Retailing Regulation and Autonomous Regions in Spain (in Spanish)

Abstract

Retail trade is governed by state, autonomous and local regulations. The 1978 Constitution marked the start of increasing intervention and regulations from the autonomous regions and this has led to greater diversity in these regulations. The Constitutional Court has seen itself obliged to intervene in conflicts related to internal trade between the state and autonomous regions on more than ten occasions and it has drawn up tortuous limits on the regions' regulations for the retail trade as well as for other related areas. Furthermore, this diversity of regional policies has had an impact on economic growth and development in the autonomous regions.

Note: Downloadable document is in Spanish.

Keywords: decentralisation, autonomous regions, business freedom, retailing, unified market

JEL Classification: K49, L81, H70, H73, H77