Citizens’ enquiries on the rule of law in Spain

Citizens often send messages to the President of the European Parliament (or to the institution’s public portal) expressing their views on current issues and/or requesting action from the Parliament. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (AskEP) within the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) looks into these issues and replies to the messages, which may sometimes be identical as part of wider public campaigns. The President of the European Parliament has recently received a large number of messages on the current situation of the rule of law in Spain. Citizens first began to write to the President on this subject in October 2020 calling on the Parliament to intervene in favour of the rule of law in Spain, which the Spanish government is allegedly not respecting. With regard to the rule of law in the European Union, the European Parliament has called for an EU mechanism to protect and strengthen democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. In October 2020, the European Parliament warned that the Union is facing an unprecedented and escalating crisis of its founding values. Please find below the main points of the reply sent to citizens who took the time to write to the President of the European Parliament on this matter (in English and in Spanish).

Main points made in the reply in English

With regard to the rule of law, we would like to inform you that on 7 October 2020, the European Parliament adopted, by 521 votes in favour, 152 against and 21 abstentions, a resolution proposing the creation of an EU mechanism to protect and strengthen democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. The European Parliament ’emphasises the urgent need for the Union to develop a robust, comprehensive and positive agenda for effectively protecting and reinforcing democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights for all its citizens; insists that the Union must remain a champion of freedom and justice in Europe and the world; warns that the Union is facing an unprecedented and escalating crisis of its founding values, which threatens its long-term survival as a democratic peace project’. The European Commission published the 2020 Rule of Law Report on 30 September 2020. The report includes a chapter on Spain. Regarding the allocation of EU funds, the European Parliament ‘reiterates its call to ensure that systematic violations of the values referred to in Article 2 TEU are incompatible with Union funding’, thereby shielding the Union budget when a Member State does not systematically respect the rule of law. Finally, we take this opportunity to inform you that the European Commission is the institution responsible for ensuring the application of EU law in the Member States, managing European policies and allocating EU funds.

Main points made in the reply in Spanish

Con respecto al Estado de Derecho, le informamos de que el Parlamento Europeo ha aprobado el 7 de octubre de 2020, por 521 votos a favor, 152 en contra y 21 abstenciones, una resolución en la que plantea la creación de un mecanismo de la Unión que permita proteger y reforzar la democracia, el Estado de derecho y los derechos fundamentales. El Parlamento europeo “hace hincapié en la necesidad urgente de que la Unión desarrolle una agenda sólida y positiva para proteger y reforzar la democracia, el Estado de Derecho y los derechos fundamentales de todos sus ciudadanos; insiste en que la Unión debe seguir siendo una defensora de la libertad y la justicia en Europa y en el mundo; advierte que la Unión se enfrenta a una crisis sin precedentes y creciente de sus valores fundacionales que amenaza su supervivencia a largo plazo como proyecto de paz democrático”. La Comisión Europea ha publicado el 30 de septiembre de 2020 el Informe sobre el Estado de Derecho 2020. El informe incluye un capítulo sobre España. Con respecto a la asignación de fundos, el Parlamento Europeo “reitera su petición de que se garantice la incompatibilidad de las violaciones sistemáticas de los valores a que se refiere el artículo 2 del TUE con la financiación de la Unión” blindando así el presupuesto de la Unión cuando un Estado miembro no respeta el Estado de derecho de forma sistemática. Por último, permítanos hacerle saber que la Comisión Europea es la institución encargada de garantizar la aplicación del Derecho de la Unión Europea en los países de la UE, gestionar las políticas europeas y asignar los fondos de la Unión Europea.