The new legislation updates the catalogue of offences and disciplinary measures and improves the safety and payment conditions of the national police force. The future Act will punish psychological harassment in the workplace, and discrimination on the grounds of sex or sexual orientation as a serious offence.

The Cabinet has approved the National Police Force Disciplinary Regime Bill, legislation that continues the modernisation of Spanish Security Forces to which the government is firmly committed.

The First Vice-President of the Spanish government, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, summarised the main features of the bill to the press.

Firstly, it improves the classification of offences, removing those which due to their ambiguity or absence of clarity were difficult to apply.

The Vice-President explained that a conviction for fraud is to be considered a serious offence when it is related to the service. Furthermore, the reference to secrecy has been removed and replaced by an allusion to professional secret.

Likewise, offences relating to drugs and alcohol are specified in such a way that it will be considered a serious offence to be on duty under their influence or to refuse to undergo tests designed to detect them.
Fernández de la Vega highlighted that new offences are included concerning the illegitimate use of videotaping systems, and that discrimination on the grounds of sex or sexual orientation, as well as psychological harassment are classified as serious offences.

Meanwhile, sanctions have been adjusted and greater guarantees offered to civil servants in the disciplinary procedure.

Food safety

The government has analysed a report on the Draft Food Safety and Nutrition Bill, which brings together all of the food legislation in a single law in order to reinforce citizens’ safety in the area of food.
María Teresa Fernández de la Vega highlighted that the law seeks to optimise the safety of the food chain and improve coordination with regional governments in this area.

Among other measures, she said, the draft bill provides for safety guarantees for food and animal fodder, as well as the preparation of a long-term national control plan in collaboration with the autonomous regions.

It will also provide for a coordinated national health alert system and a food safety laboratory network. Furthermore, it contains measures for fighting against obesity.

Current issues

The First Vice-President stated that the government’s priority is to protect the safety of the crew of the Alakrana fishing boat, seized in the Indian Ocean.

The government, she said, has set up a coordination committee and has requested the collaboration of the countries forming part of Operation Atalanta in order to ensure the release of the hostages.

With regard to the increase in unemployment figures in September, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega recognised that “it is bad news,” which is why the government “is going to keep working to stop the fall in employment and recover economic growth.”
Furthermore, it is going to continue to pay unemployment benefit to people who are unemployed.
Fernández de la Vega pointed out that the figures “are better than those of September last year,” which “leads us to think that we are heading in the right direction” and that we are going to emerge from the crisis gradually using the adopted measures.

Asked about the tax increase, the Vice-President reminded those present that the General State Budgets have three objectives: to guarantee social protection, to stimulate employment and to reactivate the economy by promoting a restabilisation of public funds.

In order to reach these goals, she added, she has asked for “a proportional and common group effort,” whereby “those which have more will contribute more and those who have less will contribute less.”

Other agreements

• Transposition of EU directives on VAT, special taxes and income tax for non-residents agreed
• Report on the forest fire, storm and flood campaign analysed
• Community air traffic controller licence regulated
• Protection of underground water from pollution and damage regulated