Spain approves the first state regulation on cognitive accessibility

The Government has approved Royal Decree 707/2026, of September 2, which approves the Regulation on the basic conditions of cognitive accessibility, the first state regulatory text to regulate this matter throughout the national territory. The regulation, published in the Official State Gazette number 218, of September 3, 2026 (reference BOE-A-2026-18509), will require public administrations and companies to adapt environments, products, and services so that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can understand information and operate autonomously.

The regulation fulfills the mandate contained in the second additional provision of Law 6/2022, of March 31, which tasked the Government with gathering the basic conditions of cognitive accessibility applicable across the country into a single text. These conditions serve as minimums, meaning that the autonomous communities, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and local corporations may establish other supplementary or more demanding conditions within their competencies.

A pioneering regulatory framework

The regulation is issued at the proposal of the Minister of Social Rights, Consumption and 2030 Agenda and the Minister of the Interior, with the prior approval of the Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, having heard the Council of State and following deliberation by the Council of Ministers on September 1, 2026. The text has been favorably reported by the National Disability Council and analyzed by the Territorial Council of Social Services, and consultations were held with the autonomous communities, the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), and the Spanish Data Protection Agency.

The royal decree consists of a single article, five additional provisions, one repealing provision, and eight final provisions. Among its effects, it repeals Royal Decree 1414/2006 and modifies, among others, the accessibility regulations in relations with the General State Administration and the accessible voting procedure.

What the regulation regulates

The regulation is structured into four chapters and twenty-one articles:

• Chapter I: general provisions.
• Chapter II: accessibility requirements in the different areas of application.
• Chapter III: positive action measures and other complementary supports.
• Chapter IV: sanctioning regime.

Cognitive accessibility relies on three types of resources: information and communication resources (clear language, easy-to-read, or augmentative and alternative communication), environment orientation resources (signage pictograms and spatial orientation systems), and technological resources, which include artificial intelligence.

Deadlines and complementary measures

The regulation establishes several development deadlines. The Royal Board on Disability, through the Spanish Center for Cognitive Accessibility, must propose a public and free catalog of signaling pictograms within three years. Additionally, within two years of its entry into force, the ministry competent in transport will prepare a report on the cognitive accessibility of airport and railway facilities.

The royal decree pays special attention to rural areas and the gender perspective, which act as multiplying factors for the barriers faced by people with cognitive difficulties. The regulation does not imply an increase in endowments or personnel expenses and will be financed through the reallocation of available credits.

With the entry into force scheduled for January 2, 2027, Spain provides itself with an instrument that turns cognitive accessibility into an enforceable right, complying with the renewed Article 49 of the Spanish Constitution and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. For millions of people with comprehension difficulties, the regulation represents a decisive step toward real equality in access to justice, health, education, and community life.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 218, September 3, 2026, Sec. I, page 118520 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-18509).