Law governing language policy and obligation to provide customer care in Catalan

For companies operating in Catalonia, the Language Policy Act is no longer just a theoretical framework: it sets out specific obligations across all customer care channels, such as providing service in Catalan.

From the basic issue of whether a website has to be available in Catalan to the nuances of mandatory customer care in Catalan in Catalonia and the new requirements for over-the-phone interpreting in Catalan, the regulatory landscape poses challenges for businesses in all industries.

Today more than ever, grasping the scope and implications of the Language Policy Act is not an option but rather a strategic necessity for managers, legal officers and digital teams. The legal environment is changing, but the question remains the same: what does the law really mean for your online footprint and customer service in Catalonia?

This new scenario is not exclusive to Catalonia. The recent Customer Service Act 10/2025, now applicable throughout Spain, is a turning point in consumer language rights.

Under this national regulation, utilities, large corporations and public authorities in all regions are required to provide services and answer enquiries in the official language chosen by the customer while ensuring the use of co-official languages as appropriate.

So what the Language Policy Act lays down in Catalonia is now a legal requirement equally applicable in Galicia, the Basque Country, Navarre, the Region of Valencia, the Balearic Islands and any other area with a co-official language. The law makes multilingual customer care a legally enforceable right and sets it as a national standard affecting all channels: in person, over the phone and online.

Language Policy Act: customer care in Catalan

To determine whether websites have to be available in Catalan, we first need to unpack the origin, goals and scope of Catalonia's Language Policy Act 1/1998. This legislation, which is still fully in force following the 2006 reform of the Statute of Autonomy, underpins the use of official languages in Catalonia.

The Act pursues one primary goal: to make sure Catalan is understood, used and protected as Catalonia's own language without undermining people's right to use Spanish. In practice, this translates into active promotion of Catalan in all areas; public authorities, business, culture, media, education and, of course, online too.

The regulatory framework underscores the role of Catalan as part of the region's identity, yet its true significance lies in the fact that it is not confined to a mere statement of intent but rather actively implemented through rules, inspections and awareness campaigns.

The Catalan Government takes a proactive approach which has put Catalonia at the forefront of language protection in Europe.

This means that enterprises need to do more than just comply with the letter of the law: making their websites and customer service channels available in Catalan is not only a legal matter but also concerns reputation, market connection and risk mitigation.

Law governing language policy and customer care in Catalan: does your website have to be available in Catalan?

Here we come to the key issue. The Language Policy Act includes several sections stipulating the obligation to use Catalan in information intended for the public. But how does this translate into the online setting?

Sections 31 and 32 are especially relevant:

• Section 31: State-owned and private companies providing public services in Catalonia must use at least Catalan in their communications and notifications, including invoices and documents addressed to people resident in Catalonia.

• Section 32: Establishments open to the public must use at least Catalan in signage, product and service information, commercial documentation and consumer offers.

The most widespread and accepted interpretation is that these obligations also apply to online channels. In other words, a website that delivers services or sells products to Catalan consumers has to provide at least its essential information in Catalan.

The upshot is clear: the law requires that essential information accessible to users must be available in Catalan and having it just in Spanish or foreign languages will not do. This includes product descriptions, terms and conditions of purchase, contact forms, customer care and legal information. In short, customer service must now be available in the Catalan online environment.

Customer care in Catalan: actual scope and practical considerations under the Language Policy Act

But what exactly does providing customer care in Catalan entail? The crucial point is to draw a distinction between purely informational content and direct commercial interaction with consumers.

• If the website only makes available corporate information and does not engage in commercial interaction, the regulatory risk is lower, although the official recommendation is still to translate essential content.
• If the website allows for contracts, online purchases, bookings, applications or personalised care, the obligation is stiffer and the Catalan Government's requirements are tightened.

In practice, the Catalan Government targets its inspections and penalties on the websites of businesses which have a direct relationship with consumers, especially in regulated sectors: tourism, retail, banking, telecommunications, education and online services.

