Background information

The war in Ukraine has increased economic and political uncertainty, and has led to higher commodity prices. The substantial increase in electricity and gas prices may jeopardise the coverage of companies' liquidity needs and put pressure on the cost and price structure of the economy.

Against this background, the Spanish government decided to promote the "National Response Plan to the economic and social consequences of the war in Ukraine" (Royal Decree-Law 6/2022 of 19 July). This measure intends to lower energy prices, support the most affected sectors and the most vulnerable groups, and reinforce price stability. The aim is to limit the economic and social costs of this temporary distortion in gas prices and to facilitate the adaptation of the Spanish economy.

This support is additional to other existing support measures within Royal Decree-Law 6/2022 (also described in this database), such as:

• Public aids for the fisheries sector
• Public aids for the agricultural sector
• 20 cent reduction per liter of fuel refuelled

Content of measure

Royal Decree-Law 6/2022 ("National Response Plan to the economic and social consequences of the war in Ukraine"), includes the agreement reached between the Ministry of Transport and the National Road Transport Committee (CNTC).

This agreement approves a direct aid line of €450 million in total, managed by the State Tax Administration Agency, and aimed at private transport companies and self-employed transport workers. Specifically, aid of €1,250 per lorry, €900 per bus, €500 per van or ambulance, and €300 per light vehicle (taxis and PHV -private hire vehicles) is offered. The maximum aid limit for each beneficiary is €400,000. The agreement also increases aid for those who decide to retire from the transportation industry.

Use of measure

There are no estimated number of users. All Spanish private companies and self-employed in the transport sector can benefit from this measure.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Particular professions	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Employers' organisations	National funds

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Direct consultation outside a formal body

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

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The situation in the transport sector has been troubled by the impact of the war. The Platform for the Defence of the Road Transport Sector, which represents SMEs and self-employed transport workers in Spain, called a national strike on Monday 14 March 2022, which threatened the country's supplies. They demanded aid to cope with price increases and improvements in their working conditions.

Meanwhile, the CNTC (National Road Transport Committee, formed by Fenadismer - National Federation of Transport Associations of Spain, and CETM - Spanish Confederation of Freight Transport), representing large transport associations, initially refused to join the strike, but from 21 March some of the CNTC members also joined in. Numerous factories in Spain were forced to close temporarily due to lack of supplies and the impossibility of getting their production out.

On 25 March the government met with the CNTC and an agreement was reached, but the Platform decided to continue the strike. On 2 April, after 20 days of strike action, the Platform decided to suspend the strike. The agreement signed by the CNTC and the government was included in the Royal Decree-Law 6/2022.

Views and reactions

Before reaching an agreement on 25 March, CEOE and CEPYME, the Spanish employers' representatives, criticised "political inaction" by the Government and demanded urgent details on the measures to be taken to curb energy costs, given the road blockade that paralysed economic activity. For their part, the Spanish Federation of Food and Beverage Industries (FIAB), called for an agreement to be reached to put an end to the transport workers' strike for the good of society, the economy and all the economic sectors involved.

On 25 March, an agreement was reached between the government and the CNTC (National Road Transport Committee), representing the major Spanish transport associations. The government ruled out a meeting with the Platform for the Defence of the Road Freight Transport Sector, the group calling the strike, as it only accepted the CNTC as a valid interlocutor. On 2 April the Platform decided to stop the strike out of social and economic responsibility, and to give a vote of confidence to the agreement signed by the CNTC, although with the threat of calling a new strike.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 21 March 2022: La Moncloa, Presidency of the Government. Press Note. (www.lamoncloa.gob.es)
• 29 March 2022: La Moncloa. Presidency of the Government. Agreements and regulations approved by the Council of Ministers (www.lamoncloa.gob.es)
• 30 March 2022: BOE, Spanish State Official Gazette (Real Decreto-ley 6/2022, de 29 de marzo, por el que se adoptan medidas urgentes en el marco del Plan Nacional de respuesta a las consecuencias económicas y sociales de la guerra en Ucrania) (www.boe.es)
• 01 August 2022: Royal Decree-Law 14/2022 (www.boe.es)