9-minute read
The Law 10/2025 on customer service marks a turning point in the relationship between large companies and consumers in Spain.
For the first time, the legislator has established a generally applicable regulatory framework, which sets minimum mandatory parameters for quality, accessibility, traceability and evaluation in the field of customer service, along with a specific methodology for measuring and auditing these services.
This is not a minor technical standard or a sectoral adjustment. This is a structural law with the aim of correcting historical deficiencies in after-sales service, standardising regulations and strengthening consumer protection, especially for those in vulnerable situations.
The upshot is clear: Customer service stops being an internal organisational matter and becomes a legal, measurable, and auditable obligation..
Origin and purpose of Law 10/2025 on customer service
Law 10/2025 on customer service, published in the Official State Gazette on 27 December 2025 and in force from the following day, was created to give effective compliance to article 51 of the Spanish Constitution, which entrusts the public authorities with the defense of consumers and users.
As reference points, the regulation takes the General Law on Rights of Consumers and Users, the European Commission's New Consumer Agenda and a broad administrative and jurisprudential doctrine that had signalled structural deficiencies in customer service, especially in essential sectors.
The key consequence is that these standards cease to be voluntary.
Minimum mandatory parameters and evaluation methodology
Law 10/2025 on customer service establishes minimum mandatory parameters for customer service for the first time in Spain and establishes a structured evaluation system which allows verification of its compliance.
Until now, the quality of customer service relied on internal commitments or codes of good practice. Through this law, customer service is now considered an evaluable system, based on metrics, documentary records and independent audits.
In particular, the regulation expressly governs customer service in the basic services of general interest, which include:
- water,
- gas,
- electricity,
- transportation,
- financial services,
- electronic communications,
- postal services.
Strategic objectives of Law 10/2025
Beyond the technical details, Law 10/2025 on customer service pursues very specific objectives:
- To reduce waiting times, especially in telephonic customer service.
- To strengthen accessible channels, both in person and remote.
- To improve complaint traceability, from presentation to resolution.
- To put a stop to abusive commercial calling practices, clearly separating customer service and sales.
Although the law came into effect on 28 December 2025, companies have twelve months to adapt, which sets the latest date to comply at 28 December 2026.
The reality is, however, that this time frame requires immediate planning.
Scope of application of Law 10/2025 on customer service
Law 10/2025 on customer service applies directly to:
- Companies providing basic services of general interest.
- Large companies and business groups that exceed the staff, turnover or balance sheet thresholds.
- Public companies and administrations when acting as employers and where there is a consumer relationship.
In sectors such as finance or telecommunications, the law is in place in a supplementary capacity, respecting sectoral regulations, but reinforcing material standards of quality and protection for vulnerable customers.
Mandatory personalised attention and limits to automation
Law 10/2025 on customer service introduces a clear obligation: One-to-one attention should always exist as a genuine option.
Customer service cannot be exclusively automated. Systems based on robots or artificial intelligence cannot be the only means of contact.
The law states that:
- At least 95% of calls must be answered in less than three minutes, on average.
In practice, the regulation intends to ensure that consumers are not waiting more than three minutes to be attended to by a person.
This forces companies to redistribute human and technical resources.
The cost of calls and universal accessibility
The cost of telephonic customer support is strictly regulated.
Consumers cannot be forced to pay more than the cost of a standard call. If a company offers premium rate numbers, it must also provide a standard alternative number and clearly state the cost of both.
Forwarding calls from free numbers to others that incur a cost is not permitted.
For the hard of hearing, customer service must be complemented, at the user's choice, with:
- instant messaging,
- video interpretation systems in sign language.
Commercial calls and consumer rights
The law establishes a clear separation of customer service and commercial activity.
There must be:
- a specific numerical code for customer service,
- a separate one for business calls.
The company cannot use inquiries or complaints as a way to sell products, except at the express request of the customer.
Operators must block irregular commercial calls.
If it is believed that a company is not complying with the regulations, complaints can be filed with:
- the Municipal Consumer Information Office,
- the regional consumer protection agencies,
- the electronic channels authorised for this purpose.
Penalties and consequences of non-compliance
Law 10/2025 on customer service establishes a system of infringements and sanctions that can have a significant economic and reputational impact on companies that fail to comply with their obligations.
Types of infringements under Law 10/2025:
Infractions are classified into three levels of severity:
- Minor offenses: occasional breaches of waiting time standards, non-systematic failures in the traceability of complaints, a lack of clear information on customer service channels.
- Serious violations: a lack of one-to-one service channels, repeated failure to meet resolution deadlines, use of premium rate numbers without a free or standard alternative, failure to respond to the Administration's requirements in a timely manner, improper mixing of customer service and commercial activity.
- Very serious offenses: systematic refusal to serve people with disabilities or in vulnerable situations, deliberate obstruction of access to basic services, total noncompliance with imposed duties, continuing to commit serious infractions, practices that generate serious social disruption or alarm among consumers.
Penalty amounts under Law 10/2025:
Based on the general consumer protection regime, the applicable fines are:
- Minor offenses: between 150 and 10,000 euros, though it can be higher, reaching between two and four times the illicit profit obtained.
- Serious violations: between 10,001 and 100,000 euros, though it can be higher, reaching between four and six times the illicit profit obtained.
- Very serious offenses: between 100,001 and 1,000,000 euros, though it can be higher, reaching between six and eight times the illicit profit obtained.
Authorities capable of imposing sanctions:
The power to impose sanctions sits with:
- Autonomous Communities, within the scope of its powers in consumer affairs.
- Supervisory authorities (Bank of Spain, CNMV, Directorate General of Insurance), within the financial sector.
Over-the-phone interpretation and compliance with Law 10/2025 on customer service
One of the key aspects of Law 10/2025 on customer service is the obligation to guarantee accessible, understandable and effective service for all consumers, regardless of their language, origin or personal situation.
In this context, professional telephone interpreting becomes a key tool for companies to comply with legal requirements for one-to-one attention, response times, and protection of vulnerable customers.
Telephone interpretation service for companies
At ATLS Global, we offer immediate telephone interpreting services that allow companies to handle calls from customers who do not speak Spanish or the co-official language of the territory, without delays and guaranteeing full regulatory compliance.
Our service has been specially designed for regulated and general interest sectors, where the correct understanding of information is essential to avoid incidents, claims or penalties.
What does our service include?
- Real-time multilingual telephone support.
- Specialised professional interpreters in legal, financial, health and essential services environments.
- Webinars and online training.
- Compliance with the maximum waiting times required by Law 10/2025.
- Confidentiality and traceability in each call, with service quality control.
Telephone interpretation not only facilitates formal compliance with regulations, but also strengthens the quality of service, reduces conflicts and improves the customer experience, aligning customer service with the legal and reputational standards required by the new regulatory framework.
Want to adapt your customer service to the new regulations? Contact us and discover how professional interpretation can protect your company and improve customer satisfaction.
Frequently asked questions about Law 10/2025 on customer service:
What does Law 10/2025 regulate regarding customer service?
Law 10/2025 on customer service regulates the minimum mandatory levels of quality, accessibility, one-to-one attention and evaluation in customer service.
Which companies are subject to Law 10/2025 on customer service?
Law 10/2025 on customer service applies to companies providing basic services of general interest and to large companies that exceed certain economic or staffing thresholds.
What standards does Law 10/2025 establish for customer service?
Law 10/2025 on customer service requires 95% of requests to be handled in less than three minutes and complaints to be resolved within a maximum of 15 working days.
When must companies adapt to Law 10/2025 on customer service?
Companies must adapt their services to Law 10/2025 on customer service before 28 December 2026.
