Industrial sectors must adapt training to new professional competence standards

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism has issued Order EFD/1073/2026, of October 5, which updates specific professional competence standards within the National Catalogue of Professional Competence Standards. This regulatory update affects a wide range of industrial families, including Agriculture, Graphic Arts, Arts and Crafts, Energy and Water, Building and Civil Works, Mechanical Manufacturing, Food Industries, Wood, Furniture and Cork, Chemistry, Textiles, Clothing and Leather, and Glass and Ceramics. This measure is a direct consequence of the ongoing transformation of the Spanish Vocational Training (FP) system, aiming to bridge the gap between educational curricula and the actual technical requirements of the modern industrial landscape.

What changes

The primary change introduced by this Order is the technical update of the wording and definitions of specific competence standards. According to Article 4, the Order specifically modifies the standards previously integrated by Royal Decree 532/2025 for the Graphic Arts family. This includes new definitions for several key professional tasks at different levels of qualification:

• Level 2 Standards: New wording is applied to competencies such as "Preparing and interpreting sketches for graphic work" (ECP0687_2), "Woodcut engraving" (ECP0688_2), "Chalcography engraving" (ECP0689_2), "Printing in intaglio and relief" (ECP0690_2), and "Adjusting parameters, leveling elements, and performing folding" (ECP0693_2).
• Level 3 Standards: More complex competencies are updated, such as "Developing graphic product projects" (ECP0696_3), "Processing images and creating graphic elements with appropriate color management parameters" (ECP0697_3), "Composing graphic elements, images, and texts according to typographic architecture theory and layout" (ECP0698_3), and "Preparing and verifying final art for distribution" (ECP0699_3).
• Management and Quality: The Order also updates standards related to organizing and supervising production in paper and cardboard transformation processes (ECP1681_3) and collaborating in quality management within these same processes (ECP1682_3).

Beyond the specific examples in Graphic Arts, the Order serves to update the standards across the entire breadth of the mentioned industrial families to ensure they reflect the current reality of the productive system, as mandated by the regulatory framework.

Context

This Order is not an isolated administrative act but a necessary step in the implementation of Organic Law 3/2022, of March 31, on the organization and integration of Vocational Training. This Law seeks a global transformation of the FP system into a single, integrated model that responds flexibly to the evolving needs of the economy and the professional aspirations of workers.

Under Article 5 of Organic Law 3/2022, the Vocational Training system is tasked with identifying labor market competencies to ensure that training offers are suitable and that professional competencies can be recognized and accredited. To achieve this, the Law created the National Catalogue of Professional Competence Standards. This catalogue acts as the fundamental instrument that organizes identified competencies based on the quality standards required for professional practice.

Furthermore, the regulatory framework is interconnected. Royal Decree 69/2025, of February 4, establishes the management instruments of the National Vocational Training System and dictates that the Catalogue of Professional Competence Standards must be updated continuously to reflect the reality of service and production systems. This Order, therefore, fulfills the requirement of continuous updating established in Article 7 of Royal Decree 69/2025. It also follows the transition path set by Royal Decree 532/2025, which began the process of adapting old competence units into the new standards format.

Who is affected and how

The impact of this Order is distributed across different actors within the industrial and educational ecosystem:

• SMEs and Industrial Companies: Companies operating in the affected sectors (such as Chemistry, Textiles, Construction, or Food Industries) are impacted because these standards define the technical requirements for the workforce. Companies involved in the accreditation of professional competencies must ensure their internal processes and certification criteria align with these updated standards to maintain validity and professional rigor.
• Self-employed Professionals (Autónomos): Professionals working in technical industries, arts, or crafts will find that the benchmarks for professional recognition and the standards for technical proficiency in their respective fields have been updated. This is particularly relevant for those seeking official accreditation of their experience.
• Training Centers and Educational Providers: These entities are directly responsible for designing and updating their vocational training programs. As stated in Article 5 of Organic Law 3/2022, the professional competence standard is the mandatory reference unit for developing and updating vocational training offers. Failure to align curricula with these new standards could result in training that does not meet official quality indicators.
• Individuals and Students: People seeking professional qualification or the recognition of prior learning will be subject to these new standards. The updated definitions will dictate what knowledge and skills are required to achieve specific professional levels in the affected families.

What to do and when

This Order does not establish a specific deadline for compliance or impose direct sanctions on private companies or individuals. However, it creates a technical obligation for the entities responsible for training and accreditation.

Training centers and educational institutions should immediately begin a process of reviewing their current curricula and training modules to ensure they incorporate the updated wording and technical requirements of the new standards. This is essential to ensure that the training provided remains compliant with the National Catalogue of Professional Competence Standards.

Companies involved in professional accreditation must verify that their assessment tools and competency recognition processes are updated to reflect the new standards, particularly in the sectors where specific changes have been detailed, such as Graphic Arts.

For any specific questions regarding how these changes might impact your company's training programs or professional accreditation processes, we recommend consulting with the specialized labor and industrial area of BMC to evaluate your specific situation.