She highlighted that the impact of gas on electricity bills has halved since 2021, falling from 52% to “around 26%” today. The minister made any final assessment of the implementation of the measure proposed by Brussels in Spain contingent on the document being formally presented next Monday. “We are talking about a draft that will be made public next week; when the Commission puts it forward, we will listen,” she said. Asked about workers’ uncertainty regarding the possible requirement to stay at home to save energy, Saiz insisted that, for the time being, this is merely a proposal under consideration.

“When it comes to drafts, I speak of realities,” stated the minister, who recalled that the government is monitoring the situation ‘day by day’ to mitigate the effects of rising oil prices and inflation on the cost of living. Meanwhile, the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, stated on Thursday that she is not in favour of making teleworking compulsory and that this option should be voluntary. This was Díaz’s response in an interview with Onda Cero.

When asked about a document that Brussels is considering approving shortly, which proposes introducing one day of compulsory remote working to cut energy costs resulting from the effects of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. “I am not in favour of forcing anyone to do anything. I believe the principle should be voluntary participation,” emphasised the minister, who pointed out that Spain already has a Teleworking Act, the result of an agreement reached through social dialogue, which allows Spanish companies to make use of remote working, but on a voluntary basis.

“It is true that in every crisis, such as during the storm and recent events, we always recall that teleworking, or remote working, is one of the measures,” noted the minister, adding that many of the “recommendations” Brussels is currently working on are already in place in Spain. Furthermore, she stated that the impact of the war in Iran on Spain is not the same as that being felt by “many of the other Member States in Europe”.

She said Spain “has done its homework” on remote working and approved “many years ago” a regulatory framework for remote working, the result of social dialogue and a tripartite agreement. “What Europe is doing is making a recommendation, but above all it is directed at Member States that do not have any legislation regulating this matter,” she explained.