About: Spain
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.
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.
The impact of US sanctions on European goods: a closer look
Scotch single malt whisky, German decals, Spanish stuffed olives, British cotton bed linen... These products have one thing in common: the US plans to tax them at 25%. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.
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.
Catalan separatists march for independence amid splits on tactics
Tens of thousands of Catalans waving pro-independence flags and chanting "Independence now!" gathered in Barcelona on Wednesday (11 September) to call for a break from Spain, but turnout was far less than at past such rallies amid divisions among separatist parties.
Commissioner Malmström: My successor will have a lot of work to do
"My successor will have a lot of work to do," the current EU trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström told Efe during her visit to Madrid on Tuesday (10 September). She pointed to relations with the US and China as being among the "very long list" of challenges facing her successor. EURACTIV's partner Euroefe reports.
EU high court could qualify Spain mortgage pricing as abusive
Spain's mortgage interest rate index -known as IRPH- could be considered abusive, advocate general of the Court of Justice of the EU warned in his conclusions on Tuesday (10 September), which are contrary to an assessment of Spain's Supreme Court.
Sanchez hopes new programme with Podemos can avoid new election
Spain's acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez will lay out plans on Tuesday (3 September) that he hopes will convince the far-left Unidas Podemos to support his last-ditch attempt to form a government and avoid a repeat election, he told El País newspaper.
Migrants in limbo again after landing in Italy
One hundred and forty seven migrants who disembarked on Italy's Lampedusa island were again in limbo Wednesday (21 August) as a European deal to redistribute them failed to materialise and Madrid said it could hit the Spanish charity with a huge fine for rescuing them.
Spain obstructs agreement on ‘Tobin tax’
Revenue sharing among member states appears as the main outstanding issue to reach an agreement on the financial transaction tax (FTT), as Spain is still opposing the mutualisation of the resources, European officials told EURACTIV.
Commission’s forecast paves the way for new ECB stimulus
The European Commission kept its growth forecast unchanged at 1.2% on Wednesday (10 July) but revised downwards inflation to 1.3% for this year and the next, strengthening the case for further monetary stimulus as global economic risks worsen.
Iran condemns detention of oil supertanker in Gibraltar
Iran on Thursday (4 July) condemned the "illegal interception" of one of its oil tankers in Gibraltar where authorities said they suspected it was carrying crude to Syria in violation of EU sanctions.
Leftist group picks Spanish deputy for EU Parliament presidency
Spanish MEP Sira Rego (United We Can) will stand as the candidate Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left for the presidency of the European Parliament, group sources told EURACTIV.
Is Madrid really about to kill Europe’s most successful clean air zone?
Madrid’s clean air zone could be axed by the city’s new mayor, despite the reported benefits. Jens Müller urges the new leadership to take a look at the hard facts.
Five takeaways from the EU’s economic recommendations to member states
While the public finances of all EU member states are now officially out of the “red zone”, the European Commission on Wednesday (5 June) still had tough economic policy recommendations for Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece and Germany.
Spain’s Socialists win EU ballot, local vote fragmented
Spain's Socialists won most votes in European and local elections on Sunday (26 May) in a series of ballots that boosted their ambitions to target a top EU job in Brussels but highlighted how deeply fragmented the political landscape is at home.
Spanish, French or Polish: expats fight Brexit at UK polls
Chatting with voters in a small town in northwest England ahead of this week's European elections, lawyer Sophie Larroque's French accent is hard to miss.
#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.
Slowing growth: EU countries urged to further adjust spending
The European Commission called on Spain, Italy, France and Belgium to do more efforts to balance their public accounts yesterday (7 May), citing a slowing economy.
Spain’s top court says Catalonia’s Puigdemont can run for EU elections
Spain's Supreme Court on Sunday (5 May) said Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in 2017 after a secession attempt, could contest EU polls this month.
Catalonia’s ex-leader Puigdemont banned from EU polls
Spanish election authorities on Monday (29 April) banned Catalonia’s former president Carles Puigdemont, who fled the country in 2017 after a secession attempt, from running in upcoming EU polls. Puigdemont slammed the move in a tweet as a “legal scandal...
In Spain, Socialists pledge ‘pro-European government’ after election win
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez looks set to regain power after his Socialists overcame a historic challenge by right-wing nationalists in elections on Sunday (28 April), a result he portrayed as a morale booster for the European Union. The Socialists...
As election looms, Spaniards are hit by WhatsApp disinformation campaign
Spanish citizens have been subject to a series of disinformation campaigns ranging from fake news about Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez signing a Catalan independence deal, to conspiracies about migrants and propaganda against gay people, a new study has found.