Spain: COVID-19 Resumption of procedural time limits and statute of limitation and expiration periods

On May 23, Royal Decree 537/2020, of May 22, extending the state of alarm declared by Royal Decree 463/2020, of March 14 (hereinafter, "RD 537/2020") entered into force. 

As we analysed in our previous article "COVID-19: Consequences for dispute resolution in Spain", Royal Decree 463/2020, of March 14, declaring the State of Alarm for the management of the health crisis situation caused by COVID-19 set forth, as a general rule, the suspension of procedural time limits (2nd Additional Provision) and the suspension of statute of limitation and expiration periods (4th Additional Provision).

RD 537/2020 sets forth the lifting of such suspension as from June 4, 2020, so that: 

• Procedural time limits will run again from the start as from June 5.
• Statute of limitation and expiration terms will resume as from June 5.

Once lifted, the procedural measures established by Royal Decree-Law 16/2020, of April 28, on procedural and organisational measures to deal with COVID-19 in the field of the Administration of Justice shall enter into force. 

For more information on these measures, please see our article COVID-19: Main measures set forth in RDL 16/2020 of April 28.

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