Direct industry grants for 2026: 2.9 million to three entities

The Official State Gazette number 224, of Thursday, September 10, 2026, publishes Royal Decree 724/2026, of September 9, which regulates the direct granting of subsidies in industrial matters during the 2026 budget year. The regulation, signed by the King and proposed by the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu Boher, was approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on September 8 and enters into force the day following its publication.

The decree, with official reference BOE-A-2026-18902, is issued under article 22.2.c) of the General Subsidies Law 38/2003, of November 17, which allows for direct granting when reasons of public, social, or economic interest exist that hinder a public call for applications. The grants are provided for in the Strategic Subsidy Plan of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism 2025-2027 and do not constitute State aid for the purposes of Articles 107 to 109 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Beneficiaries and amounts

The three subsidies are financed from the General State Budgets extended for 2026, with a total amount of 2,975,000 euros:

• Spanish Association for Standardization: 1,500,000 euros, for fees of international standardization bodies, promotion of participation in technical committees, and secretariat work.
• National Accreditation Entity (ENAC): 175,000 euros, for its integration into the European and international accreditation infrastructure, digitalization of procedures, and training and information actions.
• Foundation for the Promotion of Industrial Innovation (FFII): 1,300,000 euros, for the verification of the characteristics of marketed industrial products and the study of the degree of compliance with legislation.

Justification for the direct grant

The regulation justifies the exceptional route because the three entities are the only ones designated for their functions: the Spanish Association for Standardization is the only national standardization body notified to the European Commission, ENAC is the only national accreditation body according to Regulation (EC) 765/2008, and the FFII is the only non-profit entity dedicated to the research and verification of industrial quality and safety, with over thirty years of experience. The singular nature of the recipients and the difficulty of guaranteeing effective competition prevent ordinary processing under a competitive bidding regime.

Procedure and deadlines

Beneficiary entities will have seven days from the date of entry into force to submit their application via the electronic registry, accompanied by responsible declarations and an activity report with a detailed budget. The maximum period for resolution and notification will be one month, and payment will be made in advance of justification, without the need for a bond. Expenses must be incurred between January 1 and December 31, 2026, with justification submitted to the Ministry before April 1, 2027.

Modification of the Auto+ Program

The decree also includes a provision that modifies section 2 of article 4 of Royal Decree 609/2026, of July 22, which regulates aid for the purchase of electric vehicles (Auto+ Program), specifying the requirements of being up to date with tax and Social Security obligations and not being subject to recovery orders for aid declared illegal by the European Commission.

The regulation reinforces Spain’s industrial quality and safety infrastructure, a key pillar for the competitiveness of SMEs and for guaranteeing market confidence in products, with direct benefits for consumers and the economy as a whole.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 224, September 10, 2026, Sec. I, page 120820 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-18902).