The authorities of the Valencian Community have announced the launch of the second phase of a major reform aimed at streamlining administrative procedures. The new reform package will repeal or revise nearly a hundred existing regulations. One of the key changes is the halving of the processing time for residential building permit applications. This was reported by the official spokesperson of the regional government, Miguel Barrachina, following the executive body’s latest meeting in 2025.
According to Barrachina, every new regulation will now be accompanied by a mandatory review and elimination of duplicate or outdated provisions. This is expected to make government work more transparent and efficient, and reduce administrative burdens for citizens and businesses.
What changes for residents and businesses
Other important changes include simplifying the process of recognizing degrees of dependency, and allowing companies already licensed in any Spanish autonomous community to operate in Valencia without obtaining an additional permit. Ordinary residents will no longer need to provide bank statements when dealing with government bodies, and some applications will now be automatically renewed. For example, certificates for large families will be updated without unnecessary bureaucracy.
Authorities emphasize that the new decree aims to combat excessive regulation and is expected to speed up all administrative proceedings starting January 1 of next year. Once it takes effect, the document will be submitted to the regional parliament for further approval as law. Together with the first set of reforms introduced in 2024, the total number of repealed or amended regulations will reach 149.
Technology and oversight
As part of the reform, a system will be introduced to monitor the proliferation of regulations. The entire body of existing laws will be analyzed using artificial intelligence. The new rule requires that each newly adopted regulation must repeal or simplify at least one existing one. This will make the Valencian Community the first region in Spain to implement such a mechanism.
The first phase of the reform has already changed dozens of administrative procedures. For instance, companies are now allowed to start operating based on a simple declaration, without the long wait for permits. However, trade unions have criticized these measures, fearing they could lead to the partial privatization of social services. Additionally, restrictions on coastal construction have been relaxed compared to the stricter rules imposed by the previous government.
Transport and social policies
At the final meeting of the year, regional authorities also decided to extend temporary discounts for public transport under the control of the regional government until the end of June 2026. Children under 14 can continue to travel for free, young people get a 50% discount on special passes, and all other passengers receive at least 40% off on subscriptions and multi-use tickets.
Residents of municipalities affected by heavy rains in autumn 2024 will still have access to free transport passes until the end of 2026. In Valencia, young people up to 31 years old can use a fixed monthly fee for unlimited travel, while in Alicante and Castellón special 30-ride monthly rates are in place. Over the past year, more than 220,000 free transport cards have been issued, with total journeys exceeding 19 million.
Budget and government structure
Authorities have also decided to extend the region’s budget for 2025. The document has been adjusted to reflect the new government structure, removing completed projects and adding new agreements with civil servants. According to Barrachina, the current budget took effect in June, and now its parameters have been updated to account for the latest changes in the regional government’s composition and priorities.
