A significant change is being prepared in Spain: large companies operating in the country will be required to provide customer service in Catalan. This decision comes as a result of agreements between the political force Junts per Catalunya and the government of Pedro Sánchez. Relevant amendments are expected to be introduced soon to the law governing customer service.
The changes will affect businesses with more than 250 employees or an annual turnover exceeding 50 million euros. The new rules apply to organizations providing basic services such as electricity, gas, water supply, communications, transport, postal services, as well as financial and insurance institutions, airlines, and digital platforms.
The essence of the changes is that the consumer’s right to use the Catalan language will now be enshrined in law. Companies, even if their headquarters are outside Catalonia, will be required to respond to customer inquiries and complaints in Catalan, if the request is made in that language. This applies to both verbal and written communications.
Among the approved amendments is mandatory training for employees who work with clients in the official languages of the autonomous communities. In addition, the previous requirement to respond at least in Spanish has been replaced with an obligation to use the language the client used to contact the company. This way, the consumer chooses the language of communication, and businesses must adapt accordingly.
These changes became possible after representatives of Junts repeatedly made it clear to the government that further cooperation depended on taking Catalonia’s interests into account. In recent weeks, the movement’s leaders, including Carles Puigdemont and Jordi Turull, have emphasized the importance of a unified position among the socialists in Madrid, Barcelona, and at negotiations in Switzerland. The meeting of Junts deputies in Waterloo, attended by key party figures, became a platform for discussing new strategies and aligning positions.
The introduction of new language standards for businesses could set a precedent for other regions of the country that also have their own official languages. The bill is expected to be discussed soon, and companies are preparing for changes in customer service.
