Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of August 26, 2026, from the Under-Secretariat, publishing the Co-regulation Agreement for the classification of audiovisual programs and content (art. 98.2 Law 13/2022) |
|---|---|
| Publication | September 9, 2026 |
| Entry into force | September 9, 2026 |
| Affected parties | TV channels and streaming platforms operating in Spain |
| Category | Regulatory Changes |
| Year | 2026 |
| Legal basis | Article 98.2 of Law 13/2022, of July 7, General Audiovisual Communication Law |
Television channels and streaming platforms operating in Spain have a new binding obligation from September 9, 2026: to apply a common system for rating and classifying their audiovisual content, with homogeneous sensitive content descriptors for the entire market. The regulation enters into force on the same day as its publication in the BOE, with no transitional period.
The agreement, published through the Resolution of August 26, 2026 from the Under-Secretariat, develops article 98.2 of the Law 13/2022, of July 7, General Audiovisual Communication Law, and establishes a co-regulation code of conduct with participation from regulators, administrations and private operators.
What does this regulation establish?
The co-regulation agreement creates a common system for rating and classifying audiovisual programs and content for the entire Spanish market. Its main elements are:
- Homogeneous criteria for age-based classification applicable to all signatory operators.
- Mandatory use of sensitive content descriptors (violence, sex, language, etc.) in content labeling.
- A binding code of conduct that regulates how each program or audiovisual content is classified.
- Special emphasis on child protection in the digital audiovisual environment.
The agreement is the result of joint participation by regulatory bodies, public administrations and the main sector operators. Below are all the participants identified in the regulation:
| Type of participant | Entity |
|---|---|
| State regulator | CNMC (National Commission of Markets and Competition) |
| Regional regulator | Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya |
| Regional regulator | Consejo Audiovisual de Andalucía |
| Regional regulator | Consell Audiovisual de la Comunitat Valenciana |
| Public operator | RTVE |
| Private TV operator | Atresmedia |
| Private TV operator | Mediaset |
| Streaming platform | Disney |
| Streaming platform | Telefónica |
| Streaming platform | DAZN |
| Streaming platform | Filmin |
| Streaming platform | Rakuten TV |
Economic and operational impact
The impact of this regulation is not of a direct sanctioning type with published amounts, but rather operational and compliance-related. Affected operators must assume the following costs and internal changes:
- Catalog review and update: All platforms and channels must review the age classification of their existing content and adapt it to the new homogeneous criteria.
- Integration of sensitive content descriptors: Each platform's metadata systems must incorporate the new descriptors required by the agreement.
- Adaptation of interfaces and parental control systems: Digital platforms must update their parental control tools to reflect the new classification.
- Internal training: Programming and content classification teams must understand and apply the new binding code of conduct.
- Coordination with regulators: As a co-regulation agreement, operators actively participate in compliance monitoring alongside the CNMC and regional audiovisual councils.
The actual cost will depend on the size of each operator's catalog and the level of automation in their classification processes. For platforms with catalogs of thousands of titles, mass review can represent a significant investment in technical and editorial resources.
Who does it affect?
- Open and pay television channels broadcasting in Spain.
- Video-on-demand platforms (SVOD, AVOD, TVOD) with activity in the Spanish market.
- Digital audiovisual services subject to Law 13/2022 General Audiovisual Communication Law.
- Operators who, although not direct signatories of the agreement, are subject to the same law and must apply equivalent criteria.
- Legal, compliance and product departments of any audiovisual sector company with activity in Spain.
Practical example
Imagine you are the compliance officer of a medium-sized streaming platform, such as Filmin or Rakuten TV, with a catalog of several thousand titles.
From September 9, 2026, each movie, series or content in your catalog must be rated with the correct age classification according to the homogeneous criteria of the new agreement, and must display the corresponding sensitive content descriptors (for example: "violence", "strong language", "sexual content").
If a title was classified as "for ages 12 and up" under the platform's own criteria, but the new binding code of conduct places it in the "for ages 16 and up" category, you must update that classification in your system, in your user interface and in your parental control tools. This process must be carried out in coordination with the CNMC and the regional audiovisual councils participating in the agreement.
What should companies do now?
- Verify if your company is subject to Law 13/2022: If you operate as a TV channel or streaming platform in Spain, this regulation directly affects you from September 9, 2026.
- Review the complete co-regulation agreement: Access the official text in the BOE to learn the exact age classification criteria and required sensitive content descriptors.
- Audit your current catalog: Identify which content has a classification that may not align with the new homogeneous criteria and prioritize its review.
- Update technical systems: Adapt your metadata databases, user interfaces and parental control tools to reflect the new classification and mandatory descriptors.
- Train responsible teams: Ensure that programming, product and legal teams understand the new binding code of conduct and know how to apply it.
- Establish a continuous review process: The agreement is binding and regulators (CNMC and regional councils) participate in its monitoring. Implement an internal process to correctly classify new content before publication.
Frequently asked questions
Which platforms and channels are required by this audiovisual classification agreement?
The co-regulation agreement published on September 9, 2026 includes as participants RTVE, Atresmedia, Mediaset, Disney, Telefónica, DAZN, Filmin and Rakuten TV, in addition to the regulators CNMC, Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya, Consejo Audiovisual de Andalucía and Consell Audiovisual de la Comunitat Valenciana. In general, it affects all operators subject to article 98.2 of Law 13/2022, General Audiovisual Communication Law.
When does the new age-based classification system for streaming and TV come into force?
The regulation came into force on the same day as its publication in the BOE: September 9, 2026. There is no published transitional period in the available data, so the obligation is immediate from that date.
What are sensitive content descriptors and what must platforms include?
Sensitive content descriptors are indicators that accompany age-based classification and inform the user about the type of content that may be inappropriate (for example: violence, strong language, sexual content, etc.). The agreement establishes that all platforms and channels must apply these descriptors uniformly, with the same criteria for the entire Spanish market, with special attention to child protection.
What is the difference between this agreement and previous audiovisual regulation?
The co-regulation agreement develops article 98.2 of Law 13/2022, General Audiovisual Communication Law, which is the framework regulation for the sector. The novelty is that it establishes a binding and common code of conduct for all signatory operators, with homogeneous age-based classification criteria and sensitive content descriptors, superseding the independent systems that each operator could previously apply on its own.
Which regulatory bodies oversee compliance with this regulation?
Compliance is jointly supervised by the CNMC (state regulator) and the participating regional audiovisual councils: the Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya, the Consejo Audiovisual de Andalucía and the Consell Audiovisual de la Comunitat Valenciana. As a co-regulation agreement, the operators themselves also participate in monitoring.
Official source
View complete regulation in official source
Disclaimer: 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-2026-18871
