Spain “actively supports” the agreement between Andorra and the EU
Albares argues that association will contribute to a “more prosperous” Andorra, with benefits also reaching neighbouring territories
Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, has reaffirmed Spain’s active support for the association agreement between Andorra and the European Union, describing it as a project of “extraordinary significance” for the Principality’s future.
Speaking in Andorra, Spain’s top diplomat argued that the project would strengthen the country’s European ties and contribute to its prosperity.
“Spain actively supports this process,” Albares said, after highlighting the agreement’s importance both for Andorra and for its place within the European project.
He viajado a Andorra, donde me he reunido con el cap de Govern y mi homóloga @ImmaTorFaus.
Les he trasladado el apoyo de España al acuerdo de Asociación UE-Andorra. Apostamos por una mayor integración en la UE, incrementará la cooperación y fortalecerá el proyecto europeo. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/IVuCzvmvT9— José Manuel Albares (@jmalbares) September 14, 2026
The minister framed this support within a vision linking the Principality’s future to its geographical and historical surroundings. He said association should ensure that Andorra becomes “firmly anchored” in the European sphere to which he believes it already belongs.
“We would particularly highlight the association agreement between Andorra and the European Union. A project of extraordinary significance for the Principality’s future and to ensure that it becomes firmly anchored where it has always belonged, through geography and centuries of history: the European project,” he said.
A more prosperous Andorra, with positive effects for its neighbours
Albares linked Spain’s support to the goal of making Andorra “more prosperous”, stressing that this prosperity would also have positive effects on neighbouring countries and territories.
Albares defensa l’acord amb la UE perquè Andorra quedi «definitivament ancorada» al projecte europeu pic.twitter.com/3qZHFlpu0z
— La Veu Lliure (@laveulliure) September 14, 2026
“Clearly, that prosperity also has positive effects for those of us who are its neighbours,” he said.
His approach places the Principality’s development within a broader regional perspective, in which Andorra’s progress also has implications for the surrounding Pyrenean region.
The minister thus argued that there is a shared interest in strengthening cooperation and jointly addressing challenges affecting both sides of the border.
Geographical challenges and European cooperation
The foreign minister stressed that Spain and Andorra share structural challenges arising from their geographical location and mountainous terrain. In his view, stronger European ties would make it easier to address these difficulties.
“We face shared structural challenges because of our geographical location and the terrain we share with Andorra, and by being anchored in Europe, we will also be able to resolve them much more effectively,” he said.
Albares therefore presented European cooperation as a means of tackling common problems. In the remarks provided, he did not set out specific measures or economic estimates, instead focusing on political support for the agreement and the opportunities he believes it offers for the development of the Principality and its surrounding region.
Encouraging dialogue between Catalonia and Andorra
The minister also highlighted Spain’s work on cross-border cooperation, with a specific reference to Catalonia.
“Spain has decisively promoted cross-border cooperation, particularly with Catalonia,” he said. In this context, he expressed support for dialogue between the Catalan government and Andorra as a way to strengthen coordination between the two territories.
“We also encourage dialogue between the Government of Catalonia and Andorra, convinced that the development of Andorra and its neighbouring Pyrenean territories must always be approached in a coordinated way and with a shared vision for the future,” he said.
