The Spanish Government shortens the time period for implementing sustainable mobility to work plans which will end on December 5, 2026, and adopts provisions prohibiting dismissal

Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 of March 20, 2026 approving the Comprehensive Plan to Respond to the Crisis in the Middle East, amends Sustainable Mobility Law 9/2025, reducing from twenty-four to twelve months the time period for having sustainable mobility to work plans at workplaces with more than 200 workers or 100 per shift. Consequently, qualifying companies will need to have those plans in place by December 5, 2026 (a year earlier than the date originally specified, which was December 5, 2027). The plans will first need to be negotiated with the workers’ statutory representative or, in their absence, with the largest trade unions by membership and the largest trade unions by membership in the company’s sector. For beneficiary companies of the direct support under the royal decree-law, failure to comply with that obligation will require repayment of the support they have received.

Moreover, the royal decree-law sets out a job protection clause (article 62) for beneficiary companies of the direct support it provides. Those companies cannot carry out dismissals on the ground of force majeure events or on economic, technical, organizational or production-related grounds connected with the regulated circumstances, until June 30, 2026. It also prohibits failing to call up workers under permanent seasonal contracts for work or bringing their activity periods to an end for this reason. Any company failing to fulfill this obligation will have to repay all the support received, and the dismissal will be classed as null and void.