Overview
- The Generalitat’s January 2026 revision leaves 38 Catalan municipalities obligated to implement a ZBE, including 23 with more than 50,000 residents and 15 with more than 20,000 that recorded exceedances.
- Decree 132/2024 applies a five-year reference period covering 2020–2024, factors in both limit and objective values such as ozone, and requires the list to be reviewed annually.
- The 24 municipalities removed are largely in Vallès Occidental, Baix Llobregat and several coastal towns, reflecting improved air-quality indicators over the past five years.
- Nationally, Spain closed 2025 with 58 ZBEs in force, 91 in process and 20 pending, with many insular territories still awaiting coordinated plans between local and regional environmental authorities.
- Implementation remains uneven, with Pamplona’s old-town ZBE now active and Vitoria issuing fines since mid-December, while other cities have eased, delayed or rejected measures and continue to rely on DGT vehicle stickers that face political disputes.