Background information

Protection is extended to energy and water supplies, guaranteeing the essential public services for vulnerable families. As a novelty, the services of telecommunications are also guaranteed. This means that over the duration of this measure, those who can't afford to pay the bills of these essential services can't be interrupted. The objective of this measure is to protect those families / persons at risk of exclusion or in a vulnerable position.

Content of measure

There is no quantification of the support provided.

During the month following the entry into force of this royal decree-law, suppliers of electric energy, natural gas and water may not suspend supply to those consumers in which the condition of vulnerable, severe vulnerable consumer or at risk of exclusion occurs, as defined in articles 3 and 4 of Royal Decree 897/2017, of 6 October, which regulates the figure of the vulnerable consumer, the social bonus and other protection measures for domestic consumers. The validity of the social bond is automatically extended until 15 September 2020 for those beneficiaries of the bond that expires before that date, the period provided for in article 9.2 of Royal Decree 897/2017, of 6 October.

Use of measure

There is no estimation on the number of eligible persons.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

This is a pure social measure, but not really in the labour relations domain. As a result, social partners were not involved, though they could have been informed.

Views and reactions

Social partners were supportive of this measure.

Sources

• 18 March 2020: Royal Decree-Law 8/2020, of March 17, on extraordinary and urgent measures to face the economic and social impact of COVID-19. (www.boe.es)