Key data
| Regulation | III Collective Agreement for veterinary centers and services (Resolution of September 10, 2026, from the General Labor Directorate) |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | September 21, 2026 |
| Entry into force | January 1, 2026 |
| Validity | From January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028 |
| Negotiating parties | CEVE (employers) and unions CCOO, UGT and FETICO |
| Affected parties | All personnel in veterinary clinics, hospitals and services in Spain |
| Category | Labor Legislation |
| Post-validity salary update | CPI with maximum cap of 2.5% |
Veterinary clinics and hospitals in Spain have a new labor framework that regulates in detail the conditions of all their staff. The III Collective Agreement for veterinary centers and services, published in the BOE on September 21, 2026, applies retroactively from January 1, 2026 and extends until December 31, 2028.
The agreement has been negotiated between the employers' association CEVE and the unions CCOO, UGT and FETICO. Its impact is immediate: if your clinic has employees, you must review contracts, salary tables and professional classification right now.
What does this regulation establish?
The III Agreement comprehensively regulates the working conditions of the sector. These are the key matters it contains:
| Matter | Regime | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum salary structure | Mandatory and inderogable | Non-compensable or absorbable by company agreements or previous pacts |
| Professional classification | Non-negotiable at lower levels | Organized by professional groups defined in the agreement |
| Trial period | Non-negotiable at lower levels | Set directly by the agreement, without margin for business modification |
| Maximum working hours | Non-negotiable at lower levels | Established in the agreement; cannot be extended by company agreement |
| Disciplinary regime | Non-negotiable at lower levels | Offenses and sanctions are set by the agreement |
| Ad personam guarantees | Individual protection | Workers with superior previous conditions retain them entirely |
| Post-2028 salary update | Automatic | Review with CPI, with a maximum cap of 2.5% |
A particularly relevant element is the non-compensability and non-absorbability of the minimum salary structure. This means that if your company had internal agreements or collective agreements that set salaries below the new tables, those agreements are displaced. You cannot "compensate" the new minimum with other remuneration concepts already in existence.
Economic and operational impact
The economic impact of the agreement is concentrated in three areas:
- Mandatory salary review: If any employee earns below the agreement minimums, you must raise their salary retroactively from January 1, 2026. The arrears generated from that date are enforceable.
- Inability to compensate with supplements: The minimum salary structure cannot be neutralized with bonuses, supplements or voluntary improvements already in place. Each remuneration concept must be analyzed independently.
- Cost of contract adaptation: Contracts that do not conform to the professional classification by groups of the agreement must be reviewed. Incorrect classification can lead to claims for salary differences.
- Planning 2029 onwards: When the agreement expires on December 31, 2028, salaries will be automatically updated with the CPI of the period, with a cap of 2.5%. This allows planning future labor costs with a known maximum margin.
- Application to non-profit entities: The agreement applies to companies of any legal nature, including foundations and non-profit entities that provide veterinary services. Many of these entities do not always apply collective agreements with the same rigor as commercial companies.
Who does it affect?
- Private veterinary clinics of any size (from individual practices to large veterinary hospitals)
- Referral veterinary hospitals
- Veterinary services that provide services to the public sector
- Foundations and non-profit entities with veterinary activity
- All staff employed in these centers: veterinarians, technicians, administrative staff, cleaning personnel and any other worker linked to the center
- Companies of any legal nature operating in the sector throughout Spain
Practical example
Imagine a veterinary clinic with 8 employees: 2 veterinarians, 3 veterinary technical assistants (ATV) and 3 people in reception and administration. Until now, the clinic applied an internal agreement signed four years ago that set ATV salaries below the new agreement minimums.
With the III Agreement in force from January 1, 2026, the clinic cannot continue applying that internal agreement for concepts that fall below the agreement's minimum salary table. Furthermore, it cannot compensate the difference with the transportation bonus or with the benefits payment it was already paying: each concept is analyzed separately.
The practical result is that the 3 ATVs are entitled to receive the accumulated differences from January 1, 2026, even though the agreement was published in September. The clinic must calculate those arrears and pay them. Additionally, it must verify that the professional classification of each employee corresponds to the correct group according to the new agreement structure, to avoid future claims.
What should companies do now?
- Review the agreement's salary tables and compare with current salaries of each employee, group by group. Identify who earns below the minimum.
- Calculate arrears from January 1, 2026 for workers who do not reach the minimums. The agreement has retroactive effects from that date.
- Verify that existing supplements and bonuses are not being used to compensate the minimum salary of the agreement. If so, it must be corrected: minimums are inderogable and non-compensable.
- Review the professional classification of each employee according to the groups defined in the agreement. Incorrect classification can generate claims for salary differences.
- Check trial periods, maximum working hours and disciplinary regime in current contracts. These matters cannot be modified by company agreement and must conform to the agreement.
- Identify workers with ad personam guarantees: those who already had superior conditions must retain them entirely.
- Update contracts and remuneration records to reflect the new salary structure and professional classification.
- Plan labor costs through 2028 and beyond, taking into account that after the agreement expires salaries will be updated with CPI with a maximum cap of 2.5% annually.
Frequently asked questions
When is it mandatory to apply the III Collective Agreement for veterinary centers?
From January 1, 2026, although it was published in the BOE on September 21, 2026. This means the effects are retroactive: if there are salary differences between what was paid since January and the agreement minimums, they must be paid as arrears.
Can I compensate the new minimum salary of the agreement with supplements or bonuses I was already paying?
No. The minimum salary structure of the agreement is non-compensable and non-absorbable by previous agreements or pacts. Each remuneration concept must be analyzed independently. You cannot use the transportation bonus, benefits payment or other supplements to neutralize the difference from the agreement minimum.
What matters cannot I modify by internal agreement in my clinic?
The agreement establishes four matters that are non-negotiable at lower levels (that is, cannot be modified by company agreement or individual pact): trial period, maximum working hours, professional classification and disciplinary regime. Any contractual clause or internal agreement that contradicts these matters is void.
Does this agreement affect foundations and non-profit entities with veterinary services?
Yes. The agreement applies to companies of any legal nature, expressly including foundations and non-profit entities that provide veterinary services. There is no exemption based on legal form.
What happens to salaries when the agreement expires in 2028?
After the agreement expires on December 31, 2028, salaries will be automatically updated with the CPI of the period, with a maximum cap of 2.5%. This allows companies to plan labor costs with a known maximum increase for the subsequent period.
Official source
Consult 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-2026-19605
