Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of September 10, 2026, from the General Labor Directorate, registering and publishing the State Collective Agreement for graphic arts, paper products, cardboard products, publishing and auxiliary industries |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | September 23, 2026 |
| Effective date | January 1, 2026 (retroactive effects) |
| Validity period | January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2029 |
| Extension | Automatic annual unless expressly terminated |
| Signatory parties | FEIGRAF, AFCO, Publishers Guild (employer) and CC.OO. (union) |
| Territorial scope | Entire national territory (public and private companies) |
| Category | Labor Legislation |
| BOE Reference | BOE-A-2026-19751 |
Companies in the graphic arts, publishing and paper and cardboard products sector in Spain have a new labor framework that will govern their labor relations for four years: from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2029. The agreement was signed on July 9, 2026 and published in the BOE on September 23, 2026 through the Resolution of the General Labor Directorate (reference BOE-A-2026-19751).
The effective date is retroactive to January 1, 2026, which means that the agreed conditions apply from that date even though official publication occurred in September. Affected companies must review their current labor conditions to verify alignment with the new text.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement regulates the labor framework of the sector at state level and establishes the following structural rules:
Agreement structure and relationship with lower-level agreements
The state agreement acts as a general subsidiary norm for the entire sector. Lower-level agreements (provincial or company-level) may only be negotiated through joint agreement of the parties, which limits the unilateral capacity of either party to open lower-level negotiations without the other party's support.
Matters with priority application for company-level agreements
Although the state agreement is the reference norm, certain matters may be regulated at company level with priority over the state agreement. These matters are:
- Working hours (distribution and organization of working time)
- Shifts (organization of shift work)
- Professional classification (categories and professional groups)
- Work-life balance (measures for reconciling work and family life)
Validity and extension
The agreement has a duration of four years (2026-2029). After that period, it is automatically extended year by year unless one of the parties expressly terminates it. This means that, if there is no termination, the agreement will remain in force beyond 2029 without the need for new negotiations.
Scope of application
The agreement affects all companies in the sector throughout the national territory, both public and private, regardless of their size. It includes printing companies, publishers, paper and cardboard products companies, and auxiliary industries in the sector.
Economic and operational impact
The direct impact of the agreement translates into operational and people management obligations that every company in the sector must evaluate:
- Review of current labor conditions: Companies applying conditions lower than those of the new agreement must adapt them, which may result in an increase in salary costs and work organization.
- Limitation on negotiating lower-level agreements: It is only possible to open negotiations for a provincial or company agreement with joint agreement of the parties, which reduces the employer's unilateral flexibility.
- Opportunity in company matters: The four matters with priority application (working hours, shifts, professional classification and work-life balance) allow companies to adapt these conditions to their operational reality, always within the framework of the state agreement.
- Four-year planning: The validity until 2029 with automatic extension offers stability in labor cost planning, but also requires that the company understands the text well to avoid non-compliance throughout the period.
Who does it affect?
The agreement is mandatory for all companies and workers classified in the following activities:
- Printing companies and graphic arts companies
- Publishers (included in the signatory Publishers Guild)
- Paper products companies
- Cardboard products companies
- Auxiliary industries in the graphic and publishing sector
The scope is the entire national territory and affects both private and public companies. There is no minimum workforce threshold: a company with a single worker in any of these activities is subject to the agreement.
Practical example
A medium-sized printing company with 25 workers that currently applies a previous provincial agreement must verify whether that provincial agreement remains valid under the new framework. Given that lower-level agreements can only be negotiated by joint agreement of the parties, if the provincial agreement was not renewed with that agreement, the state agreement becomes the applicable norm directly from January 1, 2026.
Additionally, if that printing company wants to adapt the distribution of working hours or shifts to its production model (for example, to cover seasonal orders), it can do so through a company agreement in the matters of working hours and shifts, which have priority application at company level over the state agreement. To do this, it must negotiate that company agreement with the legal representation of the workers.
What should companies do now?
- Verify sector classification: Confirm that the company's main activity falls within the scope of the agreement (graphic arts, publishing, paper or cardboard products, auxiliary industries).
- Review current labor conditions: Compare current conditions in the company (salaries, working hours, categories) with those of the new state agreement to identify possible misalignments from January 1, 2026.
- Evaluate the situation of lower-level agreements: If the company applies a provincial or company agreement, verify whether that agreement was negotiated with joint agreement of the parties in accordance with the new rules. Otherwise, the state agreement prevails.
- Identify opportunities in company matters: Analyze whether it is advisable to negotiate specific conditions in working hours, shifts, professional classification or work-life balance at company level, taking advantage of the priority application that the state agreement recognizes for these matters.
- Plan validity until 2029: Incorporate the new framework into labor cost and human resources planning for the 2026-2029 period, taking into account the automatic annual extension if there is no termination.
- Consult with labor advisors: Given that the effective date is retroactive to January 1, 2026, it is advisable to review with a professional whether there are any contingencies for the period already elapsed.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026-2029 graphic arts collective agreement apply?
The agreement is effective from January 1, 2026, although it was published in the BOE on September 23, 2026. The effective date is retroactive, so the agreed conditions apply from the beginning of the year, regardless of the publication date.
Which companies are required to apply this agreement?
All companies in the graphic arts, publishing, paper products, cardboard products and auxiliary industries sector throughout the national territory, both public and private and without workforce size limits. The agreement applies at state level.
Can my company negotiate its own agreement different from the state agreement?
Yes, but only in certain matters and under specific conditions. Lower-level agreements (provincial or company-level) may only be negotiated through joint agreement of the parties. Additionally, the matters with priority application at company level are: working hours, shifts, professional classification and work-life balance.
When does the agreement expire and what happens if it is not terminated?
The agreement expires on December 31, 2029. If neither party expressly terminates it before that date, it is automatically extended year by year. This means that, without termination, the agreement will remain in force in 2030 and subsequent years.
Who signed the 2026 graphic arts collective agreement?
The agreement was signed on July 9, 2026 by the employer organizations FEIGRAF, AFCO and the Publishers Guild, and by the union CC.OO. as the representation of workers.
Official source
View complete regulation in official source (BOE-A-2026-19751)
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-2026-19751
