An agreement on the horizon
The governments of Andorra and Spain are optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement on the delimitation of their border before the summer. Both nations have been working on a technical report that will serve as the basis for negotiations, which will take place in a mixed commission co-chaired by the ambassadors of each country.
The intention is clear: to achieve a consensus that allows for the signing of an international treaty similar to the one established between Andorra and France in 2012. However, there are several contentious points that must be resolved before moving forward, including discrepancies over seven specific areas that cover approximately ten kilometres of the total 64.5 kilometres of the border perimeter.
This disagreement began to take shape in November 2021, when Catalan rural agents conducted an inspection in Os de Civís and determined that a photovoltaic park built in the Planell de la Tosa was encroaching on Spanish territory. According to their measurements, the complex occupied more Catalan land (16,000 square metres) than Andorran land (5,130 square metres). Andorra, however, maintains that the entire installation is within its territorial limits.
Jordi Betriu, president of the Decentralised Municipal Entity (EMD) of Os de Civís, has pointed out that the differences over this border are not new and date back years with other similar projects. The situation has led both countries to seek peaceful and cooperative solutions to avoid unnecessary tensions.
Despite the territorial conflict, both Spain and Andorra have expressed their desire to promote cross-border cooperation. “This is not the Berlin Wall; we are promoting cooperation,” say Spanish sources involved in the negotiations. In this regard, meetings have been held with local mayors to address community concerns and seek joint solutions.
Ricard Mateu, mayor of Les Valls de Valira, has highlighted the historical importance of the territorial demarcation based on documents from the 19th century and how these documents do not always match current cartographies. Recent constructions have further altered this complex geographical situation.
Apart from the specific case of the Planell de Tosa, there are six other points where significant discrepancies persist between both nations. The lack of clarity regarding territorial boundaries has further complicated the process due to local traditions such as the empriu, which regulates the communal use of natural resources among neighbours.
As this negotiation process progresses, both parties seek to avoid direct confrontations while working towards mutual understanding. Although it has not yet been defined how many hectares are in dispute — a forestry engineer estimates more than 200 — what will be crucial is determining which areas have economic or strategic relevance for each country.
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