Spain: New Law Providing for Increased Protection of Animals Adopted
On December 16, 2021, Law 17/2021 of December 15, 2021, which amends provisions of Spain’s Civil Code, Law on Mortgage, and Law on Civil Procedure regarding the legal regime of animals, was published in Spain’s official gazette and reportedly was to enter into force on January 5, 2022.The new law amends the Civil Code to … Continue reading “Spain: New Law Providing for Increased…
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2022-01-17
Article
Australia: Court Recognizes ICSID Arbitration Award Against a Sovereign State
On June 25, 2021, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia made an order recognizing an award issued by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) against the Kingdom of Spain.In its decision, Kingdom of Spain v Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l. (No. 3) [2021] FCAFC 112 (June 25, 2021) (second decision), … Continue reading “Australia: Court Recognizes ICSID Arbitration Award…
Contributor:
Buchanan, Kelly
Date:2021-09-16
Article
Spain: Bill on Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom Approved for Congressional Debate
On July 6, 2021, Spain’s Council of Ministers approved the text of the bill on the Organic Law on the Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom, also known as “the law of only yes is yes.” The bill will be debated in Congress in the fall of 2021.The bill would provide for the adoption and implementation … Continue reading “Spain: Bill on Comprehensive Guarantee of…
Spain: Decree Law Protecting Tenants in Vulnerable Economic Situations Enacted
(Jan. 13, 2021) On December 22, 2020, the Spanish government enacted Royal Decree-Law 37/2020 to adopt urgent measures to protect people in vulnerable economic situations from losing their housing because of the COVID-19 emergency. The new law allows the tenants of a permanent residence to request an extraordinary suspension of eviction or release because they […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2021-01-13
Article
Spain: Government’s Contact Tracing App Now in Operation Throughout Country
(Nov. 20, 2020) The Spanish government’s official contact tracing application, “Radar Covid,” achieved nationwide operation on October 27, 2020, when the Catalan Health Service began distributing the app’s codes to users. The app has been officially up and running since August 10, but because of “the lack of codes and the slowness of the autonomous […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2020-11-20
Article
Spain: Government Employees Authorized to Telework up to Four Days a Week
(June 25, 2020) An agreement was reached between the government employees’ unions and the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Public Administration (MTPPA) allowing government employees in Spain to telework four days a week and go to their offices only one day a week. The agreement entered into force on June 21, 2020, and will last until an […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2020-06-25
Article
Spain: Second Phase of Increase in Paternity Leave to Take Effect in January 2020
(Dec. 31, 2019) On January 1, 2020, the second phase of an increase in paternity leave provided for in Royal Decree Law 6/2019 took effect in Spain. The Law, which was adopted on March 7, 2019, originally granted eight weeks of paternity leave effective in April 2019, with a phased increase to 12 weeks on […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2019-12-31
Article
Spain: National Directorate on Traffic Issues Regulation on Electric Scooters
(Dec. 18, 2019) On December 4, 2019, the National Directorate on Traffic issued temporary instructions regulating the use of vehicles of personal mobility (vehículos de movilidad personal, VMPs) and segways until an official permanent regulation is issued. According to the instructions, electric scooters with a maximum speed capability of 6 to 25 kph (about 3.7 […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2019-12-18
Article
Spain: Bill on Alcohol Consumption to Punish Parents for Their Underage Children’s Drinking
(May 1, 2018) A report prepared by a committee composed of members of Spain’s Congress of Deputies (lower legislative chamber) and Senate (upper legislative chamber) recommends that Spain enact laws punishing parents for their underage children’s drinking. The penalties to be imposed on both children and parents would reinforce current sanctions and promote prevention of […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2018-05-01
Article
Spain: Drug Trafficking Ring Using Cryptocurrency to Launder Money Arrested
(May 1, 2018) On April 9, 2018, the Guardia Civil (Spanish Police), in an operation called “Tulipán Blanca” (White Tulip), arrested eleven members of a drug trafficking ring that was laundering money using bitcoins. The police operation was coordinated with Europol, Finnish law enforcement authorities, and the US Department of Homeland Security. (Detenido un Tarraconense […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2018-05-01
Article
Spain: National Police Chief Addresses Anti-Terrorism Policies
(Sept. 29, 2016) The head of Spain’s National Police gave an address describing how Spain’s efforts to improve anti-terrorist cooperation among European Union Member States, and arguing against national border patrols within the European Union. (Hugo Gutiérrez, El Director de la Policia Nacional Pide mas Cooperación Europea contra el Terrorismo, EL PAIS (Aug.1, 2016).) He argued […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2016-09-29
Article
Spain: Royal Decree on Legal Deposit of Online Content
