Spain: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 31 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Spain.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Spain in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Spain may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

31 entries on the official lists name Spain — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	31	31	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Spain recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Spain: logistics and trade

Europe's southern gateway, transshipment hub and bridge to Africa and Latin America

Spain (ES) is the EU's fourth-largest economy and the continent's most important southern gateway, with a central transshipment role between Europe, North Africa and Latin America. As an EU and eurozone member it applies the Union Customs Code; imports and exports run through the tax agency Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) using the electronic DUA system. Import VAT (IVA) is 21 percent, with reduced rates of 10 and 4 percent. The main container ports are Valencia and Algeciras, followed by Barcelona and Bilbao; air cargo is led by Madrid-Barajas (MAD) and Barcelona-El Prat (BCN), plus the Zaragoza cargo airport (ZAZ). Road and rail are bundled by the Mediterranean and Atlantic TEN-T corridors; a particular feature is the Iberian broad gauge (1668 mm), which requires gauge changing at the French border. Typical freight includes vehicles and parts, machinery, agricultural and food products and fashion; key trading partners are France, Germany, Portugal and Italy.

Capital: Madrid
Population: 49,128,297
Area: 505,990 km²
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Continent: Europe
Region: Southern Europe / Iberian Peninsula
Economic area: EU (customs union) / euro area
Religions: Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism, Judaism
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Road · Rail · Air · Short sea

Current situation: Container throughput continues to grow: Valencia around 5.6 million TEU in 2025 (Spain’s largest port), Algeciras 4.7 million (around 85% transshipment). Valencia is the first Spanish port with EES-compatible border controls. Expansion of the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors. (As of 2026-07-18)
Seasonal conditions: Summer heat in the south, heavy rainfall associated with DANA weather systems and flooding in the Mediterranean region (autumn, e.g. Valencia in 2024), and occasional snow on mountain passes.

Main seaports

Valencia
Valencia (ES VLC): Spain's largest container port, record 5.66M TEU in 2025. COSCO, MSC and APM terminals; Terminal Norte (TiL) under construction; rail to Madrid.
Algeciras
Algeciras (ES ALG): Spain's largest container port on the Strait of Gibraltar, about 3.94M TEU in 2024. APM and TTI terminals, RoRo, ferries, EU customs.
Barcelona
Barcelona (ES BCN), Catalonia's main container port: 3.89M TEU in 2024, BEST and APM terminals, reefer, EU customs, rail links to southern France.
Puerto De Bilbao
Bilbao (ES BIO): 17.32M tonnes in H1 2026, up 12.3%. Containers, steel, chemicals, ore, RoRo; new Canada and South America services. Alternatives: Valencia, Santander.
Las Palmas
Las Palmas (ES LPA): record 2025 with 1.43M TEU (+17.3%), first LNG bunkering June 2026. Europe-Africa-Americas transhipment hub. Alternatives: Algeciras, Valencia.
Tarragona
Tarragona (ES TAR): Catalan port for petrochemicals and agribulk. 17.6M tonnes Jan-Jul 2026, +6.3%. COSCO/PTP to build a 680,000 TEU multipurpose terminal.

Main cargo airports

Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas AirportMAD
Madrid-Barajas (MAD/LEMD): Spain's no. 1 cargo airport, record 840,331 t in 2025 (+9.6%), IAG Cargo hub to Latin America, new SAASA terminal, DHL/UPS/FedEx.
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat AirportBCN
Barcelona-El Prat (BCN/LEBL): Spain's no. 2 with record 200,741 t cargo (2025, +10.5%), pharma strength (Grifols), Qatar/Emirates/Turkish freighters, customs on site.
Zaragoza AirportZAZ
Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ/LEZG): Leading cargo hub in Spain; DHL, UPS, Amazon Air, Inditex, 24h customs, motorway A-2.
Vitoria AirportVIT
Vitoria Airport (VIT/LEVT): Leading cargo hub in Spain; DHL, FedEx, Iberia Cargo, Inditex/Zara logistics, 24h customs.

Road corridors

AP-7 / A-7 Mediterranean corridor (French border - Valencia - Algeciras)
A-2 Madrid - Zaragoza - Barcelona
A-6 Madrid - Galicia
Atlantic corridor Irun - Madrid - Portugal

Rail corridors

TEN-T Mediterranean corridor
TEN-T Atlantic corridor
Gauge changing from Iberian broad gauge (1668 mm) to standard gauge (1435 mm) at the French border

Inland ports

Puerto Seco Madrid (Coslada)
Terminal Marítima de Zaragoza (tmZ)
Puerto Seco Azuqueca de Henares

Main trade lanes

Spain - France
Spain - Germany
Spain - Italy
Spain - Morocco (Algeciras - Tanger Med)
Spain - Latin America
Spain - Portugal

Customs and import

Customs authority Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria (AEAT) – Departamento de Aduanas e Impuestos EspecialesOfficial website ↗

Import customs system: EU Union Customs Code (UCC). Import declarations are submitted electronically to AEAT as a DUA (Documento Único Administrativo); ICS2 pre-arrival filing; an EORI number is required.
Export customs system: Exports via the AEAT AES (Sistema Automatizado de Exportación) as an export DUA; transit procedures via NCTS. An EORI number is required.
Import VAT: Import VAT (IVA) administered by AEAT: standard rate 21%, reduced rate 10%, super-reduced rate 4% (as of 2026).
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Proofs of preferential origin under EU free trade agreements: EUR.1 movement certificate, origin statement by a registered exporter (REX), supplier declaration.
Restricted and prohibited goods: EU-wide prohibitions and restrictions: weapons, drug precursors, certain agricultural and food products (SOIVRE border controls), cultural goods, waste and protected species (CITES).

