ICO Guarantees of 50 Million for Companies and Self-Employed in Ceuta: How to Request Them

Key data

Companies and self-employed workers with activity in Ceuta have access to a line of public guarantees of 50 million euros managed by the ICO to mitigate the economic impact of the migration crisis of July 30 and 31, 2026. The measure, approved by the Council of Ministers on September 15, 2026 and published in the BOE on September 22, is based on the Royal Decree-Law 22/2026, of September 1.

The ICO guarantee acts as a guarantee to the financial entity, making it easier for companies and self-employed workers who would otherwise not obtain financing—or would obtain it on worse terms—to access loans to maintain their activity or undertake investments.

What does this regulation establish?

The Agreement of the Council of Ministers of September 15, 2026 sets the terms and conditions of the guarantee line. These are the key elements:

A relevant aspect for financial entities: they are the ones who request the guarantee from the ICO, not directly the companies or self-employed workers. The entrepreneur negotiates the loan with their bank or financial establishment, and it is the entity that processes the guarantee coverage with the ICO.

Economic and operational impact

The 50 million euro line represents significant support for a local economy the size of Ceuta. The public guarantee reduces risk for financial entities, which translates into more favorable credit access conditions for the beneficiary companies.

From an operational perspective, there are two immediate practical consequences:

• Liquidity: Companies with cash flow tensions resulting from the July crisis can access short-term financing guaranteed by the State, without the need to provide equivalent additional guarantees.
• Investment: Businesses that need to reactivate or expand their activity can finance investment projects with the backing of the ICO guarantee, improving their access to credit in the medium and long term.

The guarantee coverage is limited to the unpaid principal capital, which means that interest, commissions and other concepts are not covered. This detail is relevant for financial entities and borrowers to properly structure operations.

The fact that the measure complies with European state aid regulations ensures that beneficiary companies will not assume repayment risks due to community incompatibility.

Who does it affect?

• Companies with activity in Ceuta from any sector, except financial and insurance, that have suffered economic impact from the events of July 30 and 31, 2026.
• Self-employed workers with activity in Ceuta under the same conditions.
• Credit entities supervised by the Bank of Spain that operate in Ceuta and want to offer guaranteed financing to their clients.
• Financial credit establishments supervised by the Bank of Spain with activity in the autonomous city.

Expressly excluded are companies in the financial and insurance sector, which will not be able to be final beneficiaries of the guarantees.

Practical example

A hospitality company based in Ceuta that saw its activity drastically reduced during the events of July 30 and 31, 2026 needs €200,000 to cover payroll, suppliers and current expenses in the following months.

The process would be as follows:

1. The company goes to its bank or financial entity supervised by the Bank of Spain and requests a liquidity/working capital loan.
2. The financial entity processes the guarantee with the ICO for that operation, within the 50 million line enabled.
3. With the ICO guarantee as collateral, the entity grants the loan on potentially more favorable terms than without it.
4. If the company cannot repay the principal capital, the ICO responds to the financial entity in an irrevocable and unconditional manner, on first demand.

The operation must be formalized before December 15, 2026. If the company waits until January 2027, it will no longer be able to use this line.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify that you meet the basic requirements: activity in Ceuta, not belonging to the financial or insurance sector, and that the operation is formalized between July 30 and December 15, 2026.
2. Contact your usual financial entity (bank or financial establishment supervised by the Bank of Spain) to find out if they already process operations under this ICO line and under what conditions.
3. Identify the modality you need: liquidity/working capital if you have short-term cash flow problems, or investment if you need to finance assets or recovery projects.
4. Prepare supporting documentation of the economic impact suffered from the July 2026 events, which the financial entity will likely require to process the guarantee.
5. Do not wait until the last moment: the ICO has 30 business days from September 22, 2026 to activate the line, and the formalization deadline closes on December 15, 2026. The actual operational margin is just over two months.
6. Consult with your financial or legal advisor if you have doubts about whether your company meets the eligibility criteria or about the specific conditions of the guarantee in relation to European state aid regulations.

Official source

View 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-2026-19684