Applicant companies must submit a specific form to Barcelona City Council’s General Register requesting the permit, as well as a map of the location of the distribution and a sound study certified by a noise pollution protection organisation accredited by the Government of Catalonia. The institution will measure noise levels while the activity is carried out in special preliminary trial authorised by the City Police to confirm that the noise limits set out by the Environmental By-law are respected.

The authorisation will be confirmed by the issue of a report, valid for two years. If the location or two-hour time period requested are not confirmed, the City Council will propose an alternative.

The goal of the measure is to help cut daytime street congestion and allow for more efficient distribution in shorter time frames for each operation. Barcelona currently has around twenty goods distribution companies working at night, and more than twice this number of authorisations are forecast under the simplified procedure.

This initiative is part of the Horizon 2030 Municipal Urban Goods Distribution Strategy  (EDUM), which aims to achieve a safer, more efficient and sustainable model which boosts commerce in the city, improves companies’ competitiveness and lowers externalities. One of the latest initiatives launched is an urban innovation challenge to improve distribution in the hospitality, restaurant and catering sector.