Evolution and prospects of the local competence system in Catalonia

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyse the current legal framework governing local competences, adopting an evolutionary perspective that traces their initial configuration and examines the main reforms that have shaped their regulation as it currently stands. Particular attention is given to the impact of the reform introduced by the 2013 Law on the Rationalisation and Sustainability of Local Administration (LRSAL) on the Law on the Bases of the Local Regime (LBRL). The study also considers the influence of European directives, which have prompted regulatory adjustments at different times, as well as the jurisprudential contributions primarily from the Constitutional Court —and, to a lesser extent, from the Supreme Court— which, through their rulings, have helped to define the scope of local autonomy and the distribution of competences between municipalities and provinces. This paper further examines the current status of legislative reform initiatives, both at the state level and by the Government of Catalonia, aimed at providing local authorities with a legal framework suited to their present-day needs, context, and aspirations, to effectively ensure their autonomy, the exercise of their competences, and the efficient delivery of public services, while upholding the principles of budgetary stability and financial sufficiency.