Closed for holidays: what happens with institutions in August?

BarcelonaAugust arrives. Cities empty, the frantic pace fades, the heat suffocates the asphalt and citizens pack their bags for the beach or seek the cool refuge of the mountains. It is time to hang the "Closed for holidays" sign on businesses and disconnect from routine. But what happens meanwhile with the institutions?

In the case of the Parliament of Catalonia, the institution does not completely lower its blinds. In summer, the sovereign seat of Catalonia activates its own guard: the Permanent Deputation, the body that oversees the powers of the chamber when there is no session period, the chamber has been dissolved or the parliamentary term has ended. It therefore functions when there are no ordinary sessions, that is, from August 1 to 15 and from January 1 to 14. Presided over by the President of the Parliament, it is made up of 23 deputies proportional to the groups.

This legislative "guard" can be convened on the initiative of the president or at the request of two groups or one-fifth of its members. This forces politicians to be constantly alert. Ferran Pedret, president of the PSC in Parliament and a member of this body, admits that he keeps his phone on because the call "can come at any moment". In fact, Pedret reveals the practical rule he imposes on his ranks: "I ask everyone, whether they pay more or less attention, to take their holidays within a two-hour drive of Barcelona." A guideline also followed by the President of Parliament, Josep Rull: "For the fifteen days in August when the Permanent Deputation is in session, I do not leave Catalonia and I am available at all times in case any issue arises," he states.

According to parliamentary sources, two have been convened this term, one for the election of the bureau of the same Deputation and another – which lasted less than ten minutes – to convene the extraordinary plenary session for the investiture of Salvador Illa. Since the start of parliamentary activity, in 1980, 65 have been held; the record is ten in the sixth term and eight in the twelfth during the covid-19 pandemic.

Despite its importance, the functions of this body are very limited. In summary, it cannot freely pass laws, but it can convene extraordinary plenary sessions by absolute majority, control decree-laws, and authorize extraordinary credits for emergencies, among others. Its counterparts in the Spanish Cortes have 36 members in the case of the Senate and 69 in the case of the Congress. One is Teresa Jordà, an ERC deputy, who confesses that, in August, she checks her mobile phone "certainly every two hours". However, Jordà describes a peculiar atmosphere when the body meets in Madrid in the middle of summer: "In principle, before starting, there is a better vibe. Last year, President Armengol was greeting everyone with two kisses, everyone a bit more tanned... but as soon as the session begins, we are already in the usual atmosphere".

Justice at half speed

In courts and tribunals, the rule is pause. According to Article 183 of the Organic Law of the Judiciary, August is the quintessential non-working month for most judicial proceedings, meaning deadlines for filing appeals or civil lawsuits are suspended and resume on September 1st. However, justice never completely shuts down. In civil jurisdiction, general non-working status prevails except for proceedings considered urgent. In contrast, in the criminal order, activity continues with greater intensity: the investigation of crimes, on-duty courts, gender violence cases, or urgent precautionary measures cannot be interrupted. In the social order, the law maintains processing for highly sensitive matters such as dismissals, employment regulation files (ERO), fundamental rights, and the setting of holidays. In administrative litigation, there are also exceptions related to protecting rights to prevent irreparable harm.

The executive on pause

The executive power also reduces margins. The Generalitat government stops its ordinary weekly meetings on Tuesdays for a few weeks – they resume at the end of August. Nevertheless, there must always be perfectly locatable duty councillors, given that the presidency can convene extraordinary meetings for emergencies such as forest fires or political crises. The Spanish government follows the same pattern: Pedro Sánchez and his council of ministers take holidays, but the calendar always designs a ministerial duty team ready to react.

Treasury does not take holidays

Finally, there is a body that does not rest. While everything stops, tax obligations continue relentlessly in August. For years, monthly declarations corresponding to the month of July have had to be submitted obligatorily during August, forcing many companies to keep their administrative activity alive. This unavoidable appointment affects VAT declarations, IRPF withholdings, and corporate tax that are monthly. To avoid any unpleasantness, it is more than advisable to plan your summer tax management well in advance.