The Diplomat
The European Commission yesterday urged the Spanish government to achieve the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), which has been paralyzed since December 2018, before the start of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
This was conveyed yesterday by the Vice President in charge of Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, and the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, to the Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños, during the meeting he held with both in Brussels.
According to a press release issued yesterday by the Ministry, Bolaños informed Jourová about the Presidency’s planning and the use of European recovery funds. The Minister also discussed with Reynders “the progress made by Spain with a view to the next Rule of Law Report” and the “milestones related to the recommendations made by the Commission in its previous report, such as the approval of the draft Law on Transparency and Integrity in the Activities of Interest Groups or the draft Law on Procedural Efficiency Measures for the Public Justice Service”.
In addition, the press release continued, Bolaños explained “both to Vice-President Jourová and Commissioner Reynders the agreement reached with the main opposition party for the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary following the recommendations of the Commission itself”. Likewise, she reiterated to them “the Government’s commitment to the observance of the Constitution” and showed them “her wish that the Popular Party signs the agreement already negotiated so that the renewal of this body can proceed, thus complying with the Spanish Constitution and the recommendation and the wish of the European Commission that the CGPJ be urgently renewed”.
According to official sources informed to the Efe agency, the main objective of Minister Bolaños’ trip to the EU capital was to explain the agreement reached with the PP in October 2022 to renew the CGPJ, an agreement that collapsed at the last minute due to the refusal of the popular leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, to ratify it.
Likewise, EU sources indicated yesterday to the press agencies that the two commissioners urged Bolaños to show “results” on this point before Spain assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1. The new report on the rule of law is due to be published around the same time. The previous report, published in July 2022, included among its recommendations the renewal of the Council and the reform of its election system.
According to the same sources, Didier Reynders insisted to Félix Bolaños on the need to agree, as soon as possible, on the renewal of the CGPJ before moving on to the reform of its appointment system. This proposal (which clashes with the intentions of the PP, which prefers that both the renewal of the CGPJ and the reform of the system be carried out at the same time) was already put forward by the Commissioner during his last visit to Madrid, last October. Also at that time, Reynders stressed how important it would be for Spain to have reformed the system of election of the members of the CGPJ before the Presidency of the Council of the EU, an advance that would have a “reputational effect” for Spain.
In this regard, the Commission’s spokesman for Justice, Cristian Wigand, stated yesterday at a press conference that the position of Brussels has not changed: “It is important to proceed with the renewal of the CGPJ as a priority and then launch a process of reform of the appointment system”. Likewise, Wigand assured that Brussels will continue to defend “dialogue” in order to reach “a solution which, of course, must be found in Spain”.
