AP-9 Atlantic Highway: what changes with the transfer to Galicia in 2026

Key data

The Atlantic Highway (AP-9) is the backbone of Galician mobility: it connects the main cities of the community and is a critical infrastructure for logistics, freight transport and access for thousands of citizens and businesses. Organic Law 3/2026, approved on July 29, 2026, orders the transfer of its ownership and competencies to the Autonomous Community of Galicia. However, the process is not closed.

On September 3, 2026, the Bilateral Commission for Cooperation between the General State Administration and the Xunta de Galicia adopted a formal agreement to initiate negotiations and resolve discrepancies arising from that law. The Resolution of September 8, 2026 from the General Secretariat of Territorial Coordination publishes that agreement and activates the mechanism of Article 33.2 of the Organic Law of the Constitutional Court, which provisionally suspends the deadlines for filing an unconstitutionality appeal.

What does this regulation establish?

The Bilateral Commission agreement establishes three fundamental elements:

• Creation of a specific Working Group responsible for analyzing the discrepancies between the State and the Xunta regarding Organic Law 3/2026 and proposing solutions to the Bilateral Commission.
• Communication to the Constitutional Court in accordance with Article 33.2 of its Organic Law, which provisionally suspends the deadlines for filing an unconstitutionality appeal against the transfer law.
• Intergovernmental cooperation mechanism to avoid a formal constitutional conflict, prioritizing the negotiated path over the judicial one.

Organic Law 3/2026 that originates this process transfers to Galicia the ownership and competencies over the AP-9, which includes decisions on operational management, toll policy, infrastructure maintenance and future investments. These matters are precisely the core of the discrepancies that the Working Group must resolve.

Economic and operational impact

The AP-9 is one of the most used toll highways in Spain and the main communication artery of Galicia. The resolution of discrepancies between State and Xunta will determine who makes decisions on aspects with direct economic impact:

• Tolls: Competency over toll policy would pass to the Xunta, which may imply upward or downward revisions depending on the autonomous community's strategy.
• Maintenance and investments: The owning entity assumes financial responsibility for infrastructure maintenance and improvement or expansion investments.
• Operational management: The transfer of competencies may affect existing concession contracts and the relationship with current operators.
• Transitional uncertainty: While the Working Group has not reached an agreement and the Bilateral Commission has not ratified it, the legal status of the transfer remains in a state of active negotiation, which generates uncertainty for logistics operators, transporters and companies with activity in Galicia.

Who does it affect?

• General State Administration: Negotiating party; must resolve competency discrepancies before the transfer becomes fully effective.
• Xunta de Galicia: Future owner of the AP-9; its capacity to manage and finance the infrastructure depends on the outcome of negotiations.
• Transport and logistics companies with activity in Galicia: Any change in tolls or management directly affects their operating costs.
• Companies with production or distribution centers in Galicia: The AP-9 is their main access route to national and international markets.
• Individual users and companies with vehicle fleets: A tariff review would impact travel and transport costs.
• Concession operators and highway service providers: The transfer of ownership may affect existing contracts.

Practical example

A freight transport company based in Vigo that uses the AP-9 daily for its routes to A Coruña and the Portuguese border faces the following situation:

Currently, the AP-9 toll policy is under state competency. If the transfer to the Xunta is consolidated without agreement on tariffs, the autonomous community could revise tariffs autonomously. For a fleet of 20 trucks making daily trips, even a moderate variation in tolls represents a significant impact on annual results.

While the Working Group created by the Bilateral Commission has not reached an agreement and the deadlines for the unconstitutionality appeal remain suspended, this company cannot plan its infrastructure costs for 2027 with certainty. The recommendation is to monitor the progress of negotiations and consider scenarios of tariff variation in financial planning.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify operational dependence on the AP-9: Evaluate what percentage of your routes, logistics costs or customer access depends on this infrastructure. The higher it is, the more urgent the monitoring.
2. Incorporate toll variation scenarios in 2027 financial planning: The resolution of discrepancies may result in tariff changes. Include a conservative scenario and one of moderate increase in your budgets.
3. Follow the progress of the Working Group: The conclusions of the Working Group will be submitted to the Bilateral Commission. When published, they will determine the definitive management model for the AP-9. Subscribe to regulatory alerts so you don't miss that publication.
4. Review contracts with logistics providers: If you have transport contracts with fixed rates that include tolls, verify if they include revision clauses for changes in infrastructure costs.
5. Consult with legal advisor if you have contracts linked to the concession: Companies providing services to the highway or with contracts linked to the current concession should analyze the impact of a change in ownership.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20718