{"id":96339,"date":"2026-07-16T05:32:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/eus-highest-court-rules-spains-catalan-amnesty-law-does-not-break-eu-rules\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T05:32:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:32:11","slug":"eus-highest-court-rules-spains-catalan-amnesty-law-does-not-break-eu-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/eus-highest-court-rules-spains-catalan-amnesty-law-does-not-break-eu-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"EU&#8217;s Highest Court Rules Spain&#8217;s Catalan Amnesty Law Does Not Break EU Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/news-1784194331487.jpg?resize=450%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-96338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/news-1784194331487.jpg?w=450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/news-1784194331487.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>BARCELONA \u2014 Europe&#8217;s highest court delivered a significant ruling Thursday, finding that a Spanish law granting amnesty to participants in Catalonia&#8217;s push for independence does not conflict with European Union regulations \u2014 a decision welcomed by the Spanish government and its Catalan political partners.<\/p><p>The amnesty law, passed by Spain&#8217;s lower house of parliament in 2024, was the product of a deal struck between the ruling Socialist Party and Catalan separatist groups. That agreement allowed Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to remain in power following the 2023 elections, though it drew fierce opposition from conservative political rivals who tried \u2014 and failed \u2014 to block the legislation.<\/p><p>Thursday&#8217;s ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union clarified where member nations stand when it comes to passing amnesty laws under the broader framework of EU rules and regulations.<\/p><p>The court concluded that EU law does not stand in the way of Spain&#8217;s amnesty measure, since the decision to adopt and carry out such a law falls within each member country&#8217;s own authority.<\/p><p>A judge delivering the verdict explained the court&#8217;s reasoning, saying it &#8220;does not oppose a law which, in order to reduce institutional and political tensions and facilitate a process of reconciliation, provides for the extinction of criminal liability.&#8221;<\/p><p>Despite largely siding with the amnesty law, the court drew one clear boundary. It ruled that the law cannot force Spanish courts to lift accounting responsibilities or preliminary proceedings within a two-month window if those cases are still waiting on a decision from the EU court itself.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The European Union&#8217;s top court has ruled that Spain&#8217;s controversial amnesty law for those involved in the Catalan independence movement is compatible with EU regulations. The 2024 law was part of a political deal that helped Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez remain in office. The court did, however, place one limitation on how the law can be applied.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":96338,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[832],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/news-1784194331487.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-p3R","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":24149,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/spain-calls-for-eu-to-drop-sanctions-on-venezuelas-new-leader\/","url_meta":{"origin":96339,"position":0},"title":"Spain Calls for EU to Drop Sanctions on Venezuela&#8217;s New Leader","author":"Admin","date":"February 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Spain's foreign minister is pushing the European Union to remove sanctions against Venezuela's interim president following the country's approval of an amnesty bill. The call comes after Venezuela released hundreds of political prisoners as part of improving relations with the United States.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;World News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771615872467.jpg?fit=450%2C304&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":78884,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/pope-leo-xiv-sparks-soccer-controversy-during-spain-visit\/","url_meta":{"origin":96339,"position":1},"title":"Pope Leo XIV Sparks Soccer Controversy During Spain Visit","author":"Admin","date":"June 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pope Leo XIV has stirred up Spanish cultural tensions during his weeklong visit by declaring his support for Real Madrid over Barcelona's beloved team. The U.S.-born pontiff also attempted to ease language disputes by speaking in Catalan upon arriving in Barcelona.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781012314906.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781012314906.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781012314906.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781012314906.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42985,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/25-year-old-spanish-woman-dies-by-euthanasia-after-family-legal-battle\/","url_meta":{"origin":96339,"position":2},"title":"25-Year-Old Spanish Woman Dies by Euthanasia After Family Legal Battle","author":"Admin","date":"March 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A young Spanish woman ended her life through legal euthanasia in Barcelona after an 18-month court battle with her family who opposed her decision. Noelia Castillo's case drew national attention in Spain and went all the way to the country's Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;World News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774554713351.jpg?fit=1000%2C678&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774554713351.jpg?fit=1000%2C678&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774554713351.jpg?fit=1000%2C678&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774554713351.jpg?fit=1000%2C678&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27672,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/spains-mass-immigration-amnesty-program-faces-major-challenges-before-launch\/","url_meta":{"origin":96339,"position":3},"title":"Spain&#8217;s Mass Immigration Amnesty Program Faces Major Challenges Before Launch","author":"Admin","date":"February 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Spain's upcoming immigration amnesty program, set to legalize at least 500,000 undocumented migrants, is creating significant strain on government offices and anxiety among applicants. The program, scheduled to run from April through June, lacks adequate funding and staffing while immigration offices are already overwhelmed with backlogs.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;World News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772091938393.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772091938393.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772091938393.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772091938393.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772091938393.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70449,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/spain-launches-mass-amnesty-for-undocumented-workers-in-greenhouse-industry\/","url_meta":{"origin":96339,"position":4},"title":"Spain Launches Mass Amnesty for Undocumented Workers in Greenhouse Industry","author":"Admin","date":"May 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Spain's leftist government has launched a mass amnesty program running through June that could benefit hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. The initiative aims to address worker shortages in the country's massive greenhouse agriculture sector while providing legal status to migrants who have been working for below-minimum wages.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;World News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779434691137.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":89329,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/spains-citizenship-law-for-exiles-descendants-ignites-election-interference-debate\/","url_meta":{"origin":96339,"position":5},"title":"Spain&#8217;s Citizenship Law for Exiles&#8217; Descendants Ignites Election Interference Debate","author":"Admin","date":"July 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Spanish law granting citizenship to descendants of civil war exiles has become the center of a political firestorm, with right-wing politicians accusing the ruling Socialists of using new voters to tilt upcoming elections. More than 544,000 people have already received citizenship under the 2022 law, with over 306,000 now\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;World News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/news-1782890207834.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96339\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}