New legal challenges of Contracting with Third Parties was The Corporate Legal Area worked enacted in 2017. Focusing on international intensively to provide legal coverage on Business, it strengthens the new models of the institution’s new challenges. Together foreign relations by means of appropriate with other departments, the Contracting mechanisms so that these relations offer Policy was revised to simplify procedures full legal guarantees. and to be able to facilitate the need for flexibility, given the organisation’s growth. Market research All this took place under the premise in 2017 the Research department carried of legal security, responsibility and out research by conducting interviews respect for the principles of advertising, with more than 1,400 exhibitors and some competition, transparency, confidentiality, 8,000 visitors from the different sectors equality and non-discrimination. and business areas represented in the Fair competition is enshrined as a shows. Knowing clients’ opinions provides principle and value in the process of us with key information for planning, contracting suppliers, and is reflected in making decisions and adapting resources the Profile of the Contracting Party, where to their needs so that their goals in taking tenders are published according not part are met. only to the needs of the organisation, but Amongst other functions, the Fira also to the wide range of services available General Archive also designed and to third parties on their premises. mounted an exhibition on the history of Further work was done in co-ordination the industrial Revolution, which was held with other areas to evaluate and prepare as part of the Barcelona industry Week. the necessary steps to adapt operations procedure to the new requirements laid Institutional activity down by eU data Protection Regulation Naturally, the significant number of shows 2016/679, in force from 25 May 2018. and events generated a great deal of However, as it is committed to the activity related to visits by authorities preservation of intellectual and industrial and public fi gures. As a result, the Area property rights, Fira continues to take of institutional Relations, Protocol and steps to strengthen the protection of the the Chairman’s Office was kept busy. exhibitors’ rights on this issue. Prominent visitors included the King, the in addition, the Corporate Compliance President of the Government of Catalonia, programme set up in 2015 continues ministers and senior representatives of to move forward by means of training the State, ministers of the Government actions, along with rolling out good of Catalonia and the mayoress of governance policies and protocols Barcelona and L’Hospitalet among that add value to the organisation. other cities, as well as ambassadors in this regard, in 2017 the Procedure and representatives of the european Getting client feedback helps in decision-making and adapting resources to needs. 42 — FiRA de BARCeLOnA | 2017 RePORT