for Economy, Jordi Valls, defended this technological commitment: “The administration has the obligation to be agile in its relationship with citizens and improve access to municipal services, making them easier and faster.” Valls added that Barcelona's status as a “capital of science and technology” is directly reflected in the use of digital systems by the City Council.
Of the 4.13 million procedures recorded in 2025, 60% were done online, the highest proportion ever recorded. In-person procedures accounted for 25% and phone procedures for 15%. The evolution since 2021 shows a 12% decrease in calls to 010, stability in face-to-face attention, and a 48% increase in telematic procedures, which reached 2.48 million transactions.
By thematic areas, the most requested procedures were those related to the census, with 1.71 million; those related to municipal tax matters, such as tax payments, with 1.19 million; and those grouped under the acronym IRIS, meaning incidents, complaints, and suggestions, which totalled nearly 201,000. In this last category, there has been an increase in reports of incidents in public spaces through the Barcelona a la Butxaca application, a tool that allows users to report damages from their mobile phones. The council values this citizen collaboration positively, as it facilitates quicker detection and resolution of maintenance issues.
User satisfaction with the different service channels remains high. The Citizen Attention Offices (OAC) receive a score of 9.1 out of 10; the free telephone service 010, an 8.7; and the Virtual Procedure Office, a 7.7.
“The administration has the obligation to be agile in its relationship with citizens and improve access to municipal services, making them easier and faster.” — Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor
Behind these results is the Pla Barcelona Fàcil, a government measure aimed at simplifying procedures, reducing waiting times, and eliminating bureaucratic barriers. During 2025, 33 procedures that were previously managed on paper were digitised, such as the renewal of the census for foreign residents, the splitting of bills, or the submission of citizen initiatives. Files from the Social Rights area have also been digitised, such as the personal assistance service for people with disabilities, and others related to the occupation of public space, such as permits for cranes, scaffolding, or moving.
The Virtual Procedure Office has expanded its assistance capacity: currently, nearly 300 procedures allow real-time chat consultations with a support agent. Additionally, more than 40 forms have been modified to improve clarity of communication and usability.
What it means for the residents of Barcelona
For citizens, this transformation translates into fewer trips and less paperwork. Most procedures, from registration to tax payments, can now be completed from home at any time. Digitalisation also benefits those who need certificates urgently, as obtaining documents and proof is now quicker.
The City Council expects this trend to continue to rise in the coming years, as new procedures are incorporated into the digital environment and existing tools are refined. The local administration encourages citizens to use the online channel to avoid queues and expedite the resolution of their files.
For those who still prefer in-person assistance, the Citizen Attention Offices remain operational by appointment, and the 010 telephone line continues to provide free information and query resolution services. The next milestone of the plan will be to expand the portfolio of digitised procedures and continue reducing waiting times in the most demanded services.
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