Andorra Endorses EU Referendum Draft, Eyes 2026 Association Approval

Andorra's State Pact for the EU Association Agreement has endorsed a draft regulation for the consultative referendum, paving the way for government approval in the first quarter of 2026.

The pact validated the text on Wednesday, building on Law 44/2022 for electoral and referendum procedures. Developed with input from all parliamentary groups since September, the regulation adapts models from national and parish elections. It outlines voting rights principles, ballot modalities, the process for setting the date and question—handled by the government with General Council approval—participation rules for parties and elector groups, and campaign funding oversight. Officials say it provides legal clarity and security for political consultations.

During the meeting, participants reviewed progress on the association agreement. Recent contacts between the European Commission, Andorra, and San Marino occurred near the end of Denmark's EU Council presidency, which concludes this month without consensus on the agreement's legal nature. Discussions, described as highly advanced, will shift to Cyprus starting January, with unanimous approval expected in the first quarter of 2026, potentially enabling a signature decision.

Border management talks with the EU aim for completion in January, while bilateral negotiations with Spain and France continue. Head of Government Xavier Espot thanked Denmark for its progress and voiced confidence in Cyprus advancing to the needed consensus.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Espot detailed plans for provisional application of the core agreement text, coordinated with the European Commission. This excludes minor fiscal good governance and portfolio investment provisions requiring mixed ratification and domestic changes via referendum. Full ratification by EU states' parliaments could take years, possibly into 2026 or beyond. Espot noted the early referendum pledge had politicised debate and highlighted San Marino's smoother technical approach, while committing to the current roadmap despite timeline uncertainties. Environment Minister Guillem Casal echoed support for pressing ahead.