Yikes. I'm generally in favor of web privacy, but with unemployment numbers like theirs, that seems like the last thing Spain needs right now.
Things are getting worse here and the government if anything is actually just making things more difficult for everyone.
I agree with those trying to protect their privacy but for the sake of practicality they should look for a pragmatic approach.
BTW, making individuals and companies responsible for tracking cookies installed by third party platforms like Facebook, Tumblr, etc. because of this law doesn't really help us being more competitive either [sarcasm sign].
which websites does it apply to? websites hosted in Spain? websites of commercial businesses operating in Spain? any website with an address in Spain?
It applies to any businesses, professionals with a web page, and anyone who offers a service as long as they a) are located in Spain, b) target their services to the Spanish market or c) if they have a (permanent or regular) workplace or facilities in Spain.
(It's a translation from Spanish legalese, so probably the language is muddled, sorry.)