The Spain-France friendship and cooperation treaty, signed in Barcelona in January 2023, remains stalled after the Senate, where the Partido Popular (PP) holds an absolute majority, launched a new constitutional review. The move has suspended the treaty's approval process, leaving it unclear when, or whether, the agreement will come into force.
The treaty was designed to frame cooperation on cross-border relations and culture, while coordinating European policy and energy interconnections. A basic mechanism would allow Spanish and French ministers to meet on a rotating basis every three months alongside the other country's cabinet meetings, creating a regular channel for bilateral coordination.
The PP's basic objection focuses on this provision for ministerial meetings. It argues that the clause conflicts with the Spanish Constitution's rules on the composition of the government, raising the question of whether foreign ministers can join cabinet-related proceedings without taking part in the host country's formal executive deliberations. The PP says the issue is constitutional, not a rejection of closer cooperation with France.
To address the objection, Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, signed an interpretative agreement in April. It specifies that visiting ministers can attend separate, ad hoc meetings on the sidelines of cabinet sessions, rather than the executive meetings themselves. The Spanish government considers that distinction enough to preserve the cooperation mechanism without making foreign ministers members of the host country's cabinet. The PP counters that the agreement does not amend the treaty's text, so the need for constitutional review remains.
The government sees the PP's actions as an attempt to undermine Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez internationally, especially ahead of his planned visit to Paris for France's national day on July 14. Albares has criticized the delay as harmful to Spain's interests and its relationship with France, which he describes as Spain's principal trading partner. The PP, by contrast, presents its position as a constitutional safeguard.
Spanish diplomatic sources point to the practical impact: since January 2023, no high-level bilateral meetings involving multiple ministers have taken place. The treaty was intended to formalize cooperation beyond individual ministerial contacts, covering cross-border relations and culture alongside European affairs and energy links. With ratification frozen, its planned high-level structure remains on hold.
French diplomatic sources have expressed disbelief and frustration at the impasse, suggesting the delay will be seen in France as a diplomatic slight, whatever the internal Spanish political dynamics behind it.
This is not the first time the PP has challenged the so-called Barcelona Treaty in the Constitutional Court. An earlier attempt was dismissed after the treaty was initially rejected in Congress. After a renewed vote in June, but, the agreement passed the lower house with support from Podemos and Junts, despite opposition from the PP and Vox.
The deadlock means Spain cannot say when the treaty will be ratified, if at all. The situation affects 300,000 Spaniards living in France and 1.3 million residents in border regions. It also touches the 13 million French tourists who visit Spain annually. The government argues that the treaty is impressive to protecting Spanish exports and maintaining strong bilateral ties.
Spain and France share one of the longest land borders in Western Europe, along with extensive economic and cultural ties supported by shared infrastructure. Bilateral treaties like the one now blocked are rare and typically signal a high level of trust and strategic partnership. The suspension delays new joint projects and leaves a gap between the two governments' intention to deepen cooperation and Spain's domestic ratification process. The treaty's progress now depends on the Senate's constitutional assessment and any further parliamentary action needed to complete approval.
