The Catalan Government passes the Foreign Affairs bill as a step towards “an ambitious future”
The Catalan Presidency Minister and Government Spokesman, Francesc Homs, said in a press conference on Tuesday that the draft of the bill develops the powers granted by the 2006 Statue of Autonomy, while complying with Spanish law and constitutional framework. He added that it is an instrument to strengthen the external activities of the government of a country “that aims to become free” and is the first bill of the government focused on its foreign relations. Homs also said he is confident that, sooner or later, the European Commission will publish its opinion about the legal consequences of independence in Catalonia and Scotland.
Barcelona (ACN).- On Tuesday, the Catalan Government passed the draft of the Foreign Affairs bill. The bill has been prepared with “an ambitious look towards the future” for a country that aims to become free”, said the Catalan Presidency Minister and Government Spokesman, Francesc Homs. Nonetheless, he stated that it complies with the Spanish constitutional framework, and is based on the powers granted to Catalonia in its 2006 Statute of Autonomy.
The passing of the draft bill is one of the “milestones of this term”, according to Francesc Homs, as it will help the creation of the so-called ‘state structures’ of Catalonia. The law outlines the principles that should guide the foreign affairs activities of Catalonia, and identifies the actors to run it.
It also includes how Catalonia should plan and follow up its foreign activities and how it should carry out its institutional relations with foreign governments and organisations. Catalonia currently has delegations in New York, London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris and there are no new plans to have more for the time being.
The draft bill also develops the concept of public diplomacy, as well as cultural and economic diplomacy. The overall objective is to promote Catalonia abroad in an efficient and coordinated manner.
The project assumes that the power of signing international treaties remains with the Spanish state. However, Francesc Homs warned that the Catalan government has the ability to develop administrative relationships with other governments, and refused to accept any interference of Madrid in that area.
The draft bill, which will be negotiated in Parliament, also defines the bilateral relationships between the Catalan Government and international institutions such as the European Union. With regards to Europe, the Government Spokesman said he hopes the European Commission will publish an opinion about the legal consequences of independence in Catalonia and Scotland “sooner or later”.