CEOE criticizes Spain's Maricarmen Decree over property rights

The Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) has issued a critical assessment of Royal Decree-Law 26/2026, commonly referred to as the ‘Maricarmen Decree’. The business group argues that the legislation suffers from deficient legislative technique, utilizing vague expressions and indeterminate concepts that could lead to significant legal uncertainty and insecurity during its application.

According to the CEOE, the decree restricts property rights under the guise of protecting vulnerable groups. The organization also noted that the text fails to address structural issues within the housing market, specifically citing a lack of measures to streamline construction and the failure to amend the 2015 Land Law despite industry requests for reform.

The decree includes provisions such as limiting the purchase of housing by legal entities until the end of 2028. The CEOE warned that the regulation's validity could be extremely short-lived if the Spanish Parliament rejects its validation. This critique arrives as Antonio Garamendi prepares to begin his third term as head of the CEOE.