Free Catalan Territory

Free Catalan Territory (Catalan: Territori Català Lliure) is a designation adopted since 2012 by a number of Catalan municipal and comarcal councils. These councils passed symbolic motions declaring that Spanish state laws would apply only provisionally in their territory, pending the creation of Catalan legislation after a potential future declaration of independence. The movement began in early September 2012, when Sant Pere de Torelló was the first town to adopt such a declaration. In the following weeks dozens of municipalities and several county councils joined. Several of those motions were later challenged in administrative courts and some were annulled.^[1]

Free Catalan Territory (in Catalan, Territori Català Lliure) was the expression chosen by the councillors of Sant Pere de Torelló in order to define the status quo of the municipality on September 3, 2012, and was also the first town in Catalonia to give itself this name.^[2][3][4] From its new condition, the council of Sant Pere de Torelló announced that the October 12, holiday becomes an ordinary weekday, directly conflicting the Spanish legislation.^{[citation needed]}

Since then, more municipalities joined this initiative and approved similar declarations to Sant Pere de Torelló's. Also, there are some municipalities that preferred approving independentist motions, but without explicitly declaring themselves Free Catalan Territory, like Caldes de Montbui^[5][6] or Tàrrega.^[7]

The October 11th 2012 the first comarcal declaration was approved. The Comarcal Council of La Garrotxa approved a collective motion to declare all that region "Free and Sovereign Catalan Territory".^[8] Also, the same day, the Comarcal Council of the Alt Penedès approved supporting those municipalities that approve that kind of motion, hanging an Estelada flag at the balcony of the offices of the Comarcal Council as a symbol "of Catalonia's people desires of sovereignty".^[9]

After the first month since Sant Pere de Torelló's declaration, a Catalan newspaper stated that there are approximately 660,000 "free Catalan citizens", which represent almost 9% of Catalonia's total population.^[10][11]

Aftermath and relationship with wider independence movement

The initiative was part of the broader independence mobilisation that followed the 2010 Constitutional Court ruling on the Statute and the large pro-independence demonstrations of 2012. The “Free Catalan Territory” declarations were one local expression of that movement and were later eclipsed by subsequent events in the independence process.^[12]

Legal challenges and judicial rulings

The motions were declaratory and political in nature: in general they were symbolic statements by local councils rather than enforceable changes to legal competences. Some municipalities did adopt consequential local administrative adjustments (for example symbolic calendar changes or flag displays), but the motions themselves did not confer new legal powers on municipalities. ^[13]

Nature and effects

The motions were declaratory and political in nature: in general they were symbolic statements by local councils rather than enforceable changes to legal competences. Some municipalities did adopt consequential local administrative adjustments (for example symbolic calendar changes or flag displays), but the motions themselves did not confer new legal powers on municipalities.^[14]

Origins and spread

The first council to use the expression “Territori Català Lliure” was Sant Pere de Torelló on 3 September 2012; the formula spread rapidly through September and October 2012 as dozens of municipalities and some comarcal councils approved similar motions. By 9 October 2012 multiple newspapers were reporting around a hundred municipalities had approved such motions. ^[15]

Municipalities declared Free Catalan Territory

Since September 3, 2012, 197 Catalan municipalities and five Comarcal councils have declared themselves Free Catalan Territory, representing approximately 20.2% of whole Catalonia's lands.^{[citation needed]}

Map of Catalan municipalities (dark blue) and comarques (light blue) that have so far declared themselves Free Catalan Territory.

