Direct subsidies to FEMP, CRUE, CCOO, UGT and CEOE: what the State finances in 2026

Key data

Seven representative organizations of Spanish public life —from municipal federations to trade unions and business associations— will receive direct subsidies from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to finance international cooperation activities for sustainable development. The Royal Decree 976/2026, published on 12 November 2026, regulates this direct grant under article 22.2.c) of the Law 38/2003, General Subsidies Law, which allows omitting public calls when there are duly justified reasons of public interest.

The key to this decree is the figure of the «singular partner»: each beneficiary entity is considered unique in its representative field, which makes competitive bidding unfeasible. There is no open call, no application deadline and no competition between entities.

What does this regulation establish?

The Royal Decree regulates the granting of 8 direct subsidies to the following entities, classified as singular partners of the State Secretariat for International Cooperation:

Additionally, the decree finances the ODA (Official Development Assistance) reporting to the OECD, an activity that requires the coordinated participation of these entities as part of the Spanish cooperation system.

The legal justification for the direct grant is based on the fact that each of these entities is unique in its representative category: there is no other federation of municipalities, no other conference of rectors, nor any other majority business association with which it could compete on equal terms.

Economic and operational impact

This decree has direct budgetary implications for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and establishes a stable financing framework for key actors in the Spanish international cooperation system. The most relevant operational effects are:

• For beneficiary entities: guaranteed access to public financing without the need to compete in a competitive call, with the counterpart of assuming the justification and control obligations of Law 38/2003.
• For the Ministry: stable budgetary commitment with strategic partners of the cooperation system, with ex post control through the mechanisms of the General Subsidies Law.
• For the Spanish cooperation system: continuity in ODA reporting to the OECD and in the dissemination of the 2030 Agenda, activities that require high-level institutional coordination.

From the perspective of regulatory compliance, recipient entities must activate their internal protocols for subsidy justification in accordance with Law 38/2003: accreditation of compliance with the purpose, accountability and submission to the verification actions of the granting body.

Who does it affect?

• FEMP and CONFOCOS: as direct beneficiary entities with justification obligations.
• CRUE: Spanish universities, through their conference of rectors, participate in the preparation of reports on university cooperation for development.
• REDS: network that brings together public and private actors committed to the 2030 Agenda in Spain.
• CCOO and UGT: the two majority trade unions, as beneficiaries for international labor alliance activities.
• CEOE: the majority business association, for the promotion of business alliances in the field of international cooperation.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: as the granting body and responsible for budgetary control.
• Private companies and SMEs: not directly affected. This decree does not generate obligations or costs for the general business sector.

Practical example

Imagine that CEOE, as a beneficiary entity, receives a direct subsidy under this Royal Decree to finance the promotion of international business alliances within the framework of cooperation for sustainable development.

Since there is no competitive call, CEOE does not compete with any other business organization: its status as the majority business association and unique in its representative category is precisely the reason that justifies the direct grant according to article 22.2.c) of Law 38/2003.

However, once the subsidy is received, CEOE must comply with all obligations of the General Subsidies Law: justify the use of funds, accredit that the financed activities have been executed in accordance with the intended purpose and submit to the verification actions of the State Secretariat for International Cooperation. Non-compliance with these obligations could result in the reimbursement of the amounts received.

What should beneficiary entities do now?

1. Verify formal notification of the subsidy by the State Secretariat for International Cooperation and review the specific conditions of each grant.
2. Activate internal protocols for public subsidy management in accordance with Law 38/2003: designate responsible party, open justification file and establish accountability schedule.
3. Document all financed activities (ODA reporting to the OECD, university cooperation reports, 2030 Agenda dissemination, labor and business alliances) with sufficient evidence for justification to the granting body.
4. Review control and reimbursement obligations provided for in the General Subsidies Law to avoid non-compliance situations that would require returning the funds received.
5. Coordinate with the State Secretariat for International Cooperation the deadlines and formats required for justification of each subsidy.

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-2026-23663