The Supreme Court has overturned an appeal by the Junta de Andalucia against relaxed opening hours implemented on a national scale by Madrid in 2012.
Mariano Rajoy upon his ascent to power issued bill 12/2012 which, amongst other things, relaxed opening hours and allows for Sunday and holiday trading by stores, and reduced the number of personal days civil servants could take. Both of these parts of the bill were appealed against by the regional government of Andalucia, which said Madrid had interfered in matters that were devolved to Seville.
The Constitutional Court has now ruled against Seville and told it to implement the law, meaning trading hours should relax in the region and civil servants don’t get so many personal days off.
Outside of “tourism zones” opening hours are tightly controlled in Andalucia, with Sunday trading and opening on festival dates prohibited.