Mandatory service in Catalan means that any touchpoint — forms, chats, customer service emails, legal T&Cs — must be accessible and operational in Catalan. Automatic translations or token use of the language is not enough: the user experience in Catalan has to be complete and fully functional.

Over-the-phone interpreting in Catalan: mandatory service under the Language Policy Act

In the age of omnichannel communication, compliance with the Language Policy Act and the obligation to provide care in Catalan stretch beyond the website environment to encompass all customer interaction channels. One of the aspects that has evolved most in recent years is over-the-phone interpreting in Catalan, especially for businesses and public services which handle calls, enquiries or complaints through call centres or contact centres.

The bottom line is to make sure that anyone who rings a business in Catalonia can get help in Catalan no matter which channel they use, where the operator is or what they're asking about. This means that the legal requirement to provide care in Catalan doesn't just apply to online texts and forms but also to spoken communication, including customer service and real-time interpreting or translation services.

What does over-the-phone interpreting in Catalan entail for businesses?

In practice, complying with this requirement means that businesses must have agents, interpreters or tech solutions that can make sure communication in Catalan is seamless and professional on any call. Simply offering the option in the phone menu doesn't cut it: effective care must be genuine, immediate and premium quality.

This requires:

• Having staff trained in Catalan or access to professional interpreters when needed.
• Implementing over-the-phone interpreting services which enable simultaneous translation for users who ask for it.
• Ensuring that all customer service, incident management and phone support protocols meet the same quality standards as in other languages.

The upshot is clear: over-the-phone interpreting in Catalan is becoming an essential component of regulatory compliance, especially for sensitive sectors such as healthcare, banking, insurance, public authorities, tourism and emergency services.

Strategic advantages of multilingual phone support

Aside from avoiding penalties and complying with the law, adding over-the-phone interpreting in Catalan brings real benefits:

• It builds customer trust and enhances the user experience.
• It sets the company apart as a leader in inclusion and cultural accessibility.
• It lessens friction and misunderstandings in communication, thus ramping up operational efficiency.
• It opens the door to new market segments, especially in services where there is high demand for personalised care.

Digital transformation also needs to be language transformation, both in online channels and in direct voice contact with customers. Investing in Catalan-language phone support isn't just a legal requirement as it's also a chance to position yourself as a committed, inclusive business that's attuned to the social landscape in Catalonia.

Exceptions, legal nuances and case law on providing customer care in Catalan

Are there any exemptions? The law includes some significant nuances. For example, people can ask for service in Spanish, and in that case the business has to provide it. However, this is not an exemption from the initial obligation to make relevant information available in Catalan.

Case law and administrative interpretation have gradually defined the practical limits of the rule. For instance, there is no requirement to translate general blog content, international news or sections not related to purchasing or using goods and services into Catalan. However, anything that is relevant to Catalan customers — and might affect their decision to buy, enter into a contract or engage with the company — must without exception be in Catalan.

Consequences and penalties for failure to comply with the Language Policy Act when providing customer care in Catalan

In recent years, the Catalan Government has stepped up its oversight and penalties for companies failing to comply with the Language Policy Act online and in their customer service channels. The consequences can range from warnings to conform to fines whose amount varies by the company's turnover and the seriousness of the breach.

There is also a growing reputational risk: consumers can file complaints with the Síndic de Greuges (Ombudsman) and the regional government. In recent cases, large e-commerce platforms and hotel chains have been fined and forced to rework their websites to comply with the obligation to provide customer care in Catalan.

This shows that protecting Catalan online and in customer service is not just a political aspiration but rather an active control and enforcement policy.

International comparison and with other regions on the obligation to provide customer care in Catalan

The Catalan case is not unique, but it is especially strict. Regions such as the Basque Country and Galicia have also legislated to promote their co-official languages, albeit with varying degrees of stringency and enforcement.

The difference lies in the Catalan Government's proactive approach and the clarity of its standards: Catalan must be available in online settings and customer service, and failure to meet these requirements is penalised.

