Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and his legal team filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against Spain this week [1].
The move elevates a domestic legal dispute to the European level, potentially forcing the European Union to intervene in how Spain handles the amnesty of Catalan independence leaders.
The complaint follows a provision issued on Monday, July 20, 2026 [2]. Puigdemont's legal team said that Spain is failing to apply the amnesty law, which they state was endorsed by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) [1].
According to the filing, the Spanish Court of Auditors is obstructing the implementation of the law [1]. The legal team said that this failure to execute the amnesty constitutes a breach of EU law, as the CJEU had previously affirmed the validity of the measure [1].
The complaint was submitted to the European Commission in Brussels [1]. It seeks a resolution to the deadlock between the Spanish judiciary and the legislative intent of the amnesty law.
While the RTVE report states the CJEU endorsed the amnesty law, other reports suggest the CJEU decision focused on the lifting of parliamentary immunity rather than the amnesty law itself [1]. This discrepancy highlights the ongoing legal friction regarding the status of the former president and his associates.
“Spain is failing to apply the amnesty law”
This legal action represents a strategic shift by Puigdemont to bypass the Spanish court system by appealing to the European Commission's oversight of member state compliance. By framing the issue as a breach of EU law rather than a domestic political dispute, the Catalan leadership aims to leverage Brussels to pressure Madrid into full implementation of the amnesty.
