The Spanish Congress of Deputies and the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC) have formalised a significant new collaboration. This Catalan language agreement aims to strengthen the presence of Catalan within the state’s legislative framework. On Thursday, Francina Armengol, President of the Congress, and Teresa Cabré, President of the IEC, signed the deal. Consequently, it will normalise the language’s use in legal and parliamentary contexts. This debate has been building for months. For example, we covered it in the recent expansion of Catalan language courses for adults.
Catalan language agreement standardises legislative texts
The primary objective of the agreement is to establish a stable framework. This framework will govern the publication and dissemination of legislative initiatives in Catalan. Under the terms of the deal, the IEC will provide standardised versions of laws approved by Congress. The IEC serves as the official academic institution for the Catalan language. These texts will use the general standard applicable to Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. Subsequently, they will be published in the Official Gazette of the Cortes Generales. Furthermore, the IEC will provide specialised linguistic support. This support covers the drafting, translation, and validation of documents related to the chamber’s non-parliamentary activities. That debate has been building for months — we covered it in recent expansion of Catalan language courses for adults.
Your browser does not support the video tag.Home » Catalan language agreement: Spanish Congress and IEC sign historic deal
Agreement represents state plurality
Francina Armengol described the agreement as the culmination of a process. This process began in September 2023, when parliamentary regulations were amended. The amendments permit the use of co-official languages. She argued that the Congress must “represent the plurality of the State”. Therefore, it necessitates the involvement of regional language academies. These academies guarantee the accurate translation of laws. That debate has been building for months — we covered it in major translation initiative to revive Catalan.
Teresa Cabré highlighted the symbolic and practical importance of the partnership. She noted that the agreement “consolidates the role of Catalan as a language fully suitable for legal and legislative expression”. Additionally, it reinforces its unity across different territories. Cabré added that institutional collaboration ensures the language has the necessary resources. These resources allow it to be used normally in all areas of public life and law. For further context on language promotion, see the Wikipedia entry on language policy in Spain.
Apply to join our community of Entrepreneurs, Senior Executives and Founders at Bizcelona .
