The Parliament’s Economy Commission approved the legislative draft proposal on urgent measures to liberalize the trade, with the aim to provide the law status to the Royal Decree-Law 19/2012 approved by the Government last may with the objective to stimulate the retail trade.

That regulation allows to traders to apply discounts all year, increasing from 8 to 10 the official holidays that they may open which in turn obliges to some cities to liberalize business hours in tourism areas. Likewise, it increases from 72 to 90 the number of hours per week that is possible to open on business days and the schedules are liberalized as well for establishments of less than 300m2, versus the limitation for certain regions of 150m2.

Additionally, all cases of official previous authorization or city hall permit have been eliminated, based on the environment protection, the safety and the public health, and linked to retail places with a space up to 300m2.