Internationally, some European countries have mapped out similar language protection policies, yet few have achieved the level of online and over-the-phone implementation stipulated by Catalan regulations. This poses an additional challenge for businesses with an international footprint: tailoring their online and multichannel strategy to the legal and cultural circumstances of each market.

Business advantages of making your website and customer care available in Catalan

Apart from the legal requirement, having your website available in Catalan and providing mandatory customer service in Catalan, including over-the-phone interpreting, has some obvious competitive advantages:

• Enhanced brand reputation and image in Catalonia
• Greater reach and engagement with Catalan-speaking consumers
• Keeping on the right side of the law and mitigating the risk of penalties
• Optimize the SEO for Catalan searches, gaining visibility and quality traffic
• Improved relationships with public authorities and opening doors to specific grants and aid

The conclusion is straightforward: complying with the Language Policy Act and providing customer care in Catalan is not only a regulatory requirement but also a strategic opportunity for businesses looking to stand out and secure their position in the Catalan market.

Bolstering language rights in customer service

The bill sponsored by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs involves far-reaching changes: it would affect all companies with more than 250 employees, annual turnover over €50 million, and those delivering services considered essential or public. The list is long and takes in strategic sectors:

• Electricity, gas and water utilities
• Phone and telecommunications operators
• Airline and railway companies
• Bus and postal services
• Audiovisual content and streaming platforms
• Banks, financial institutions and insurance undertakings
• Any business which delivers a public service

This means that the obligation to provide care in Catalan would cease to be a regional feature and become a national standard for all large corporations and critical services with a scope unlike anything seen before.

Enhanced requirements: resources, training and proactive responsibility

The companies concerned will have to ensure that their customer care departments are equipped with the human, material, technical and organisational resources needed to perform their roles, with added clarification provided by the Together for Catalonia party: “and to safeguard language rights”.

In practice, this means:

• Having effective multilingual customer service teams and channels sized to meet actual demand.
• Hiring staff with specific prior training in co-official languages, a requirement which becomes mandatory in selecting and preparing agents for in-person and also phone and online channels.
• Implementing ongoing training and development programmes, which are the company's direct responsibility, to ensure that employees maintain and refresh their language skills.

What does this entail for large businesses and essential services?

Customer service in Catalan and other co-official languages has to be fully embedded in the customer experience on the website and across all contact channels, especially over the phone and in person.

Companies at the forefront of strategic sectors need to take a proactive and sustainable approach to corporate multilingualism, seeing language training and resource allocation as an investment in reputation, competitiveness and legal compliance.

In practice, this involves:

• Reviewing and redesigning staff selection, training and certification processes.
• Auditing service channels and protocols in all required languages.
• Rolling out technological and human solutions which ensure multilingual service, including at peak demand times or in emergencies.
• Setting up metrics and reporting systems that demonstrate effective and ongoing compliance to customers and authorities.

Recommendations for businesses: how to comply with (and make the most of) the Language Policy Act and customer care in Catalan

To effectively comply with the law and reap all the benefits, the strategy has to be all-encompassing:

• Translate all relevant commercial, contractual and customer service information on your website into Catalan.
• Make sure that forms, T&Cs and legal notices are available and usable in Catalan.
• Regularly audit and update online content to stay compliant.
• Train in-house teams in online and over-the-phone language management and adaptation.
• Take a strategic approach: don't just do the bare minimum to tick boxes but instead look for ways to give Catalan speakers a unique experience across all channels.

Stay ahead of the curve and lead the way in multilingual customer care

The trick is to take preemptive action, not just react. Experience shows that businesses which get out in front of regulations, build training and language resources into their customer service models and invest in professional over-the-phone interpreting gain a sustainable advantage in the marketplace.

Would you like to ensure your website, customer care channels or phone service conform to the Language Policy Act and new national requirements?
At ATLS Global, we help you ensure legal compliance, enhance your customer experience and lead the way in multilingual customer care.

Contact us for bespoke advice or to learn more about our end-to-end Catalan translation and customer care solutions.

FAQs about customer care in Catalan

Anabel Ruiz