Collective agreement paper and graphic arts 2024-2026: what changes for bookstores and stationery shops

Key data

Companies in the paper trade, bookstores and graphic arts sector now have a defined labor framework until the end of 2026. The Resolution of September 2, 2026 from the General Labor Directorate registers and publishes the national collective agreement, which establishes the minimum conditions that all companies in the sector must respect regardless of what their company agreements or provincial agreements say.

The agreement is national in scope and, according to its own clauses, the signatory parties commit to preventing provincial agreements from overlapping its scope of application. This strengthens legal certainty for companies operating in multiple provinces.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement exclusively regulates the following matters at national level:

• Hiring modalities: sets the forms of contract permitted in the sector.
• Professional classification: establishes the groups and categories of workers applicable.
• Maximum working hours: determines the limit of working hours in the sector.
• Disciplinary regime: regulates offenses, sanctions and applicable procedures.

In salary matters, the agreement introduces a rule of compensation and absorption: companies can compensate up to 70% of the salary increase agreed in the agreement with improvements they were already applying voluntarily or by prior agreement. This compensation has two important exceptions: it does not apply to seniority allowances or to special allowances expressly excluded.

Regarding validity, the agreement distinguishes two moments of entry into force:

• General clauses: effective from publication in the BOE (September 14, 2026).
• Remuneration clauses: with their own effective date, indicated in the agreement text itself.

The agreement extends until December 31, 2026 and is automatically extended year by year if none of the parties denounces it.

Economic and operational impact

The main economic impact for companies in the sector revolves around the 70% salary compensation rule. This means that if a company was already paying above the previous agreement minimum, it can absorb up to 70% of the new salary increase with that prior improvement, reducing the actual additional cost of the agreement.

However, there are two items that cannot be compensated:

• Seniority allowances: must be paid in full as agreed, without possibility of absorption.
• Special allowances expressly excluded: cannot be compensated with prior improvements either.

From an operational perspective, the regulation of hiring modalities and professional classification requires reviewing current contracts and the structure of staff categories to ensure they comply with the new framework. The disciplinary regime must also be updated in internal regulations or employee manuals.

The commitment of the signatory parties (CEGAL, FANDE, FeSMC-UGT and Servicios-CC.OO.) to prevent provincial agreements from overlapping this scope provides regulatory stability, especially for chains or companies with work centers in multiple autonomous communities.

Who does it affect?

• Bookstores (independent and chains) with employees.
• Stationery shops of any size with hired staff.
• Edition and publication distributors at national level.
• Paper wholesalers and related products with activity in the sector trade.
• Graphic arts companies included in the scope of the paper trade cycle.
• Workers of all professional categories in these companies.

The scope is strictly national: it affects all companies in the sector regardless of the province or autonomous community where they operate.

Practical example

Imagine a bookstore with 8 employees that was already paying its workers 5% above the salary table of the previous agreement. With the new 2024-2026 agreement, the agreed salary increase means, for example, a raise of €1,000 annually per worker.

Thanks to the 70% compensation rule, the bookstore can absorb up to €700 of that increase with the improvement it was already applying. The actual additional cost would be only €300 per worker per year, not the €1,000 of the gross increase.

Attention: if any of those workers has a seniority allowance, that amount cannot be compensated and must be paid in full on the new base. The same applies to any special allowance that the agreement expressly excludes from compensation.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your company is within the scope of the agreement: check that your activity fits in the paper trade cycle, bookstores, stationery shops, editorial distribution or graphic arts at national level.
2. Review current salary tables: identify what salary increase the agreement establishes for each professional category and calculate the real impact after applying the 70% compensation rule.
3. Separate seniority and special allowances: these cannot be absorbed. Make sure they are calculated and paid independently.
4. Update contracts and professional categories: review that the professional classification of your staff complies with the new agreement framework.
5. Update internal disciplinary regime: adapt internal regulations, employee manuals or company protocols to the agreement's disciplinary regime.
6. Control the agreement denunciation date: the agreement is automatically extended each year. If you want to renegotiate conditions, you must denounce it before December 31, 2026.

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-2026-19181