Brussels reiterates to Spain that it is urgent to renew the CGPJ

The breakdown of the negotiations between the Government and the Popular Party on the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) has already had the first reactions in Brussels.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
28 October 2022 Friday 05:32
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Brussels reiterates to Spain that it is urgent to renew the CGPJ

The breakdown of the negotiations between the Government and the Popular Party on the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) has already had the first reactions in Brussels. The European Commission has reiterated today that the Spanish authorities know what they have to do: renew this body as soon as possible and proceed as soon as possible with the pending appointments.

“Our position is well established and clear, as stated in our latest report on the rule of law in the EU, where we clearly say that it is very important to proceed with the renewal urgently and that it is key to face the nomination of members of the council of as a priority”, recalled the community spokesperson for the Interior, Annita Hipper.

The European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, visited Madrid this month and met with political forces and judicial organizations to address the issue and convey the urgency to resolve it. The contacts are constant, like the message from Brussels, which has avoided responding if it considers filing a case against Spain for its delay in resolving this matter.

“We are in contact with the Spanish authorities, who have a very clear recommendation. Once again we underline that it is very important to reduce the influence of the legislative and executive powers over the judiciary in order to strengthen judicial independence”, added Hipper.

Increasingly, Commissioner Reynders does not hide his impatience with the Spanish situation. In September of last year, he described the judicial blockade in Spain as "abnormality" and the inability of the Spanish political forces to reach an agreement that would bring Spanish justice closer to European standards. In July of this year, the chapter dedicated to Spain in the report on the state of the rule of law in the EU indicated that the interim situation of the judiciary was "a cause for concern" and formally recommended that Spain "proceed to renew the Council Judiciary as a priority and initiate, immediately after its renewal, the process to adapt the appointment of the judges that comprise it, taking into account European standards.

Reynders's contacts with members of the PP before his visit to Spain made Moncloa suspect of an alignment with conservative theses. The contacts advanced and according to the Government everything was ready to sign an agreement with the PP on the renewal of the CGPJ. Until yesterday the main opposition party unilaterally broke off the negotiations. "We have had and have a very clear message to the Spanish authorities on this issue," the chief spokesman for the European Commission, Eric Mamer, said today.