The Commons' European approach to trying to stop the airport expansion

BarcelonaThe Comuns opposes the expansion of Barcelona airport, but both in Catalonia and Spain they find themselves in an unpleasant situation trying to stop it: in the Catalan Parliament they have six deputies, compared to the PSC's 42, and in the Spanish government they are the minority partner in a coalition government whose number of seats has multiplied with the Cerdán case. In this situation, Jéssica Albiach's party is spreading the word to the European Union and is preparing to activate, through its MEP, Jaume Asens, "all mechanisms" to stop the expansion of the airport infrastructure. The Comuns denounces that the extension of the third runway to accommodate more intercontinental flights will increase tourist overcrowding and polluting emissions, and promises to do everything possible to ensure that the European Commission vetoes a project that, furthermore, It affects the protected natural areas of Ricarda and Remolar."We will use Europe to stop enlargement," say party sources consulted by ARA.

For the moment, Asens has already referred this matter to the political leadership of the V-ALE, the political family to which the Commons and ERC are attached, which is also critical of enlargement and demands that Catalonia have some role in its governance. Sources in the space assure that this is an issue that also "worries" the Greens: last year, the leadership of the Eurogroup sent a letter to the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, asking him to reconsider the investment in Barajas airport of 2.8 billion to increase it to 28%.

From the outset, Comuns points out that the expansion of El Prat is incompatible with the European Green Deal: one of the measures included is the package Fit for 55, which requires a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030 (at the time, the Greens called for a 65% reduction) and introduces a reduction in the free allocation of emissions rights to airlines. And reaching 70 million passengers at El Prat Airport with the expansion would mean a 33% increase in emissions, according to the report that was published by Barcelona City Council, led by Ada Colau.

Maintaining dialogue with the entities that oppose the enlargement, Asens will soon request a meeting with the Vice President of the European Commission for Net Transition, Teresa Ribera, and with the Commissioners for Climate and Emissions, and Transport and Sustainable Tourism, to provide "education" on the "education" for a Europe "of trains," not "of planes." In this context, Comuns directly points to Ribera as a "reference" in environmental policies. "She must be clear and oppose the enlargement," point out sources within the space, who recognize that this issue puts the socialist on the ropes: the commissioners are independent of the states that propose them, but at the same time, the PSOE and PSC are the strongest defenders of the airport expansion. And Aena is chaired by former PSC MP Mauricio Lucena.

A formal letter and a delegation

Asens is also working on a formal letter requesting opposition to the project from the European Commission, which ultimately must authorize the expansion due to its impact on Natura 2000 areas. It should be noted that the European Commission is already pursuing a procedure against Spain to circumvent Directive 92/43/EC. In this regard, Brussels has warned the State that it must complete the environmental compensation payments pending since 2002 to prevent the degradation of the Llobregat Delta. –a warning he issued in 2013, 2021, and again this year–. For now, Comuns is prioritizing applying "political pressure" against the project, but they would also have the possibility of reporting Spain for violating European law before the Commission itself, which, when the time comes, could sue the State before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

On the other hand, and at the level of the European Parliament, Asens wants to accompany the social and environmental organizations opposed to expanding El Prat so that they can defend their position before the European Parliament's Petitions Committee: this allows for a debate to be triggered between the groups, organizations, and the Commission, which should not be about the tourism model, but rather about the tourism and mobility model that Europe should have, sources from the party emphasize. In the medium term, they will also propose that a delegation from the Comuns with representatives from Parliament or the territory – the mayor of El Prat, Alba Bou, is also from the party – go to Brussels to hold a panel with experts on the subject. Greens, and Isa Serra (Podemos), who belongs to the Left in the European Parliament - GUE-NGL, have already registered questions on the subject with the Commission.

Will they put pressure on Isla?

Despite prioritizing the European route, Comuns insists they will not give up defending the opposition to the airport expansion on all fronts where they have an institutional presence. But the big question is: will they make their six votes against Salvador Illa's government count in the 2026 budget negotiations? Parliamentary spokesperson David Cid avoided describing it as a "red line," but sources within the group consulted by this newspaper avoid anticipating that scenario: "When the time comes, we will evaluate it," they say. The Hard Rock precedent is still up in the air, when the Comuns veto of the 2024 budget brought down the legislature, and at the polls, the party went from eight to six deputies.