Spain provisionally applies the headquarters agreement with the UNDP

The Official State Gazette number 213, of Saturday, August 29, 2026, publishes in its section I (General Provisions, p. 117141) the provisional application of the Headquarters Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), concluded in New York and Madrid on July 13 and 16, 2026. The text, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, is applied provisionally from July 16, 2026, the date of the last of its signatures, in accordance with its article XXIX.

The agreement regulates the status of the premises made available to the UNDP in Spain and the conditions of use, as well as the status of the personnel assigned to the organization. It is framed within the extensive cooperation between both parties, initiated with the Framework Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the UNDP, of April 13, 2006, whose article IV provided for the negotiation of a specific headquarters agreement when the nature of the organization’s presence in the country so required.

Signatures and legal framework

The agreement was signed by Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno, head of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, representing Spain, and by Alexander De Croo, administrator of the UNDP, representing the organization. The Technical General Secretary, Carmen Burguillo Burgos, signed the publication in Madrid, August 24, 2026.

The UNDP was established by resolution A/RES/2029 (XX) of the United Nations General Assembly, of November 22, 1965, which merged the Special Fund and the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance. The agreement is understood without prejudice to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, approved on February 13, 1946, to which Spain adhered on July 31, 1974.

Regime of privileges and immunities

The text recognizes the UNDP as having legal personality in Spain, with the capacity to contract, acquire and dispose of assets, and initiate legal proceedings. Its premises shall be inviolable and shall remain under the exclusive control of the organization, with exemption from registration, search, confiscation, or expropriation.

• Exemption from direct and indirect taxes, customs duties, and VAT on goods for official use.
• Freedom of movement for vehicles, ships, and aircraft, and exemption from airport fees.
• Immunity from jurisdiction for officials for acts performed in the exercise of their functions.
• Exemption from Spanish Social Security contributions during employment in the service of the UNDP.
• Recognition of United Nations laissez-passer and identification cards.

Operation and dispute resolution

The competent authorities shall guarantee the provision of public utilities and services to the premises under conditions of equity, with rates that shall not exceed the lowest rates applied to Government ministries. Spain shall ensure the security of the premises and personnel, granting their needs the same priority as those of accredited diplomatic missions.

Differences regarding the interpretation or application of the agreement that are not resolved through negotiation shall be submitted to arbitration, with the possibility that the president of the International Court of Justice designate an arbitrator in the event of disagreement. The agreement may be terminated by either party with 36 months’ notice, and its obligations shall continue to take effect after termination to allow for the orderly withdrawal of assets and personnel.

Final entry into force shall occur on the day following the receipt of the last notification by which the parties inform each other of the fulfillment of their internal formal obligations. Until then, the provisional application from July 16, 2026, consolidates the operational presence of the UNDP in Spain, reinforcing the country’s role as a host for international organizations and its commitment to development cooperation.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 213, Saturday, August 29, 2026, Sec. I, page 117141 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-18280).