Bullfighting festivities with minors in Euskadi: requirements, deadlines and prohibitions of Law 6/2026

Key data

Organizers of popular bullfighting festivities in Euskadi involving minors face a completely new regulatory framework from 2026 onwards. Law 6/2026, of June 25, approved by the Basque Parliament, creates for the first time a specific regime of authorization, safety and animal welfare for this type of celebration. Failure to comply with documentary requirements or operational limits activates the sanctioning regime provided for in the law itself.

The regulation governs a very specific type of festivities: those in which minors aged between 8 and 16 years participate with bovines aged between 6 and 18 months and with protected horns. This profile covers the popularly known "vaquillas" or promotion festivities in Basque municipalities.

What does this regulation establish?

Law 6/2026 articulates three major blocks of obligations: the prior authorization procedure, the conditions for conducting the festivities and express prohibitions.

Mandatory documentation for authorization

Every application submitted to the Gaming and Entertainment Department must include the following documents:

• Civil liability insurance
• Event safety plan
• Health certification of animals
• Livestock documentation

Operational conditions of the festivities

Express prohibitions

The law explicitly prohibits wounding, striking or mistreating animals during the festivities. This prohibition is absolute and admits no exceptions based on local custom or tradition.

Economic and operational impact

The main impact is not direct cost in fees, but rather administrative burden and risk of cancellation. Organizers must understand that authorization is not automatic: administrative silence at 72 hours prior to the festivities equals denial, which can leave an event without legal coverage three days before.

The new operational costs generated by the regulation include:

• Contracting or expanding specific civil liability insurance for the event
• Preparation of a formal safety plan (may require external advice)
• Obtaining veterinary health certification of animals
• Collection and submission of livestock documentation
• Management of the file with the Gaming and Entertainment Department with the required notice

For municipalities that organize or support these festivities, the law also implies the responsibility to verify that private organizers have obtained authorization before ceding public spaces or giving institutional support to the event.

The inspection and sanctioning regime provided for in the law adds real economic risk: celebrating festivities without authorization or failing to comply with operational conditions (hours, time per animal, prohibition on mistreatment) may result in sanctions whose specific amount should be consulted in the full text of the regulation.

Who does it affect?

• Basque municipalities that organize or authorize popular bullfighting festivities with participation of minors in their municipalities
• Private organizers or associations that promote traditional bullfighting festivities for promotion in Euskadi
• Livestock supplier breeders of bovines aged 6 to 18 months for this type of event, who must provide health and livestock documentation
• Insurance companies operating in the civil liability segment for public entertainment in the Basque Country
• Veterinary services that must issue health certifications for participating animals

Practical example

A municipality in the Gipuzkoa region wants to organize its traditional bullfighting festivities on August 15, 2026, with participation of young people from the municipality aged between 10 and 15 years and three bovines aged 12 months with protected horns.

For the event to be legal, the organizer must:

1. Submit the authorization request to the Gaming and Entertainment Department before July 31 (10 business days before August 15, excluding holidays).
2. Attach the civil liability insurance, safety plan, health certification of the three bovines and livestock documentation.
3. Schedule the festivities during daytime hours, outside the 22:00–07:00 period.
4. Ensure that no animal remains in the enclosure for more than 15 minutes.
5. Have a suspension protocol in place if a high temperature alert is activated.

If at 72 hours prior to the festivities (August 12) no express resolution has been received, the authorization is understood to be denied and the event cannot be held.

What should organizers do now?

1. Review the calendar of planned festivities and identify which ones fall within the scope of the law (minors aged 8 to 16 years, bovines aged 6 to 18 months with protected horns).
2. Begin processing specific civil liability insurance for the event with sufficient notice, as obtaining it may take several days.
3. Prepare the safety plan for the festivities, documenting protection measures for participating minors and attending public.
4. Request health certification and livestock documentation from the livestock supplier with sufficient time before the submission deadline.
5. Submit the complete application to the Gaming and Entertainment Department with at least 10 business days' notice before the date of the festivities.
6. Verify the express resolution before 72 hours prior to the event. If it does not arrive, silence equals denial and the festivities cannot be held.
7. Adapt the festivities program to daytime hours (before 22:00), the 15-minute limit per animal and the suspension protocol for high temperatures.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at 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-2026-15304