Europe is at a decisive moment on many fronts, and Catalonia must find its role within the European framework to seize opportunities and face ongoing challenges. With this goal in mind, the April edition of Cafè Europa — just ahead of Europe Day — featured a conversation with Jaume Duch, Minister of European Union and Foreign Action of the Government of Catalonia.

Minister Duch argued that, in today’s uncertain global context, Catalonia must push for a European solution with a civic and political approach, using crises as opportunities to influence policies that matter. In this light, he highlighted the Pla Brussel·les as a roadmap to achieve tangible progress on issues such as housing, language, security, and access to EU funding.

He outlined the key instruments the Catalan government plans to use to strengthen its presence: from meetings with the Council of the EU, the Committee of the Regions, the European Parliament, and the European Commission, to participating in networks and alliances that amplify Catalonia’s voice. “We are starting to see EU Commissioners visiting Catalonia,” he pointed out.

During the Q&A session, Duch addressed important questions such as who are Catalonia’s allies and detractors in this process, how security policy fits into the EU’s strategic autonomy in response to internal and external threats, and the role of social policy in European cohesion. “The most important thing is for citizens to feel that Europe is protecting them,” he emphasized.

He also expressed the Catalan government’s support for EU enlargement and noted that reforms on unanimity and differentiated levels of integration will be necessary. Lastly, he stressed the importance of humanitarian cooperation and identified areas where local governments can contribute to the Pla Brussel·les.