Generalitat de Catalunya

Article 5.2 of the Catalonia Statute of Autonomy establishes that “groupings can be created based on urban and metropolitan situations and others of a functional nature and for specific ends”.

The metropolitan bodies are created by an Act of the Parliament of Catalonia and their purpose is to regulate the special public activity of Barcelona’s metropolitan conurbation and the counties located within its direct area of influence, given that the economic, social and urban characteristics of this territory require a special and integrated planning. These are local bodies that are instrumental in nature, and currently comprise the Metropolitan Transport Board and the Metropolitan Environmental Board , plus the Metropolitan Water and Waste Treatment Board.

The government and administration of the metropolitan bodies is the responsibility of the metropolitan council, which, in a similar way to the county councils, comprises the following bodies: the plenary assembly, the offices of the president and the manager, the special audit committee and other committees created and regulated by the council itself.

The operational responsibilities of these bodies are specifically defined by the Act, which also establishes the resources for financing the metropolitan bodies.