Creating the Catalan Agency for Social Protection, first law in the disconnection process from Spain

Barcelona (CNA).- Pro-independence parties in the Catalan Parliament registered this Tuesday the first of three laws which will enable the start of the disconnection process from Spain, the law for the creation of the Catalan Agency for Social Protection. Although the law represents a new structure, it is set to manage the current competences that the Catalan executive has on this matter. Therefore, both cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’ and radical left CUP admitted that the law is still “autonomic”. The law for the creation of the Catalan Agency for Social Protection will be divided into two propositions: the first one, which has been presented this Tuesday, is only about the “structure” of the Agency and a second one, which is set to define the model of social protection of an independent Catalonia, will presented by the end of 2016.

“The Agency is necessary to manage the social security scheme, as happens in every country”, stated ‘Junts Pel Sí’ MP Chakir el Homrani, adding that the law “has to be very clear” and able to “grow according to the social protection requirements of our country”.

“It is an autonomic institution, it is not disobeying any legal nor political framework but it is indispensable for us to continue walking towards the disconnection”, stated CUP MP, Mireia Vehí. 

Pro-independence forces decided to divide the law into two propositions. The one presented this Tuesday is about the “structure” of the Catalan Agency for Social Protection and by the end of 2016 a second proposition specifying the model of social protection that an independent Catalonia would have to have will be presented.

Then, according to Vehí, “we will have to be courageous and create an integral law on Social Security which will have to be universal and take into account the right of the most vulnerable”.

The law will have to be put to vote in the Catalan Chamber but already has the support of its promoters, which represent a majority of 72 pro-independence MPs from the 135 seats which compose the Parliament. According to pro-independence forces, the law will have to be approved as a matter of urgency and before August.

Content of the new Law

The Catalan Agency for Social Protection will be set up as a new institution, which will be autonomous and have its own legal status, as well as full budgetary autonomy. However, it will be assigned to the Catalan Department for Social Affairs.

The new body will centralise the management of all those policies related to social protection which are currently competences of the Catalan government, except for those developed by the Catalan Health Service.

However, both ‘Junts Pel Sí’ and CUP’s representatives emphasised that the creation of the Agency won’t represent any additional staff nor new political charges, as all the workers and positions required will come from the existing Catalan government structures.

The main functions of the Agency will be “developing the Catalan system for social protection, meaning all those elements related to social protection which are currently competences of the Catalan government and the centralised management of all the benefits which currently compose the instruments of social protection and those which are attributed to the Catalan government by the present law”.

It will also mean the Agency “collecting all the resources, contributions and other amounts which will have to be paid, both through the ordinary and executive way, for concepts related to social protection”.

The new body will be ruled by the principles of responsibility, transparency, dynamism and participation. Following this, ‘Junts Pel Sí’ emphasised that 7 of the 17 members which will form the Agency will be designated by the Government in accordance with what are the most representative economic and social entities.