Andorran Government Backs Parish Bill on Institutional Consultation with Reciprocal Tweaks

The Andorran government has voiced support for a bill from the seven parishes aimed at improving institutional consultation and coordination, while proposing reciprocal consultation mechanisms and clearer definitions to maintain efficiency.

In its formal assessment, the Executive praised the parishes' "Proposició de llei de concertació i consulta institucional" for formalising existing dialogue channels between parishes, the government and the General Council. Minister and government spokesperson Guillem Casal detailed this stance at the post-Council of Ministers press conference.

Casal emphasised that the initiative aligns with Council of Europe recommendations to institutionalise consultation processes. He affirmed the government's commitment to enhancing collaboration amid shared challenges, noting that Andorra already maintains ongoing discussions across administrations. "We share the goal of deepening institutional collaboration and continuing this permanent dialogue," Casal stated.

The government, however, called for the consultation process to operate bidirectionally. While the bill requires government input on regulations or norms potentially impacting parish competencies, Casal suggested parishes should similarly consult or inform the Executive on their ordinances, regulations or norms. He urged the General Council to reflect on this during deliberations.

Casal also stressed the importance of precisely defining what qualifies as affecting parish autonomy or funding, to avoid broad interpretations. He warned against procedures that could slow legislative, regulatory or administrative work, advocating for prior reports focused on "real and reasonable" impacts rather than generic doubts. These steps, he said, would ensure new mechanisms preserve normative agility.

No timeline has been set for General Council debate or potential amendments.