(Aug. 19, 2015) Given the special characteristics of online publications, with a multitude of works being created daily and the difficulty of their capture, storage, and preservation, the Spanish government has changed the rules applicable to the legal deposit of these publications by issuing Royal Decree 635/2015. (Royal Decree 635/2015, BOLETIN OFICIAL DEL ESTADO (BOE) […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2015-08-19
Article
Spain: Criminal Sanctions for Foreign Fighters and Anti-Terrorism Measures Under Consideration
(Oct. 16, 2014) The government is considering an amendment to the Penal Code that would make it a crime of terrorism to participate and fight in armed conflicts abroad on behalf of groups considered to be illegal militias. (Miguel González, El Gobierno Estudia Castigar como Delito el Combatir en el Extranjero, EL PAIS (Sept. 16, […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2014-10-16
Article
Spain: Government Withdraws Proposed Legislation Amending Abortion Law
(Oct. 16, 2014) On September 23, 2014, Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, confirmed the withdrawal of a proposal submitted by the government to amend the country’s 2010 abortion legislation, because the government did not have the consensus needed to pass the amendment. (Rajoy Confirma la Retirada de la Ley del Aborto de Gallardón, ABC.ES (Sept. […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2014-10-16
Article
Spain: Government Amends Citizens Safety Bill
(June 6, 2014) Spain’s government has decided to make changes to controversial legislation that amends the Citizen Safety Law. The amending legislation was subjected to intense criticism from the opposition and members of civil society groups. (Anteproyecto de Ley Orgánica para la Protección de la Seguridad Ciudadana, Ministry of the Interior website (Nov. 2013) [the […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2014-06-06
Article
Spain: Constitutional Court Finds Catalonia Sovereignty Declaration Unconstitutional
(Apr. 24, 2014) In response to a legal challenge made by the Spanish government, on March 25, 2014, the Constitutional Court (CC) of Spain ruled that the sovereignty declaration passed by Catalonia’s regional parliament early last year is unconstitutional. (El Constitucional Considera Ilegal que Cataluna Se Declare Soberana, EL PAÍS (Mar. 25, 2014).) Under the […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2014-04-24
Article
Spain: Abortion Reform Proposed
(Jan. 23, 2014) In December 2013, the Government of Spain submitted legislation that would amend the current law on abortion, which had been passed by the Socialist government in 2010, in a manner that would restrict access to abortions (Anteproyecto de Ley Orgánica para la Protección de la Vida del Concebido y de los Derechos […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2014-01-23
Article
Spain: Reinstatement of Wealth Tax
(Sept. 28, 2011) As a response to the serious economic crisis in Spain, the government decided to temporarily reinstate the wealth tax for fiscal years 2011 and 2012. (Royal Decree-Law [RDL] 13/2011 of Sept. 16, 2011, 224 BOLETÍN OFICIAL DEL ESTADO (Sept. 17, 2011).) The government had abolished the tax in 2008 in order to […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2011-09-28
Article
Spain: Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Include Debt Ceiling Provision
(Aug. 30, 2011) On August 26, 2011, the two major political parties in Spain, the ruling Socialists (PSOE) and the opposition Popular Party (PP), agreed on a constitutional amendment that, if approved, would limit the public debt and impose a balanced budget standard for the government as a whole. (Manuel Sánchez, PSOE y PP Registran […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2011-08-30
Article
European Union; Spain: Temporary Limitation of Free Movement of Romanian Workers
(Aug. 17, 2011) On August 11, 2011, the European Commission allowed Spain to temporarily restrict the access of Romanian workers to its labor market. (2011/503/EU: Commission Decision of 11 August 2011 Authorising Spain to Temporarily Suspend the Application of Articles 1 to 6 of Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2011-08-17
Article
Spain: Bill on Dignified Death
(Feb. 2, 2011) The Government of Spain, through its Ministry of Health, is preparing a new bill on “death with dignity” that is expected to be ready to be submitted to the Council of Ministers by March 2011. (Pajín Asegura que la Futura Ley de Muerte Digna no Regulara la Eutanasia, LA VANGUARDIA (Jan. 26, […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2011-02-02
Article
Norway; Spain: MOU Signed on Shared Satellite
(Sept. 10, 2010) Norway and Spain are planning to jointly acquire and run a communications satellite; the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the project on September 7, 2010. The purpose is to improve communications with Norwegian forces serving abroad or at sea. The project will cost Norway NOK1.2 billion (about US$193.4 million) […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2010-09-10
Article
Spain: Bill on Transparency and Access to Public Information
(Aug. 20, 2010) By August 20, 2010, Spain's government is expected to have approved the final Bill on Transparency and Access to Public Information (Anteproyecto de Ley de Transparencia y Acceso de los Ciudadanos a la Información Pública). If approved by the country's Congress, the law will become effective in 2011 and would recognize for […]
Contributor:
Rodriguez-Ferrand, Graciela
Date:2010-08-20
Article
Spain: Congress Rejects Proposal to Prohibit Use of Niqab or Burka in Public Spaces
(Aug. 12, 2010) On July 20, 2010, the Congreso de los Diputados (the lower house of Spain's parliament) opposed a proposal from the Partido Popular (PP) requesting that the government prohibit the use of the niqab or the burka, the veils worn by Muslim women that cover most of the female body or face in […]