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
DUA (import declaration)
Transport document (CMR, AWB, B/L)
Proof of origin (EUR.1 / REX) for preferential treatment
Import licences / SOIVRE controls where applicable

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export DUA (AES)
Transport document (CMR, AWB, B/L)
Proof of origin (EUR.1 / REX statement on origin)
Export authorisation (dual-use) where applicable

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Low to medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: High
Pharma and cold chain relevance: High
E-commerce relevance: High

Trade

Top import partners

Germany China France Italy United States

Top export partners

France Germany Portugal Italy United Kingdom

Top import goods

Crude oil
Vehicles
Machinery
Chemicals
Electronics

Top export goods

Vehicles
Machinery
Food
Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals

Typical cargo

Vehicles and automotive parts
Machinery
Agricultural and food products (fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil)
Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals
Fashion and consumer goods (fast fashion)

Upcoming public holidays

Constitution DaySun, 6 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Immaculate ConceptionTue, 8 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
EpiphanyWed, 6 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Maundy ThursdayThu, 25 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
Good FridayFri, 26 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
Labour DaySat, 1 May 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

High Diesel Prices: IRU Calls for Targeted Support for Transport Operators2 Nov 2026
The IRU demands relief measures due to high diesel prices. An association's demand does not yet replace a government decision on state aid.
Study: Electric trucks could require around 100 TWh of charging power by 20352 Nov 2026
Europe's electric trucks could require around 100 TWh of charging power by 2035. The study shows why operators should plan their grid connection early.
EU Parliament Wants to Relieve Small Businesses of Packaging Representative Obligations28 Oct 2026
The EU Parliament wants to relieve certain small companies of the authorized representative requirement. The position is not yet a valid exception.
PTP Unveils New Refrigerated Terminal in Cádiz17 Oct 2026
PTP inaugurates a refrigerated terminal in Cádiz. The facility features 20,000 pallet positions and a total investment of approximately 35 million euros.
EU Parliament Approves New Limits for Truck Toll Discounts14 Oct 2026
The EU Parliament approves new rules for truck toll discounts. Fleets should factor in the threshold as of July 2031 in long-term billing.

Logistics questions

Which documents do I need for importing into Spain?

Common documents are the commercial invoice, packing list, the electronic import declaration (DUA) and a transport document (CMR, AWB or B/L). For preferential treatment, a proof of origin such as EUR.1 or an origin declaration (REX) is also required. An EORI number is required for customs clearance.

What is the import VAT (IVA) in Spain?

The standard rate is 21 percent. There are also a reduced rate of 10 percent (including certain foods, passenger transport) and a super-reduced rate of 4 percent (basic foodstuffs, books, medicines). The tax is collected by the Agencia Tributaria (AEAT).

Which customs system does Spain use?

Spain applies the EU Union Customs Code. Imports are declared electronically to the AEAT as a DUA (Documento Único Administrativo), and exports via the AES system. Declarations are submitted electronically; an EORI number is mandatory.

Which seaports are the most important in Spain?

Valencia (about 5,47 million TEU in 2024) and Algeciras (about 4,7 million TEU) are the largest container ports, followed by Barcelona (3,88 million TEU). Algeciras is a leading transshipment hub compared with Tanger Med in Morocco; other important ports include Bilbao, Las Palmas and Tarragona.

Which airports are relevant for air freight?

The most important cargo airport is Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (about 767000 tonnes in 2024), followed by Barcelona-El Prat and Zaragoza (each about 181000 tonnes). Zaragoza serves, among other things, as a hub for fashion and e-commerce logistics.

Is Spain part of the EU customs union?

Yes. Spain is an EU and eurozone member and part of the EU customs union. No customs duties apply to trade with other EU member states; for non-EU countries, the common customs tariff and the EU free trade agreements apply.

What should I consider for rail transport to Spain?

Spain mainly uses the Iberian broad gauge (1668 mm), which differs from the European standard gauge (1435 mm). At the French border, a change of gauge or transhipment is therefore necessary. The expansion of the TEN-T corridors (Mediterranean, Atlantic) is gradually improving connections.

Is there a threshold for small consignments?

Since July 2021, the VAT exemption threshold for small consignments has been abolished throughout the EU, including in Spain: IVA is due from the first euro. Consignments with a value of up to 150 euros remain exempt from customs duties (excluding preferential treatment), but import VAT is still charged.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