Judgment: Cases C-523/24 Sociedad Civil Catalana and C-666/24 Associació Catalana de Víctimes d’Organitzacions Terroristes (ACVOT)

On Thursday 16 July 2026, the Court of Justice delivered its judgments in Cases C-523/24 Sociedad Civil Catalana and C-666/24 Associació Catalana de Víctimes d’Organitzacions Terroristes (ACVOT).

In these cases, the Court examined whether the Spanish Amnesty Law for Catalonia is compatible with EU law.

In 2024, Spain adopted an amnesty law for institutional, political and social normalisation in Catalonia. It granted amnesty for acts giving rise to criminal and administrative liability as well as for liability in respect of public funds, committed in connection with the unlawful referendum on Catalan independence held in October 2017 and the wider Catalan independence process.

A number of individuals were accused of having caused financial losses to the Autonomous Community of Catalonia after using public funds to organise the referendum and promote Catalan independence internationally. Other individuals were accused of terrorist offences linked to the Catalan independence movement. Two Spanish courts asked the Court of Justice whether certain provisions governing the amnesty are compatible with EU law, including the protection of the EU’s financial interests under the TFEU, the principle of effective judicial protection under the TEU, and the classification of terrorist acts under the Directive on combating terrorism.

In the short video below, Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice, explains the Court’s rulings in these cases. Subtitles are available in all official EU languages and may be activated by clicking the “Subtitles” icon.

You can also consult the press release for more information.