Law Passes with Broad Support
The Catalan Parliament approved the Law on the Protection of Direct Professional Agriculture on Wednesday 4th November 2026, with 122 votes in favour and 11 abstentions from Vox. The initiative, promoted jointly by PSC-Units, Junts, ERC, PPC, Comuns, CUP-DT, and AC, defines criteria for farms managed directly by professional farmers that do not exceed small enterprise size and establishes them as priority recipients of public policies and financial support. Under the law, such agricultural, livestock, and forestry holdings, whether owned by individuals or legal entities, will benefit from favourable tax treatment, including reductions, bonuses, exemptions, and deductions from Catalan administrations. The legislation mandates preferential access to public agricultural land, subsidised insurance, training, and aid for modernising production or integrating young people into the sector.
Prioritising Youth and Women in Farming
The law further prioritises farms where management and ownership are predominantly held by young people or women, with specific emphasis on young women. It also ensures priority in public policies promoting innovation, digitalisation, diversification, and climate change adaptation. During debate, Manel Ezquerra of PSC-Units welcomed the cross-party agreement, calling it proof of "a different way of doing politics" beyond ideological divides. Jeannine Abella of Junts urged the Government to fully implement the law’s principles, particularly in securing timely payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (PAC), noting that Catalan farmers are often the last to receive funds. Five amendments proposed by Vox were rejected, while Comuns withdrew their proposed amendments except for two transactional ones, which were approved unanimously.
"This demonstrates that beyond ideological differences, there are issues of national importance, like defending our farming community." , Manel Ezquerra, PSC-Units
Plenary Session Opens with Condolences
President of the Parliament, Josep Rull, opened the session by expressing condolences for the 69 fatalities in the Toledo train accident, calling it a tragedy that "distressed us." The chamber observed a minute of silence and reaffirmed its participation in the three-day official mourning period. Rull also reported that, under Motion 111/XII, 2,047 people have died or disappeared in the Mediterranean so far this year, according to International Organization for Migration data. Under Motion 78/XV, he stated that 67 workers lost their lives in workplace accidents between January and September 2026, based on figures from the Observatory of Work and Productive Model. Additionally, the Parliament condemned the most recent feminicide in Catalonia, which occurred on 28th October in Barcelona, and observed a minute of silence during the midday break in accordance with its protocol against male violence.
Afternoon Session to Address Health and Housing
The plenary session will resume at 3:30 PM with interpellations on the Catalonia Health Plan Horizon 2035, healthcare staffing, territorial priorities in Camp de Tarragona, asbestos eradication under Law 8/2026 of 2nd July, and food inequalities. Institutional declarations were also adopted on unwanted loneliness and the 50th anniversary of the Catalan Association of Hemophilia, both supported by PSC-Units, Junts, ERC, Comuns, and CUP-DT.
Sources: Parlament de Catalunya - News, radiobalaguer.cat, Generalitat de Catalunya.
