The European Commission's 2026 Rule of Law Report on Spain, published on 22 July 2026, notes progress on judicial appointments and prosecutor independence but warns that key anti-corruption, lobbying, and media transparency laws remain unadopted, and that challenges persist on judicial resources, case duration, and political pressure on courts.
The country chapter, part of the broader annual Rule of Law Report covering all EU member states, assesses developments in four pillars: justice system, anti-corruption framework, media freedom, and access to information. On the justice system, the Commission acknowledges some progress on appointing members of the General Council of the Judiciary, following a Venice Commission opinion issued on 13 October 2025, but notes that no consensus has been reached. Significant progress is recorded on strengthening the Prosecutor General's statute via a draft law tabled on 30 October 2025, which introduces a non-renewable five-year term and shifts criminal investigations to prosecutors. The report also highlights the creation of 700 new judicial and prosecutor positions in 2026 and improvements in digitalisation, though interoperability between national and regional case management systems remains a challenge.
On anti-corruption, the government adopted a State Anti-Corruption Plan, but draft laws on Public Integrity, Transparency of Interest Groups, and Open Administration are still pending. The Independent Authority for Whistleblower Protection has started operating but faces budgetary and staffing constraints. Public procurement remains vulnerable to corruption, the report says. In the area of media and access to information, draft laws on Classified Information and Open Administration aim to strengthen access, but concerns persist over editorial independence of public broadcasters and ownership transparency. Working conditions and safety of journalists remain challenging.
The report also notes that on 16 July 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered two judgments on Spain's Amnesty Law, with other preliminary ruling requests pending. Draft laws on the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Citizen Security Law remain in Parliament. The Commission's assessment will feed into the Council's annual rule of law dialogue among member states, expected later in 2026.