The bill would require the Government to brief Parliament before EU summits

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would require the Prime Minister to appear before the Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament) before each European Council meeting to explain the positions he plans to take on the planned agenda.
2. If the Government wants to make a foreign policy decision that changes what the Foreign Action Strategy says, the Prime Minister would have to appear first before the Cortes Generales to explain the change and his reasons.
3. The sponsors justify the reform by pointing to unilateral foreign policy decisions by the Prime Minister, such as those on Western Sahara, and the need to strengthen parliamentary oversight.
4. If passed, the law would take effect the day after its publication in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (official state gazette).

Who it affects

• The Prime Minister of Spain: Would have to appear before Parliament before European Council meetings and before changing Foreign Action Strategy decisions.
• The Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament): Would gain a new oversight role over the Government's foreign policy.
• Spanish citizens: Would learn in advance, through parliamentary debate, the Government's foreign policy positions.

Words worth knowing

Consejo Europeo (European Council)

Meetings of the heads of state or government of European Union countries to set their main political directions.

Comparecer

To appear before an institution, such as Congress, to explain or answer questions.

Estrategia de Acción Exterior (Foreign Action Strategy)

Document setting out the general lines of Spain's foreign policy.

Proposición de ley (bill)

A text by which a parliamentary group proposes a new law; it is not a law until approved.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries