Pedro Sánchez and Imanol Pradales agree to hold a Bilateral Cooperation Commission and a Joint Commission on the economic agreement before Easter

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, receives the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, at Moncloa Palace (Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo y Carlos Herrero)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, met with Lehendakari Imanol Pradales at the Moncloa Palace, where they agreed to hold a Bilateral Cooperation Commission between the Spanish State Administration and the Basque Autonomous Community and a Joint Commission on the Economic Agreement before Easter.

This meeting, the sixth between Sánchez and Pradales since the Lehendakari took office, reflects their commitment to dialogue and reaching agreements to move forward on the pending transfers of powers stipulated in the Statute of Gernika.

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, who appeared after the meeting, described it as "fruitful, friendly, and cordial". Torres highlighted the clear willingness of both leaders to collaborate and cooperate, and noted that the President of the Government of Spain reaffirmed to the Lehendakari the Executive's commitment to the Basque Country.

"We are working loyally with the Basque Government", Torres emphasised, recalling that since 2018, 22 powers have been transferred to the Basque Country, 12 of them during this legislative term, all carried out "within the framework of the Spanish Constitution and the Statute of Gernika" by "a Government that believes in the State of Autonomies".

Thus, he reviewed the 12 transfers made during this legislative term: coastal management, railways, the audiovisual sector, meteorology, international protection, university degrees, and work permits for foreign nationals. These are in addition to the five most recent transfers, finalised on 16 January, 2026, in the Joint Commission on Transfers between the State Administration and the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. These transfers relate to the Barakaldo centre, family benefits, maritime rescue, school insurance, and unemployment benefits, and were agreed upon in the Bilateral Cooperation Commission between the State Administration and the Autonomous Community of teh Basque Country, chaired by Sánchez and Pradales, on 15 July 2025.

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, in his appearance after the meeting of the President of the Government of Spain with the Lehendakari | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo y Carlos Herrero

"And we will continue the work we do with all the autonomous communities", the minister added, recalling that since 2018 the Government has completed transfers with the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, the Valencian Community, Castile and León, the Community of Madrid, Galicia, Andalusia, Navarre, Castile-La Mancha and Catalonia. "We have six other requests from autonomous communities that are currently being negotiated for bilateral meetings", he added. "A significant number of actions by the Government of Spain defend the State of Autonomies, understanding that the State also means decentralising services in the interest of the well-being of citizens", he stated.

Pension revaluation and migrant regularisation

When asked about Parliament's rejection of the decree that includes the revaluation of pensions, Torres emphasised that "the Government of Spain will act responsibly, and we stand with pensioners".

On another note, the minister highlighted that "today the Government of Spain took an important step forward by approving a Royal Decree in the Council of Ministers that regularises 500,000 migrants".

Non official translation