Spain provisionally applies the headquarters agreement with the UNDP

The Official State Gazette publishes this Saturday, August 29, 2026, in issue number 213, 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 provision, signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, appears in section I of general provisions, page 117141, with the official reference BOE-A-2026-18280.

The agreement is applied provisionally from July 16, 2026, the date of the last of its signatures, in accordance with the provisions of its article XXIX. It was signed by José Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, and Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the UNDP. The order bears the signature of the technical general secretary, Carmen Burguillo Burgos, dated Madrid, August 24, 2026.

A framework that updates the 2006 cooperation

The text is part of the long history of collaboration between Spain and the UNDP, 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. The UNDP was established by General Assembly resolution A/RES/2029 (XX) of November 22, 1965, which merged the Special Fund and the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance.

The agreement is based on the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, approved on February 13, 1946, to which Spain adhered on July 31, 1974. It regulates the status of the premises made available to the organization, the conditions of use, and the status of its personnel, and provides for the conclusion of complementary administrative agreements.

Privileges, exemptions, and immunities

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

• Exemption from direct and indirect taxes, including VAT, on goods and services for official use.
• Exemption from customs duties and taxes on motor vehicles with international organization license plates.
• Right to import and export equipment, provisions, supplies, and fuel without restrictions.
• Immunities for officials, experts on mission, and family members, with United Nations laissez-passer recognized as valid travel documents.
• Exemption from mandatory contributions to the Spanish Social Security, with the possibility of voluntary incorporation.

Entry, residence, and dispute resolution

The UNDP head in Spain, officials, family members, and experts on mission shall have the right to enter, reside, and move freely throughout Spanish territory while exercising their official functions. The organization shall issue identification cards to its personnel and shall annually submit to Spain the list of officials.

Differences regarding the interpretation or application of the agreement shall be submitted to arbitration at the request of either party, with one arbitrator for each and a third who shall preside over the proceedings. If one party does not appoint an arbitrator within 30 days or the first two do not choose the third within 15 days, either party may request the president of the International Court of Justice to designate one. The agreement may be terminated with a notification 36 months in advance.

Relevance for international cooperation

The entry into force of the agreement consolidates Spain as an operations hub for the UNDP and reinforces its role in international development cooperation, providing legal and fiscal security for the organization’s presence. For the diplomatic community and cooperation actors, the text guarantees a stable framework of privileges and immunities that facilitates the performance of UNDP functions in the country.

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