Fernando Heller
Spain challenged with returning tourists amid COVID-19 lockdown
Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya said on Wednesday (18 March) that Madrid would facilitate the return of foreign tourists to their home countries after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the “worst was still to come". EURACTIV's partner EFE reports.
Catalan separatists pave the way for Spain’s future ‘progressive’ budget
The Spanish left-wing coalition government on Thursday (27 February) scored its first major political success, after the Parliament in Madrid approved the expenditure ceiling, a preliminary step for approving the new budget for the four-year legislature, EURACTIV's partner EuroEFE reports.
Barcelona won’t cancel Mobile World Congress despite fears over coronavirus
The Barcelona city council has said there will be neither cancellation nor delays to the Mobile World Congress (BMWC), due to start on 24 February, despite concerns over the coronavirus crisis and a cascade of cancellations from tech giants, EURACTIV’s partner EuroEFE reports.
Barnier and Sánchez discuss top priorities in post-Brexit era
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, met in Madrid on Thursday (30 January) to discuss the Iberian country’s main priorities after Brexit, among them taxation and Gibraltar-related issues.
Catalan president to call snap elections
Quim Torra, the Separatist president of the Catalan regional government (the "Generalitat"), announced plans on Tuesday (28 January) to call snap parliamentary elections soon in the prosperous Spanish northeast region.
Catalan separatists warn socialists that blackmailing ‘won’t work’
Marta Vilalta, spokesperson of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) warned on Monday socialist PSOE party that it won’t allow to be blackmailed in order to facilitate the formation of a “progressive” government between the Spanish socialists and leftist Podemos.
Crucial week in Madrid to form ‘progressive’ government
Acting socialist PM Pedro Sánchez is expected to receive some certainties from Catalan separatists of ERC on their essential support to allow the investiture, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.
Sánchez praises Spanish police, as far-right rises in polls
Spain's caretaker socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has praised the National Police deployment in Catalonia saying it is “an example of professionalism and vocation of public service”. Meanwhile, the far-right and conservatives are expected to benefit from the violence in Catalonia.
Ahead of election, Spain braces for weeks of violent protests after ‘historic’ sentence
Less than a month before a fresh general election, Spain enters one of the most complex and volatile periods in its recent democratic history, after the Supreme Court sentenced on Monday nine Catalan independence leaders for their involvement in the banned 2017 independence referendum. EURACTIV's partner EFE reports.
Spain’s Supreme Court jails Catalan leaders amid protests
Nine Catalan politicians and activists have on Monday been sentenced to up to 13 years in prison by Spain's Supreme Court for their involvement in a banned referendum in 2017, amid strong reactions from separatists.
Tug of war between Madrid and Washington over US tariffs
The Spanish government summoned the US ambassador to Spain, Duke Buchan, on Friday (4 October) to express its opposition to the new tariff increases announced by the Trump Administration. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.
Google is like a ‘digital dictatorship’, says EU copyright rapporteur
In an interview with EURACTIV'S media partner EuroEFE, German MEP Axel Voss, rapporteur for the controversial European "copyright" directive, defends the need to combat monopolies on the Internet, including that of the US giant Google.
Spain to hold fresh elections after socialists and leftists fail to reach compromise
Spain will hold snap elections on 10 November, after acting PM Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday (17 September) failed to get either the support of the leftist Unidas Podemos party or the abstention of the conservative Partido Popular and liberal-centrist Ciudadanos, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.
#EU2019 – Spain aims for EU comeback after the elections
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has made it clear: there is no doubt that the EU's fifth largest economy wants to play a “key role” in the next European Commission and increase its influence in the EU decision-making process.
Humanitarian crisis management benefits from new technologies
Weather alert systems, real-time communication and debit cards for refugees: the use of new technologies make humanitarian aid more effective, Commissioner Christos Stylianides said in an interview. EURACTIV’s partner Euroefe reports.
Data protection and digital single market struggle to combine in Europe
Given the extraordinary boom of the digital economy, Europeans’ data protection should be a priority, according to Director General for Justice and Consumers Tiina Astola. EURACTIV Spain reports.
EU digital official: Cyber threats know no borders
Linda Cogruedo Steneberg, Director at the the European Commission's DG Connect , revealed how the EU executive is trying to extend broadband coverage and democratise the internet, as well as protecting our privacy as hacker attacks become more commonplace. EURACTIV Spain reports.
EU development chief: ‘We will not abandon Latin America’
The European Commission has proposed a new strategy that would exploit Spain’s strong ties with Latin America in order to help middle-income countries that are not eligible for development aid. EURACTIV Spain reports.
EIB vice-president: ‘Despite Brexit, Europe has much to celebrate’
Despite Brexit, the threat of populism and the hostile winds blowing from Washington, the European Union has "much to celebrate", the European Investment bank’s Vice-President Román Escolano said in an interview with EuroEFE.
Spain comes in from the EU cold
After nearly an entire year without an elected government, Spain has reclaimed its place on the European and international stage. EURACTIV Spain reports.
From shock to delight: Member state reactions to Trump’s victory
Donald Trump's victory in the US elections took most of the EU countries by surprise. A majority of leaders appeared apprehensive of the consequences, with the exception of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for whom Trump’s election is “great news” and a proof that “democracy is still alive”. This article will be updated as reactions keep arriving.
UfM representative: ‘Obligation’ to protect Mediterranean from climate change
COP22 kicked off this week and achieving the goals set by the last instalment in Paris will top the agenda of the Marrakesh conference. EURACTIV Spain spoke with Miguel García-Herraiz about the climate challenges facing the countries that border the Mediterranean.
Will Brexit influence the Spanish election?
Many analysts in Spain predict that the outcome of the UK referendum could boost the ruling Partido Popular´s (PP) chances in Sunday´s national elections (26 June) possibly strengthening the centrist Ciudadanos, but weakening leftist anti-austerity Podemos.