- This contribution translates into a contribution of more than €140 billion over the last four decades, placing Spain on a par with the world's most advanced countries.
- Accelerating the pace of new regulations by 5% annually could add more than €23 billion to Spanish GDP by 2028.
- 72.2% of companies indicate that standards have a significant impact on improving productivity, and 71.9% also report an increase in revenue thanks to standards.
- Ninety percent of exporting companies report having improved the quality and safety of their products thanks to the implementation of standards, and 58.4% say these standards have a high or very high impact on improving their international sales.
Madrid, 9 July 2025. Standardisation contributes 14.7% to Spain's average annual GDP growth, which translates into a contribution of more than €140 billion over the last four decades, placing Spain on a par with the world's most advanced countries.
This is one of the main conclusions of the study "The economic impact of standardisation in Spain", prepared by the Centre for Industrial Strategy and Prospective Studies (CEPI), an entity backed by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and the EOI Foundation, and presented at an event held at the headquarters of the Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE. The study was carried out at the macroeconomic level, analysing the period 1980-2022, and used the ISO international methodological guide as a reference, which allows for comparisons with other countries; as well as at the microeconomic level, through a survey of 600 industrial companies.
In this way, standardisation is positioned as a strategic lever for economic development, improved productivity, and the international projection of the Spanish business community.
The study, which followed the ISO methodology used in Germany, France, Canada, and the Nordic countries, allows for solid international comparability. Thus, the impact of standardisation in Spain is comparable to that of these countries. The average elasticity of GDP and productivity to the stock of standards is in line with that of the economy in Canada and the Nordic countries, and slightly below that of Germany, France, or the United Kingdom.
23 billion by 2028
The report indicates that accelerating the publication of new regulations by 5% annually could have a cumulative impact of more than €23 billion on Spanish GDP by 2028, compared to the current trend scenario. That is, in this scenario, the GDP projected for 2028 would go from 1,350,185 billion euros to 1,373,071 billion euros. This result thus presents a strategic opportunity to strengthen the use of standards in productive sectors as a catalyst for economic growth.
All economic sectors benefit from the impact of standards, as they allow organisations to improve the efficiency of their internal processes, reduce costs associated with commercial functions, and improve the quality of their products or services.
Survey of more than 600 companies
Furthermore, the study relied on a survey of more than 600 companies in the industrial and construction sectors to assess the levels of implementation of standards in the Spanish business community and the impact on their competitiveness. The data obtained from this survey reveal that almost 70% of companies apply standards, of which 30.7% are certified. Furthermore, differences in the application of standards are identified depending on the size of the business, reaching 100% in large companies and 61.5% in micro-enterprises.
Committing to its implementation is essential for companies to maximise the benefits of standardisation, improving not only the quality and efficiency of their processes, but also their positioning in international markets and their brand. Compliance with standards builds trust among consumers and business partners, facilitating entry and consolidation in new markets, thus contributing to the long-term sustainable growth and competitiveness of Spanish businesses.
Furthermore, 72.2% of companies indicate that standards have a significant impact on improving productivity, and 71.9% also report an increase in revenue thanks to standards.
Furthermore, 51.2% of the companies surveyed indicate that implementing standards reduces their costs.
Boosting exports
According to this survey, more than 90% of exporting companies report having improved the quality and reliability of their products thanks to the implementation of standards, and 58.4% believe that the implementation of standards has had a significant or very significant impact on improving their sales in international markets.
Promoting and facilitating the implementation of standards, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises, is a strategic opportunity for Spain to consolidate its position among the most advanced economies in standardisation, strengthening key productive sectors and promoting greater levels of business competitiveness.
The event was attended by Jordi García Brustenga, Secretary of State for Industry at the Ministry of Industry and Tourism; Alfredo Berges, Director General of UNE; Víctor Ausín, Director General of Economic Policy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business; Maribel Martínez, Managing Partner of Abay Analistas; Gema de Cabo, Project Director at Abay Analistas; José Manuel Prieto, Deputy Director of Security and Industrial Quality of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism; Monica Sanzo; directora de Cooperación y Relaciones Internacionales de UNE; Luis Rodulfo Zabala, Vice-President of UNE and President of CEPCO; and José Bayón, general director of EOI.
