With a strong warning from counselor Nerea Melgosa that "Without security, there is no activity," the Basque Parliament has approved stricter legislation for the oversight of summer camps. This reform aims to prevent risky situations like the one at the Bernedo camp, which remains under judicial investigation.

From now on, companies failing to ensure the safety of minors—by not providing clean sexual offense certificates and prior declarations of responsibility—will face unprecedented fines of up to 600,000 euros. The Basque Parliament passed the reform of the Youth Law, driven by the PNV and PSE parties with the support of EH Bildu, on Thursday to bolster the protection of minors in leisure activities.

The reform follows the scandal at the Bernedo camps (Araba), which are being investigated by the judiciary following complaints filed by 21 families concerning alleged sexual offenses against minors during the camp last summer. The complaints refer to alleged incidents of exhibitionism, humiliation, coercion, sexual provocation, acts contrary to moral integrity, and sexual assault. Some participants also reported being forced to shower alongside monitors.

In response to these events, the Provincial Council of Araba initiated an administrative proceeding that concluded with a 9,000 euro fine for the organizing association, Sarrea Euskal Udaleku Elkartea. The association has also been disqualified for three years from organizing leisure activities and prohibited from receiving public funding during that period. Furthermore, the council vetoed a camp proposal submitted by Dorrekoa Kultur Elkartea, deeming it an "instrumental entity" of the sanctioned organization seeking to circumvent the disqualification. Consequently, the Provincial Council has blocked the possibility of the Bernedo camps taking place this year.

Against this backdrop, the Basque Chamber has greenlit a reform introducing new obligations for organizing entities and expanding the inspection and sanctioning powers of the administrations. Key changes include the requirement for organizations to submit a declaration of responsibility, attesting to their compliance with all legal requirements for the activity and explicitly assuming responsibility for it. The reform also mandates the presentation of negative sexual offense certificates for all personnel regularly interacting with minors, which must be renewed annually. For outdoor camps, a favorable report from the relevant town council or administrative board and authorization from the landowner will be necessary.

The new text also details a more comprehensive catalog of offenses and toughens the sanctioning regime. Maximum penalties for the most serious infractions can reach 600,000 euros. Conducts classified as serious include organizing activities without prior notification to the administration, non-compliance with declared conditions, lack of qualified personnel, or failure to provide certificates from the Central Registry of Sexual Offenders and Trafficking in Human Beings.

During the parliamentary debate, proponents of the reform argued that the new regulations would close loopholes identified after the Bernedo case and enhance child protection even before activities commence. Conversely, the opposition questioned the effectiveness of some measures and criticized the Basque Government for not yet approving the decree to develop camp regulations.

Following the law's approval, Minister of Welfare, Youth, and Demographic Challenge, Nerea Melgosa, celebrated the reform, stating it would provide "more control, more clarity, more sanctioning capacity, and more responsibility for organizing entities." She emphasized that educational leisure time must be "above all a safe space" and asserted that from now on, "it is no longer enough to communicate" an activity; promoters must first prove they meet all legal obligations. "Protection does not begin when the problem arises," she noted. The minister summarized the law's simple message: "Without guarantees, there is no activity; without security, there is no activity; without compliance, there is no activity."