Catalans have always been multilingual. This factor is favoured by the region's open character and its commercial tradition. Cultural diversity contributes greatly to making Catalonia a meeting point for international business.

• With large communities of many different nationalities, Catalonia is known for its highly cosmopolitan character. In 2007, Catalonia had 860,575 foreign residents, i.e. 12% of the total population and 21.6% of the total foreign population in Spain.

• Barcelona has become the favourite destination for young people from many countries who wish to study and gain work experience in Spain. Each year, the universities of Barcelona attract 23,000 foreign students, who account for about 12% of all students enrolled. Catalan universities receive around 16%-17% of all Erasmus students in Spain.

• Tourism, the hotel business and the catering industry offer a large, alternative pool for recruitment of locals with language skills. More than 30,000 people study languages in Catalonia each year.

• The Spanish telecommunications market is fully deregulated, with more than 85 different national and international operators of telephone and cable services.

• Besides the strong presence of innovative ICT companies in Catalonia, Barcelona is home to the headquarters of the Spanish Governmental Agency: the National Regulator of Telecommunications.