Spain’s regulator CNMC, together with the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function and leading stakeholders from the audiovisual sector, has launched the signing process for a new co-regulatory agreement designed to enhance the protection of minors and improve audience information across audiovisual services.

The agreement introduces a unified age-rating and content descriptor system that will apply across linear television, on-demand platforms and influential online content creators classified as Users of Special Relevance (UERs). The framework is intended to help viewers make more informed choices while supporting the effective use of parental control tools.

The initiative follows more than two years of development, including two public consultations and extensive collaboration with broadcasters, streaming providers, regional authorities and industry organisations.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, CNMC President Cani Fernández said: “The audiovisual world is evolving, and it must be supported by regulatory frameworks adapted to this reality, agreed by all stakeholders and, above all, designed to benefit consumers and users, especially younger audiences.”

María González Veracruz, Spain’s Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, added: “With this agreement we demonstrate that innovation and protection can advance together. Protecting minors is a cross-cutting priority, and when institutions, regulators, the audiovisual industry and civil society work together, solutions become reality.”

The agreement has been signed by the CNMC alongside major participants in Spain’s audiovisual ecosystem, including national audiovisual service providers, the Federation of Regional Radio and Television Organisations (FORTA), advertising self-regulation body AUTOCONTROL, and consumer and child protection organisations such as AUC, iCmedia and the Platform of Childhood Organisations.

Under Spain’s audiovisual legislation, national audiovisual service providers – including UERs – are required to be part of a regulatory framework such as the one established by the agreement. The CNMC warned that enforcement action may be taken against providers that fail to join the system following the agreement’s formal launch.

Regional implementation will take place progressively. Initial support has been confirmed by the Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC), the Audiovisual Council of Andalusia (CAA), the Audiovisual Council of the Valencian Community (CACV), and the audiovisual authorities of Castilla-La Mancha and Navarra. Their participation will allow regional and local broadcasters under their supervision to join the scheme.

The co-regulatory model is based on collaboration between regulators, industry participants and civil society organisations. Once the agreement comes into force, a public complaints mechanism will be introduced, enabling viewers to report potential errors in age classifications or the use of content descriptors by participating providers.

The CNMC said the initiative represents a significant step towards a more coherent, transparent and future-proof content classification system that reflects changing viewing habits while strengthening child protection and public trust in audiovisual services.