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Brussels addresses “without deadline” its review of the Amnesty Law

by AI | 30.May 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The European Commission addresses the review of the Amnesty Law promoted in Spain to benefit those convicted and prosecuted in the context of the independence process in Catalonia without deadlines.

The president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras (i), and the general secretary of Junts, Jordi Turull (d), greet each other after the Amnesty Law was approved, in the Congress of Deputies, on May 30, 2024, in Madrid (Spain). Photo: Eduardo Parra / Europa Press

Brussels – The European Commission addresses “without a deadline” its examination of the Amnesty Law promoted in Spain by the Government of Pedro Sánchez to benefit those convicted and prosecuted in relation to the Catalonia independence process and which was approved this Thursday by the Congress of Deputies with a narrow majority.

The ‘Organic Law of Amnesty for the Institutional, Political, and Social Normalization in Catalonia,’ which has been approved by the Congress despite the Senate’s veto, was born out of the agreements that the PSOE sealed with the pro-independence parties ERC and Junts in exchange for their support for the investiture of Sánchez.

Its objective is to amnesty all those involved in sovereignty and independence mobilizations from November 1, 2011, to November 13, 2023. It includes both those convicted for the November 9, 2014, consultation and those of the 2017 independence referendum, as well as the dismissal of ongoing investigations for subsequent disturbances against the Supreme Court’s ruling.

With its examination, Brussels wants to analyze whether the text is compatible with community legislation, especially regarding rules on terrorism, corruption, and protection of the European Union’s financial interests.

“We do not have a specific deadline to complete our evaluation,” said a community spokesperson at a press conference in Brussels when asked about the timeline to know the conclusions of the community executive for a text that it has been aware of since its registration in November last year and that has not undergone modifications since last March.

According to the spokesperson, community services have been “in close contact” with the Spanish authorities throughout the process and have followed its development “very closely.”

“Now that the Law has just been adopted, right now, the Commission can analyze it,” said community spokesperson Anitta Hipper, who pointed out that Brussels will continue to keep an eye on the situation, “also in the context of preparing the rule of law report” that each year assesses the democratic health of Member States and whose publication is expected on July 3rd.

Thus, the community executive remains cautious about the analysis process that its legal services will carry out, but which must then go through the College of Commissioners, either through a written procedure or addressed orally in one of its weekly meetings.

Brussels does not clarify whether the result of the examination will be disclosed before the next European Parliament elections, which will be held from June 6 to 9, but community sources consulted by Europa Press consider that “it would not be prudent” for the community executive’s opinion on a “sensitive” matter to be disclosed during the electoral campaign. (May 30)