Overview

• The EU General Affairs Council debated Spain’s revised language proposal on July 18 but did not proceed to a vote
• Spain has pledged to cover all implementation costs permanently and to impose strict criteria to prevent setting a broader precedent
• Germany, France, Austria and other member states maintain reservations over treaty implications and financial impact, calling for detailed assessments
• Catalonia’s president Salvador Illa and Euskadi’s lehendakari Imanol Pradales sent a joint letter to EU capitals on July 17 urging immediate recognition
• Official status for the three co-official languages requires unanimity among all 27 EU members, a condition unmet since Spain’s 1985 accession