The Government of Spain extends childbirth and childcare leave by three weeks

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

Pool Moncloa /Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Second Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Labour and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, has announced that the Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree-Law that extends childbirth and childcare leave by three weeks. Leave has been increased from 16 to 19 weeks paid leave for each parent and to 32 weeks for single parents.

One of the three new weeks - or two for single parents - must be taken during the baby's first year or the first 12 months of adoption, foster care or kinship care. The first six weeks must be taken without interruption and on a full-time basis immediately after the birth or adoption, or start of foster care or guardianship. The other two new weeks - or four for single parents - can be used flexibly until the child reaches the age of 8.

Yolanda Díaz announced that the measure is retroactive to 2 August 2024, so that families with children born after that date can take advantage of it. This entitlement to childbirth and childcare benefit can be claimed from 1 January 2026. The entitlement pertains exclusively to the working person and cannot be transferred to the other parent.

According to the Vice-President, Social Security will assume the cost of extending the benefit: "The social investment involved in this measure is not borne by employers. It comes from the taxes and contributions made by working people." The amount of benefits shall be 100% of the contribution base. In her presentation, Díaz also pointed out that breastfeeding leave remains exactly the same: three weeks.

Díaz stressed that the measure approved today is aimed at workers, families and, in a very special way, at young people, who "are absolutely committed to Spain's democratic, ecological and feminist values", and have co-responsible values.

Pool Moncloa / Jose Manuel Álvarez

Yolanda Díaz also stressed that the initiative includes salaried workers, self-employed people and public sector employees, and emphasised that it addresses the demands of single parents, 80% of which are women.

The regulation transposes the EU directive on the reconciliation of family and professional life for parents and carers, and consolidates the effort and progress made in Spanish legislation to align with European Member States that have longer and more flexible leave periods. In this context, the Minister for Labour and Social Economy added that leave in Spain goes hand in hand with co-responsibility between men and women, unlike in other EU Member States.

Improving democratic governance in digital and media services

Pool Moncloa /Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The Council of Ministers has approved the referral to Parliament of the bill to improve democratic governance in digital services and the media. The text was presented by the Government of Spain on 25 February and is part of the actions included in the Action Plan for Democracy.

The Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, Óscar López, highlighted that Spain was the first country to approve a Charter of Digital Rights, and indicated that the project will adapt the Spanish legal system to European regulations in this area.

López explained that the text amends three current laws: the Law on Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce, the General Law on Audiovisual Communication and the Law on the Creation of the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC).

The minister pointed out that the new features of the future law include the CNMC acting as the coordinating body for digital services, which will strengthen its powers of control, supervision, inspection and sanctioning of digital platforms. The CNMC will have powers over all national platforms and those with less than 45 million users, to which it will be able to apply sanctions derived from European legislation.

Óscar López pointed out that Spanish State platforms will be obliged to have channels for users to report illegal content. In addition, Spain will make progress on algorithmic transparency and in reinforcing the safety of minors in digital environments. The CNMC will also certify the natural or legal persons that will form part of the European network of reliable whistleblowers or verifiers. This body will also evaluate any media buyout to prevent media concentration and strengthen pluralism.

On the other hand, in order to guarantee transparency and citizens' right to information, the CNMC will create a Spanish State register of public media, in which they will have to register and keep updated information on their ownership and the public advertising investment they receive, from both national and foreign sources. Regional registers will also be set up in coordination with the State register.

The Spanish Data Protection Agency will monitor compliance with the prohibition against advertising based on data like ideology, trade union membership, religion, sexual orientation or racial origin, as well as the prohibition against profiling minors for advertising purposes.

The minister concluded his speech by highlighting that this law completes the triple shield of digital protection for citizens formed by the Artificial Intelligence Regulation, the Digital Services Regulation and the Media Regulation: "Three European standards that protect us and uphold our rights. It is not about democracy defending pluralism and digital rights, but also defending itself against harassment, manipulation and hatred."

