The Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) has published Order DCA/1079/2026 creating a nationwide line of competitive subsidies for municipalities that agree to dismantle makeshift camps where thousands of non-EU seasonal farm workers currently live. The programme, limited to fiscal year 2026, will co-finance projects that (1) acquire or refurbish housing units in non-segregated neighbourhoods, (2) provide temporary accommodation and social-inclusion services, and (3) fund accompanying measures such as language training and legal aid. Although the order does not specify a ceiling figure, officials from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda told regional press that an initial €40 million will be distributed on a competitive basis, with priority given to Andalusia, Murcia, Extremadura and Cataluña where the largest concentrations of plastic-greenhouse and fruit-picking labour exist. Municipalities will have 45 days to submit detailed re-housing plans; projects must be completed by December 2028. Spain’s Ombudsman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and several NGOs have repeatedly documented sub-standard living conditions in settlements such as Níjar (Almería) or Lepe (Huelva), where workers often lack running water, electricity or legal residence. The Supreme Court in 2024 struck down a previous ad-hoc subsidy because it had been approved without open competition; the new order remedies that procedural flaw, unlocking urgently-needed funding. For companies that depend on just-in-time harvesting, the grants are expected to reduce reputational and supply-chain risks. Municipalities that receive funds must show that migrants are registered on the local padrón, a step that facilitates residence permits and social-security affiliation—key factors for employers who rely on legally authorised labour. The ministry also stresses that better housing will help Spain meet Sustainable Development Goals 1, 8, 10 and 11, which are increasingly used by multinational retailers in their ESG audits. Practically, corporate mobility managers should monitor whether destination towns introduce new registration or zoning rules when they apply for funding, as these could affect future staff deployments, especially under Spain’s Circular Migration and Digital-Nomad visa schemes.
Source: Boletín Oficial del Estado
