The European Commission, in a staff working document published on 17 July 2026, assesses Spain's progress on rule of law reforms, noting advances in judicial recruitment and prosecutor independence but warning that key anti-corruption and transparency laws remain unadopted. The country chapter of the 2026 Rule of Law Report highlights that the Council for the Judiciary has yet to reach consensus on appointing judges-members, despite receiving guidance from the Venice Commission on 13 October 2025 on two alternative models. A draft law tabled on 30 October 2025 proposes a non-renewable five-year term for the Prosecutor General, separate from the Government's term, and shifts criminal investigations from judges to prosecutors; the bill remains under parliamentary discussion.
the Government created 500 new judicial positions and 200 new prosecutor positions in 2026, with recruitment launched, and the Council for the Judiciary adopted a 2026-2035 Strategic Plan estimating an annual recruitment need of 367 judges. However, the State Anti-Corruption Plan was adopted, but the draft Organic Law on Public Integrity and the draft Law on Transparency and Integrity of Interest Groups have not yet been passed by Parliament. On 16 July 2026, the Court of Justice delivered two judgments on the Amnesty Law following preliminary ruling requests, adding to the legal landscape.
The Commission urges Spain to finalise the appointment of judges-members of the Council for the Judiciary, adopt the pending laws on public integrity and transparency, and ensure the effective implementation of anti-corruption measures. The report is part of the broader 2026 Rule of Law Report covering all EU member states, which the Commission presented to the European Parliament, the Council, and advisory committees. Institutional follow-up will involve discussions in the Council's General Affairs Council and the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, where MEPs are expected to scrutinise the findings and press for concrete legislative action.