The new Code of Conduct establishes common age rating criteria for television networks and streaming platforms operating in Spain. The system maintains the already known categories —Especially recommended for children, All audiences (TP), 7, 12, 16, 18 and X—, but establishes homogeneous rules for the operators adhering to the agreement. On linear television, the rating must appear on screen and in the Electronic Programming Guide (EPG)while in on-demand services it will have to appear in the content file and at the beginning of its playback. In the case of series, a single rating is generally established for the entire season, taking as a reference the episode with the highest age rating. For content broadcast openly for people over 18 years of age, an exception is contemplated that will allow maintaining a lower rating in certain episodes to be able to broadcast them between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
One of the main novelties will be the widespread incorporation of descriptors that will inform about the type of content that justifies the age classification. Initially there will be seven categories: violence, sex, fear or anguish, drugs and toxic substances, discrimination, imitable behaviors and language. These notices may appear in programming guides, platform sheets or before starting playback. The agreement affects a good part of the main audiovisual operators present in Spain, including RTVE, Atresmedia, Mediaset España, Telefónica Audiovisual Digital, Disney, AMC Networks, DAZN, Filmin, Rakuten TV, Paramount and NBCUniversalamong others. News programs and current affairs programs are excluded from the age classification, although they must issue verbal warnings when they broadcast images potentially inappropriate for minors. Sports, musical, cultural or political broadcasts are also generally excluded, although certain content must be classified when its characteristics make it advisable, such as boxing or wrestling.
The Code, published this Wednesday in the BOE, comes into force on September 10, 2026although it contemplates transitional periods for some obligations. Content that was already correctly classified with the previous system may maintain its rating without incorporating the new descriptors. However, content released for the first time three months after its entry into force must include it along with the age classification. In addition, failure to comply with the rules may lead to sanctions: rating content two or more levels below what it corresponds to, or assigning a lower category to content X, is considered a serious infraction, with base fines of between 750 and 75,000 euros depending on the operator’s income.