Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of July 7, 2026, from the General Labor Directorate — Partial modification agreement of the II General Agreement for road freight transport companies |
|---|---|
| Publication | July 17, 2026 |
| Entry into force | July 17, 2026 |
| Affected parties | All road freight transport companies and their workers in Spain |
| Category | Labor Legislation |
| Legal reference framework | Law 4/2023 for the real and effective equality of trans persons and for the guarantee of the rights of LGBTQI persons; Royal Decree 1026/2024 |
| Year | 2026 |
Road freight transport companies have new obligations regarding LGBTQI equality from July 17, 2026. The Resolution of July 7, 2026 from the General Labor Directorate registers and publishes the partial agreement that modifies the II General Agreement of the sector to comply with Law 4/2023 and Royal Decree 1026/2024 on LGBTQI equality in the workplace.
This is not a recommendation: it is a modification of the sector collective agreement that is mandatory for the entire sector. Companies that do not adapt their internal policies are exposed to labor sanctions.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement introduces concrete changes in four areas of the II General Agreement for road freight transport. Below are all the changes included in the modification:
| Area | Before | After (from 17/07/2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Prohibition of discrimination | General prohibition of labor discrimination | Expressly expanded to sexual orientation, sexual identity and gender expression in hiring, promotion and training |
| Disciplinary regime — serious offense | Did not specifically contemplate disrespectful treatment due to LGBTQI identity | Disrespectful treatment toward LGBTQI persons is classified as a serious offense |
| Disciplinary regime — very serious offense | Did not specifically contemplate harassment based on sexual identity or orientation | Harassment based on sexual identity or orientation is classified as a very serious offense |
| Training | No specific obligation for LGBTQI content | Companies must include LGBTQI content in their training plans |
| Uniforms | No express provision on gender expression | Companies must guarantee the use of uniforms in accordance with each worker's gender expression |
| Selection and promotion | General objective criteria | Processes must be based on objective criteria without discrimination based on gender or sexual identity |
Economic and operational impact
This modification does not generate a single fixed cost, but does imply investment in time and resources in several people management areas:
- Training: Companies must review and update their training plans to include specific content on LGBTQI equality. This involves designing or contracting training modules, staff training hours and updating the annual plan.
- Uniforms: Companies that have uniforms differentiated by gender must review their work clothing provision policy to ensure that any worker can access the uniform that corresponds to their gender expression.
- Disciplinary regime: The incorporation of new serious and very serious offenses requires updating the company's internal disciplinary regime regulations or code of conduct. Failing to do so can create legal uncertainty in case of labor conflict.
- Selection and promotion: HR processes must document the objective criteria used to avoid any appearance of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity.
The real economic risk is not in the cost of adaptation, but in the cost of not adapting: violations regarding equality and non-discrimination can lead to labor inspection proceedings, administrative sanctions and individual labor claims.
Who does it affect?
- Road freight transport companies with workers in Spain, regardless of size.
- Human Resources departments responsible for training, selection, promotion and disciplinary regime in these companies.
- General managers and managers of companies in the sector, who are ultimately responsible for compliance with the collective agreement.
- Labor advisors and HR consultants providing services to companies in the freight transport sector.
- All workers in the sector, who are now expressly protected against discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, sexual identity and gender expression.
Practical example
A freight transport company with 35 drivers and administrative staff receives a complaint in September 2026 from a trans worker who alleges that their warehouse manager has made disrespectful comments related to their gender identity.
With the modification of the agreement already in force, that behavior is expressly classified as a serious offense in the sector's disciplinary regime. If the company has not updated its internal regulations or provided LGBTQI training, it will find itself in a weak position in the face of a possible inspection or claim: it will not be able to demonstrate that it took preventive measures, which aggravates its responsibility.
If the behavior escalates to systematic harassment based on sexual identity or orientation, the classification becomes a very serious offense, with the disciplinary and legal consequences that entails.
The preventive solution is simple: include an LGBTQI equality module in the annual training plan, update the code of conduct and review the uniform policy before conflict arises.
What should companies do now?
- Review internal disciplinary regime: Update the disciplinary regime regulations or code of conduct to expressly incorporate the classification of serious offense (disrespectful treatment toward LGBTQI persons) and very serious offense (harassment based on sexual identity or orientation), aligning it with the modified agreement.
- Update the training plan: Include in the annual training plan a specific module on LGBTQI equality in the workplace, thus fulfilling the express obligation of the agreement.
- Review uniform policy: Verify that uniform provision allows any worker to access uniforms in accordance with their gender expression, without restrictions based on assigned gender.
- Audit selection and promotion processes: Document the objective criteria used in hiring and promotion to demonstrate the absence of discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual identity or gender expression.
- Communicate changes to middle management: Inform team leaders, warehouse managers and fleet coordinators about the new disciplinary classifications, as they are the ones who manage day-to-day personnel.
- Preserve documentation: Keep evidence of training activities carried out and selection and promotion processes as backup in case of possible inspections or claims.
Frequently asked questions
When do these LGBTQI measures become mandatory in freight transport?
From July 17, 2026, the date of publication and entry into force of the Resolution from the General Labor Directorate that registers the agreement to modify the II General Agreement of the sector. There is no transition period: the obligation is immediate.
What is considered a serious and very serious offense regarding LGBTQI matters according to the agreement?
The modified agreement classifies disrespectful treatment toward LGBTQI persons as a serious offense. Harassment based on sexual identity or orientation is classified as a very serious offense. Both classifications have direct disciplinary consequences for the worker who commits them and responsibility for the company if it does not act.
What should training plans of freight transport companies include regarding LGBTQI matters?
The agreement requires including LGBTQI content in training plans of companies in the sector. Although the exact format is not specified, it must cover at least awareness about sexual orientation, sexual identity and gender expression in the workplace, and the disciplinary consequences of disrespectful treatment or harassment.
What happens with company uniforms if a worker is a trans person?
The modified agreement requires companies to guarantee the use of uniforms in accordance with each worker's gender expression. This means that a trans or non-binary person has the right to access the uniform that corresponds to their gender expression, without the company being able to deny it based on assigned gender at birth.
Does this regulation only affect large transport companies or also SMEs and self-employed workers with employees?
It affects all road freight transport companies and their workers in Spain, without distinction of size. Both a large logistics operator and a family business with few drivers are subject to the II General Agreement of the sector and, therefore, to this modification.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is merely informative in nature 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-2026-15644
