Key data
| Regulation | Order ECM/687/2026, of June 17 |
|---|---|
| Publication in BOE | July 8, 2026 |
| Entry into force | July 9, 2026 |
| Affected parties | Regional Chambers of Commerce, supervising administrations and affiliated companies |
| Category | Business Regulation |
| Current mandate expires | December 12, 2026 |
| Recommended deadline for electoral renewal | Before December 31, 2027 |
The current mandate of the members of the Plenary of the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation of Spain expires on December 12, 2026. To organize the renewal process, the Order ECM/687/2026, of June 17, published in the BOE on July 8, 2026 and in force from the following day, establishes the objective criteria that regional supervising administrations must apply to designate the new members.
This is not a regulation that imposes direct costs on companies, but it does define who has more weight in the governing body of the national Chamber, which directly affects the representation of business interests in each territory.
What does this regulation establish?
Order ECM/687/2026 regulates the procedure by which regional supervising administrations must select and designate the members who will represent each regional Chamber in the Plenary of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. The criteria are as follows:
| Criterion | Description | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Main criterion | Number of individuals or legal entities affiliated with each regional Chamber in the last fiscal year | Determines the base number of members for each Chamber |
| Tiebreaker criterion | Highest business turnover generated by affiliated companies | Applied only in case of a tie in the main criterion |
| Additional member | The eight autonomous communities with the highest number of affiliated companies | Obtain one extra member over the base allocation |
| Recommendation on the profile of the designated person | Members from Chambers with completed electoral processes before December 31, 2027 | Recommendatory in nature, not mandatory |
In practice, the more companies a regional Chamber has affiliated, the greater its representation in the national Plenary. Business turnover only comes into play if two Chambers tie in the number of affiliated companies, which is unusual but possible in territories with similar business structures.
Economic and operational impact
This regulation does not generate direct costs for companies. Its impact is representative and governance-related: it defines which territories have more voice in the governing body of the national Chamber, which in turn influences policies for business support, internationalization and chamber services.
The operational impact falls mainly on regional supervising administrations and the Chambers of Commerce themselves, which must:
- Collect and validate affiliation data from the last fiscal year before the mandate expires on December 12, 2026.
- Initiate or accelerate internal electoral processes to be able to designate members who meet the recommended profile (Chambers renewed before December 31, 2027).
- Formally communicate the designation to the Spanish Chamber of Commerce within the established deadline.
For affiliated companies, the indirect impact is relevant: their affiliation data and business turnover are what determine territorial weight in the Plenary. A regional Chamber with more affiliated companies and higher business turnover will have more members and, therefore, greater capacity to influence decisions of the national body.
Who does it affect?
- Regional supervising administrations: they are directly responsible for designating members by applying the criteria established in the Order.
- Regional Official Chambers of Commerce: must provide affiliation data from the last fiscal year and, if possible, complete their electoral processes before December 31, 2027.
- Companies and self-employed individuals affiliated with Chambers of Commerce: their affiliation data and business turnover determine the representative weight of their Chamber in the national Plenary.
- Business executives and representatives: who participate in governing bodies of regional Chambers and may be candidates for member of the national Plenary.
Practical example
Let's imagine two regional Chambers, Chamber A and Chamber B, with the following data from the last fiscal year:
| Chamber | Affiliated companies | Business turnover | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber A (large community) | 120,000 | €85,000 M | Base member + additional member (among the 8 with most companies) |
| Chamber B (medium community) | 45,000 | €22,000 M | Base member only |
| Chamber C and Chamber D (tie) | 30,000 each | C: €18,000 M / D: €12,000 M | Tiebreaker criterion applied: Chamber C obtains better position due to higher business turnover |
This example illustrates how communities with larger consolidated business sectors will consolidate their representative advantage in the national Plenary, while smaller ones will depend on their business turnover to differentiate themselves in case of a tie.
What should companies do now?
- Verify affiliation with the corresponding regional Chamber of Commerce: data from the last fiscal year is what is used to calculate representative weight. Make sure your company is correctly listed in the chamber census.
- Check the electoral status of your regional Chamber: the regulation recommends that designated members come from Chambers with completed electoral processes before December 31, 2027. If your Chamber has pending elections, now is the time to follow its calendar.
- If you are an executive or representative in a regional Chamber: check if your community is among the eight with the highest number of affiliated companies, as this determines whether it will have an additional member in the national Plenary.
- Follow the designation process before December 12, 2026: this is the deadline when the current mandate expires. Any delay in designation can create gaps in representation in the national governing body.
- Consult with the regional supervising administration if you have questions about how the criteria are applied in your community or if you want to know the number of members that will correspond to your Chamber.
Frequently asked questions
When does the current mandate of the members of the Plenary of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce expire?
The current mandate expires on December 12, 2026. Order ECM/687/2026 establishes the criteria for designating new members before that date.
What criterion decides how many members correspond to each regional Chamber?
The main criterion is the number of individuals or legal entities affiliated with each Chamber in the last fiscal year. In case of a tie, a second criterion is applied: the highest business turnover generated by affiliated companies.
Which autonomous communities will have an additional member in the Plenary?
The eight autonomous communities with the highest number of affiliated companies to their respective Chambers will obtain an additional member. The regulation does not specify which ones, as it will be determined with data from the last fiscal year available at the time of designation.
Is it mandatory that designated members come from Chambers with completed electoral processes?
It is not mandatory, but recommendatory. Order ECM/687/2026 recommends that designated members be from Chambers that have completed their electoral processes before December 31, 2027.
When did Order ECM/687/2026 come into force?
The regulation was published in the BOE on July 8, 2026 and came into force on July 9, 2026, that is, the day following its publication.
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-2026-14870