Industry minister Reyes Maroto announced that industrial firms facing financial hardship will be required to report closures or sharp activity declines that lead to significant job losses to the Ministry of Industry and to unions. The council of ministers has approved the draft law, which introduces a dedicated set of protections for energy-intensive industries. The plan emphasizes support for sectors like those in Asturias, though remaining questions concern the exact mechanisms for delivering this aid. The proposal also aims to curb relocations and closures by compelling large, publicly funded firms to remain operational for a minimum period of five years, with the five-year requirement extending to major companies and a three-year period applying to small and medium-sized enterprises.
The law, still moving through the parliamentary process, will replace the current framework in place since 1992. Under the new text, distressed companies will be assessed by an expert panel. A Reindustrialization Roundtable will be convened, bringing together officials from the national administration and the autonomous community where the affected company operates. The objective, as explained by Maroto, is to identify methods for the prevention, correction, and mitigation of impacts tied to industrial crises. The emphasis is on proactive measures before a firm shuts down or imposes mass layoffs, acknowledging the ongoing risk posed by rising energy prices and other macroeconomic pressures.
Industry growth in Spain is seen as a pillar of the national economy, with particular importance in Asturias, a region that has faced industrial decline for decades, driven in part by changes in recycling and demand. Among the measures under consideration is a requirement that recipients of public subsidies or loans maintain their operations for a defined period: five years for large companies and three years for SMEs. This stipulation aims to stabilize employment and investment during vulnerable periods.
The legislation will also extend “special protection” and accompanying measures to facilitate decarbonization for electro-intensive industries. Companies such as Asturiana de Zinc and ArcelorMittal are cited as examples that could meet these criteria, though further details have yet to be published by the government. The minister and the summary of the draft did not provide additional specifics at this stage.
Additionally, the government plans to give “special attention” to internationalization programs designed to promote or consolidate Spanish industrial firms on the global stage. The framework will authorize administrations to develop industrial zones with a preference for consensus among the actors involved in their development and management, underscoring a commitment to sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness across regions.