EU's top court upholds Spain's amnesty law for Catalan separatists
The court said the law fits EU rules but limited one clause on accounting liability and terrorism cases.
- On Thursday, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Spain's 2024 amnesty law for Catalan separatists does not violate EU regulations, delivering a significant victory for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
- Sanchez passed the measure to secure backing from Catalan separatist parties and remain in power after Spain's inconclusive 2023 election, while aiming to ease regional tensions following Catalonia's failed 2017 secession bid.
- The Luxembourg-based court wrote the law "seeks to reduce institutional and political tensions and to facilitate a scenario for reconciliation." However, judges opposed one aspect regarding the two-month timeline for lifting specific national court proceedings.
- This ruling may facilitate the return of Catalan separatist figurehead Carles Puigdemont, who currently resides in exile in Belgium and led Catalonia during the 2017 independence referendum that sparked the country's worst political crisis in decades.
- Spain's Constitutional Court is expected to rule in the coming months whether the amnesty applies to a separate embezzlement charge against Puigdemont, who continues to face potential arrest in Spain for that allegation.
121 Articles
121 Articles
EU Court Backs Sánchez's Catalan Amnesty Deal
The Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered its most significant legal endorsement to date of the amnesty law introduced by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for those involved in Catalonia’s failed independence bid. The Grand Chamber concluded on Thursday that EU law does not prevent the legislation from taking effect. It found no conflict with EU rules protecting the Union’s financial interests or with the bloc’s anti-terrorism…
The Court of Justice of the European Union (TJUE) endorsed on Thursday the amnesty law of Spain which was approved in 2024 by the Government of Pedro Sánchez to exempt from criminal responsibility the political leaders who participated in the independence process of Catalonia. The TJU considers that this regulation does not affect the interests of the Community bloc nor is it contrary to the European directive on terrorism.
Madrid. Those prosecuted for the Catalan independence process, including former President of the Generality of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont, a refugee in Belgium since 2017, were amnestied in accordance with European legislation and jurisprudence, yesterday the Court of Justice of the European Union (TJUE), which stated that it “does not oppose” a Spanish law that absolves acts that do not affect the financial interests of the European Union.
He considered that amnestiating those who used alleged public funds to organize the referendum on self-determination does not affect European finances.The ruling benefits former Catalan separatist president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain almost nine years ago to avoid being imprisoned.
The controversial amnesty law is compatible with EU law, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled.
The Spanish amnesty law for Catalan supporters of independence is compatible with EU law.
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