New company Rodalies de Catalunya

Pool Moncloa / Jose Manuel Álvarez

The Council of Ministers has authorised the constitution of the new mixed company Rodalies de Catalunya S.M.E., S.A., which will be in charge of operating the suburban and medium-distance railway service in Catalonia.

The Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, emphasised that, with this decision, the Government of Spain is advancing its commitment to engaging in dialogue and ensuring shared governance of the Catalan rail service by transforming the model in a way that "respects the competences of each administration, guarantees the cohesion of the system itself and focuses on offering the best possible service to citizens".

Puente specified that the new company will be 50.1% owned by Renfe Viajeros and 49.9% by the Regional Government of Catalonia, receiving initial capital of 2 million euros. Its Board of Directors will consist of five directors appointed directly by the Regional Government and four proposed by the Spanish State.

With this formula, the minister summarised, "we are trying to achieve an adequate balance, guaranteeing management that remains closer to the territory, preserving the safety standards and coordination with the national railway system, taking advantage of the experience and resources brought by the Renfe group and ensuring absolute protection of workers' labour rights, with the works retaining the labour rights included in the group collective agreement".

The Transport Minister explained that the tangible improvements from which those who use Rodalies every day will benefit depend on three factors: the investments that are already being made, the arrival of new trains and more efficient governance. When these three factors materialise, "in two to three years", the minister continued, "users will notice a substantial improvement both in terms of punctuality and in the service's quality and reliability".

The new company will progressively take over the management of the stations and will develop its own identity, reflecting its territorial roots without losing coordination with the system as a whole.

Puente anticipated that the company expects to complete its formal incorporation with registration in the Commercial Register before 31 December this year.

Distribution of almost 1.8 billion euros to the Regional Governments

Pool Moncloa / Jose Manuel Álvarez

The Minister for Education, Vocational Training and Sports and Government Spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, has highlighted that the Council of Ministers has given the green light for territorial distribution of a total of 1.798 billion euros to finance different projects. Alegría stressed that this "important and significant" figure reflects the "co-governance that the Government of Spain carries out with the autonomous communities".

Of this total, 500 million euros will go to improving energy efficiency in industry and services. A first allocation of 300 million euros will be earmarked for actions in the industrial sector, "with a very clear focus on our SMEs", and a second allocation of 200 million euros will focus on refurbishing all types of buildings in the tertiary sector. "The regional governments will decide which buildings are a priority for them when it comes to undertaking this renovation work", explained the spokesperson, who emphasised that educational, health and cultural facilities will be able to benefit from these actions.

On the other hand, 375 million euros will go to financing programmes of social interest, amounting to 40 million euros more than last year's allocation. Last but not least, as proposed by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, a total of 923 million euros will be distributed with the aim of "continuing to transform, modernise and consolidate vocational training". Both workers and unemployed individuals will be able to benefit from this investment in training activities, which will in all cases be eligible for accreditation and count toward qualifications.

Other topical issues: fires and economic developments

The Government Spokeswoman began her speech at the press conference with a message of "affection and solidarity" to the people affected by the fire in Ávila, as well as to the fire-fighting and emergency teams that are working in the area, which have just been joined by the Military Emergency Unit (UME).

In relation to this point, Pilar Alegría reported that the Council of Ministers has approved an allocation of 5.8 million euros for work to adapt and restore the riverbeds of the Cámaras and Aguasvivas rivers in the municipalities of Aragón recently affected by heavy rainfall, an area to which the UME has also been deployed.

Finally, Alegría welcomed the latest GDP figures, which registered growth of 0.7% in the second quarter of the year. According to the Government Spokeswoman, these figures reflect that "the Spanish economy is not only maintaining its momentum, but is also significantly accelerating its growth compared to the first quarter". Alegría explained that these figures add to the total of 22 million employed, reflecting a "national success".

Non official translation