Just a year earlier, the list included hundreds of companies and hundreds of penalties. Today – as the latest data show – the register takes up just one, not quite full page. This is a clear sign that publishing a “blacklist” is starting to genuinely discipline the market.
The list is shrinking fast
According to data published by Spain’s Ministry of Transport, in the second half of 2025 the list included 34 penalties imposed on 28 transport companies. The fines ranged from €701 to €19,605.
Importantly, the penalties do not relate directly to the value of outstanding debt to carriers, but to breaches of payment-term regulations – confirmed in administrative or court proceedings.
Early 2025 was still much tougher
As earlier data show, in the first half of 2025 149 businesses were penalized, and the number of breaches was clearly higher than it is now. Earlier still – in 2024 – the scale of the problem was even greater, covering hundreds of companies and hundreds of penalties.
This shows how dynamically the situation is changing in the road transport payments market.
At the same time, it is worth noting that in previous editions of the list, major players from the global logistics and trade market also appeared regularly, proving that the system covers the entire supply chain – not only smaller entities.
Publishing the list works as a disciplining mechanism
Experts have no doubt that the regular publication of the list of penalized companies is starting to deliver results. The drop in the number of penalties is directly linked to greater caution among clients and improved payment discipline.
The aim of publishing the register is to reduce payment backlogs in the transport industry. The latest data indicate that this mechanism is working more and more effectively.
Improvement driven by regulatory changes
The law that introduced penalties for breaches of payment deadlines came into force in Spain in October 2021. The regulations apply exclusively to the road transport sector and provide for severe penalties for late payments of up to €6,000. In the case of repeat breaches, fines can be as high as €30,000.
Spanish regulations classify exceeding the maximum statutory payment deadline as a serious breach, and for higher service values – as very serious. The amount of the penalty depends on the amount due and the length of the delay.
What this means for carriers
For transport companies – including those outside Spain – the “blacklist” remains an important operational tool. It enables them to assess counterparties’ reliability, analyze cooperation risk, and better secure the financial side of completed orders.
At the same time, the declining number of penalties is a positive signal for the entire sector, indicating improved cash flow and greater predictability of settlements.
Payment times hit records, but the problem hasn’t disappeared
Further confirmation of the improving situation comes from the latest data on payment terms. In February 2026, the average time to pay for transport services in Spain fell to 54 days, the best result in the history of the measurements.
Back in 2021 it averaged 83 days, and in 2025 – 59 days. This means a clear and systematic improvement in payment discipline, which has accelerated in recent months.
Despite this positive trend, the problem has not been fully resolved. About 43% of customers still exceed the statutory maximum payment deadline, although in most cases delays are moderate and fall within the 60–90 day range.
The data clearly show, however, that the direction of change is positive. Spain’s model of combining strict penalties with a public “blacklist” is starting to deliver real results, and the transport sector is gradually moving toward a level of stability that just a few years ago seemed out of reach, even as diesel remains a major cost line for operators.
For companies operating internationally, this kind of enforcement also sits alongside wider compliance developments such as EU customs reform, which can influence how smoothly (and predictably) transport services are delivered and billed.
