International expansion and exports to Spain

Spain as a market

With a domestic market of more than 48 million people and 85 million tourists visiting each year, Spain is a large and important European market and one of Norway's key export markets. Norway is also a very popular destination for Spanish tourists.

Companies that establish operations in Spain can access not only the domestic market, but also markets across the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East and North Africa) and Latin America, thanks to Spain's geostrategic position and the strong presence of Spanish companies in these regions.

As an EU member, Spain is part of the single market and the EEA, which guarantees the free movement of goods and services within the EU.

Spain is expected to undergo major changes in the coming years as a result of the extensive recovery plan linked to the EU's NextGenerationEU recovery fund. Spain may receive up to €140 billion for reforms and investments, including €70 billion in direct transfers. This could create valuable opportunities for Norwegian businesses, particularly in the green transition and digitalisation, as 40% of the funding will be invested in achieving climate targets and 28% will support the digital transition.

Read more about Spanish business culture.

What do we do in Spain?

We have a local presence in Spain, with our own office in Madrid.

We have a strong network in Spain and in-depth expertise across a wide range of sectors. We work closely with Team Norway, which brings us together with the Norwegian Embassy in Madrid, the Norwegian Seafood Council and the Spanish-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce. Together, we promote and support Norwegian businesses in Spain.

Our key services include:

• Market insights
• Access to networks
• Advisory
• Market visits (both one-to-one and in groups)
• Partner search
• Help and support with setting up a company
• Support in identifying potential EU consortia and funding opportunities

We tailor our services to your company's needs.

Opportunities for Norwegian companies in Spain

Agriculture and agritech

Spain is the fourth-largest food producer in Europe and the tenth-largest worldwide, creating strong demand for agricultural technology that improves crop yields and efficiency. With a turnover of nearly €140 billion and more than 440,000 employees, agriculture is Spain's most important manufacturing industry. The quality and wide range of its products have earned the Spanish food industry a strong international reputation.

Precision farming technologies offer particular opportunities for Norwegian companies. They can help improve crop yields while making the sector more sustainable through more efficient use of water and energy. Other relevant areas include technologies for field monitoring and forecasting, as well as robotics to improve productivity.

Seafood, aquaculture and fisheries

Spain is Europe's second-largest seafood market, and it continues to grow. This makes Spain an attractive export market for Norwegian seafood producers. Norwegian seafood has long enjoyed success in the Spanish market, where Norwegian salmon is the most sought-after fish in Spanish homes and restaurants. Spain is also the EU's largest aquaculture producer. Demand is growing for equipment and sustainable technology throughout the aquaculture value chain, as well as solutions for land-based aquaculture, such as water filtration and treatment using recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

Spain's fishing industry accounts for 20% of the EU's total production. Several financial support mechanisms offer opportunities for Norwegian companies supplying this industry. Seafood Expo Global, the world's largest seafood trade fair, takes place in Barcelona every year. We organise the Norwegian pavilion at Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global.

Smart societies and digitalisation

The Spanish authorities are keen to improve services and tools and adopt zero-emission transport solutions. This creates promising opportunities for Norwegian digitalisation and mobility solutions, both on water and on land.

Renewable energy

Spain is making major investments in offshore and onshore wind power, as well as solar energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage. This creates many opportunities for Norwegian companies with renewable energy solutions and expertise.

Green maritime

Reducing pollution by modernising maritime transport and using alternative fuels in vessels that produce very low or zero greenhouse gas emissions will be important for Spain to meet its 2030 climate targets. Liquefied natural gas is currently one of the few alternatives used in Spain to reduce emissions from maritime transport. New and improved systems that optimise the use of renewable energy will also play an important role in enabling Spain to move towards climate neutrality by 2050.

One of the main challenges Spain faces is developing the right port infrastructure. Spanish ports are investing in shore-side electricity (OPS) and infrastructure for supplying alternative green fuels. Norway's expertise and experience in maritime decarbonisation and OPS solutions are therefore relevant to Spain.