State Guarantees for Transport Companies: How to Access Financing Due to the Middle East Crisis

Key data

Road freight transport companies have had available, since April 17, 2026, a State counter-guarantee line designed to facilitate their access to financing in a context of growing pressure on costs and supply chains. The measure is articulated through Article 31 of Royal Decree-Law 7/2026, of March 20, which approves the Comprehensive Response Plan to the Middle East Crisis, and its specific conditions are set out in the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of April 14, 2026.

This is not a direct subsidy: the State acts as a counter-guarantor, backing the guarantees that mutual guarantee societies or financial entities grant to companies in the sector. The practical result is that the transport company can obtain financing more easily and, potentially, on better terms, by having this public second-level backing.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the agreement that sets the terms and conditions of the first tranche of the state counter-guarantee line for road freight transport. The mechanism works on two levels:

• A mutual guarantee society or financial entity grants a guarantee to the transport company.
• The State, through this line, acts as counter-guarantor of that guarantee, assuming part of the risk and thus facilitating the entity to grant the guarantee.

This counter-guarantee scheme is a common instrument in situations of sectoral crisis: it allows mobilizing private financing with public backing without the State having to disburse funds directly and immediately, except in case of non-payment.

The enabling regulation is the Royal Decree-Law 7/2026, of March 20, which approves the Comprehensive Response Plan to the Middle East Crisis. This plan recognizes the impact that the conflict is generating on global supply chains and, in particular, on the operating costs of road transport in Spain.

The specific terms—maximum amounts per operation, counter-guarantee coverage percentages, eligibility requirements and application procedure—are contained in the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of April 14, 2026, published in full in the BOE of April 21, 2026.

Economic and operational impact

The Middle East crisis is affecting the road freight transport sector through two main channels:

• Operating costs: The increase in fuel and inputs associated with geopolitical tension pressures the margins of transport companies, especially smaller ones.
• Supply chains: Disruptions in international routes generate delays, cancellations and need for logistical reorganization, which implies unforeseen additional costs.

In this context, the main economic consequence of the measure for companies is the improvement in access to financing: with the State as counter-guarantor, financial entities and mutual guarantee societies have more incentives to grant guarantees to companies in the sector, even those with lower capacity for their own guarantees.

This is especially relevant for self-employed workers and SMEs in transport, which typically find more difficulties in accessing financing on competitive terms. The state counter-guarantee acts as an equalizer of conditions compared to larger companies.

Who does it affect?

The measure is specifically aimed at:

• Road freight transport companies with activity in Spain.
• Self-employed individuals in the road freight transport sector.
• Operators who can demonstrate economic impact derived from the Middle East crisis in their supply chains or operating costs.

Other modes of transport (maritime, air, rail) and passenger transport are not included in the scope of this line. Specific eligibility—including possible requirements regarding size, age or financial situation—is defined in the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of April 14, 2026.

Practical example

A road freight transport company with its own fleet needs financing to cover the increase in operating costs derived from the Middle East crisis: more expensive fuel, longer alternative routes and delays in the supply chain of its clients that have caused it to lose contracts.

Without the state counter-guarantee, the company goes to its bank or a mutual guarantee society, which evaluates its solvency and may deny or increase the cost of the guarantee due to the risk of the sectoral context.

With the counter-guarantee line activated, the mutual guarantee society or financial entity knows that the State backs part of the risk of that guarantee. This allows it to grant the guarantee to the transport company on more favorable terms or, directly, approve an operation that it would otherwise have rejected.

The result for the company: access to the financing it needs to maintain its activity during the crisis period, with the State acting as a second-level safety net.

What should companies do now?

1. Read the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of April 14, 2026 published in the BOE of April 21 to learn the exact eligibility requirements, the limits of the first tranche and the application procedure.
2. Contact a mutual guarantee society or financial entity that operates within the framework of this line to start the process of requesting the guarantee backed by the state counter-guarantee.
3. Document the impact of the Middle East crisis on your company: increase in costs, loss of contracts, supply chain disruptions. This documentation will be necessary to prove eligibility.
4. Act quickly: the line is structured by tranches. The first tranche has limited capacity. Once exhausted, you will have to wait for additional tranches to be enabled.
5. Consult with a financial or legal advisor specialized in business financing to assess whether this line is the most appropriate option for your specific situation and how to integrate it into your financial strategy.