Riba defends referendum timetable and welcomes debate that focuses on procedure, not the agreement’s content

Secretary of State for Relations with the European Union Landry Riba has defended the Government’s proposed ratification timetable for the Association Agreement with the EU.

His comments follow Monday’s demonstration calling for the referendum to be held earlier than planned.

Speaking on Avui Serà un Bon Dia, Riba distinguished between the signing of the agreement in Brussels, which he described as the end of a lengthy negotiating phase, and calls from citizens and political groups to change the order of the steps leading to ratification.

The secretary of state said the current debate was about the procedure for ratifying the agreement, not its content. “For me, the fact that we are not debating the substance of the text is, in itself, very good news”, he said.

Referendum before approval by the General Council

Riba acknowledged that reaching agreement on the timetable would be difficult, as the proposed sequence reflects a political decision rather than a legally prescribed procedure.

The Government plans to hold a consultative referendum that will be “politically binding” before the General Council approves the agreement and after the European Parliament’s position is known.

Riba also explained the Government’s wish to avoid holding the referendum during an election campaign or on the day of a general election, one of the factors shaping its proposed timetable.

What does the agreement involve?

The agreement aims to integrate Andorra into the European single market, facilitating the movement of people, goods, services and capital, and strengthening cooperation in areas such as education, research and the environment.

Its signing opens the ratification phase: the text must receive the European Parliament’s consent and complete national procedures. In Andorra, the Government plans to hold a referendum after the European position is known.

On immigration, the agreement retains quotas but sets minimum permit quotas for EU citizens, calculated using the average for the previous five years: an additional 7% for economically active residents, 2.5% for economically inactive residents and 5% for seasonal workers. It also allows people to apply for family reunification after the quota has been exhausted, provided they meet the requirements.