No.	Municipality	Comarca	Declaration Date	References
1	Sant Pere de Torelló	Osona	September 3, 2012	[16]
2	Calldetenes	Osona	September 3, 2012	[17]
3	Cervià de les Garrigues	Garrigues	September 6, 2012	[18]
4	Marçà	Priorat	September 10, 2012	[19]
5	La Bisbal del Penedès	Baix Penedès	September 10, 2012	[20]
6	Premià de Dalt	Maresme	September 10, 2012	[21]
7	Arenys de Munt	Maresme	September 13, 2012	[22]
8	Bolvir	Cerdanya	September 15, 2012	[23]
9	Vic	Osona	September 17, 2012	[24]
10	Tortosa	Baix Ebre	September 17, 2012	[25]
11	Seva	Osona	September 17, 2012	[26]
12	Argentona	Maresme	September 17, 2012	[27]
13	Celrà	Gironès	September 18, 2012	[28]
14	Ullastrell	Vallès Occidental	September 19, 2012	[29]
15	Sant Llorenç de Morunys	Solsonès	September 19, 2012	[30]
16	Vallfogona de Ripollès	Ripollès	September 20, 2012	[31]
17	Collbató	Baix Llobregat	September 20, 2012	[32]
18	Sant Jaume de Llierca	Garrotxa	September 20, 2012	[33]
19	Valls	Alt Camp	September 21, 2012	[34]
20	Vilablareix	Gironès	September 21, 2012	[35]
21	Orpí	Anoia	September 21, 2012	[36]
22	Carme	Anoia	September 21, 2012	[36]
23	Tavèrnoles	Osona	September 24, 2012	[37]
24	Cruïlles, Monells i Sant Sadurní de l'Heura	Baix Empordà	September 24, 2012	[38]
25	Navàs	Bages	September 24, 2012	[39]
26	Sant Andreu de Llavaneres	Maresme	September 24, 2012	[40]
27	Sant Gregori	Gironès	September 24, 2012	[41]
28	Els Prats de Rei	Anoia	September 24, 2012	[42]
29	Sant Julià de Vilatorta	Osona	September 25, 2012	[43]
30	Ripoll	Ripollès	September 25, 2012	[44]
31	Manlleu	Osona	September 25, 2012	[43]
32	Vidreres	Selva	September 25, 2012	[45]
33	Igualada	Anoia	September 25, 2012	[46]
34	Sarrià de Ter	Gironès	September 25, 2012	[47]
35	El Perelló	Baix Ebre	September 25, 2012	[48]
36	Vilafranca del Penedès	Alt Penedès	September 25, 2012	[49]
37	Sant Julià de Ramis	Gironès	September 25, 2012	[50]
38	Canet d'Adri	Gironès	September 25, 2012	[51]
39	Deltebre	Baix Ebre	September 26, 2012	[52]
40	Tona	Osona	September 26, 2012	[53]
41	Prats de Lluçanès	Osona	September 26, 2012	[53]
42	La Garriga	Vallès Oriental	September 26, 2012	[54]
43	L'Ametlla del Vallès	Vallès Oriental	September 26, 2012	[55]
44	Porqueres	Pla de l'Estany	September 26, 2012	[56]
45	Sant Vicenç de Torelló	Osona	September 26, 2012	[53]
46	Montblanc	Conca de Barberà	September 26, 2012	[57]
47	Esterri d'Àneu	Pallars Sobirà	September 26, 2012	[58]
48	Arenys de Mar	Maresme	September 26, 2012	[59]
49	Argençola	Anoia	September 26, 2012	[60]
50	La Vall d'en Bas	Garrotxa	September 26, 2012	[61]
51	Alcarràs	Segrià	September 27, 2012	[62]
52	Les Borges del Camp	Baix Camp	September 27, 2012	[63]
53	Jorba	Anoia	September 27, 2012	[63]
54	Fornells de la Selva	Gironès	September 27, 2012	[63]
55	Linyola	Pla d'Urgell	September 27, 2012	[64]
56	Sant Antoni de Vilamajor	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[65]
57	Sant Martí de Tous	Anoia	September 27, 2012	[66]
58	Alella	Maresme	September 27, 2012	[67]
59	Cassà de la Selva	Gironès	September 27, 2012	[68]
60	Palau-solità i Plegamans	Vallès Occidental	September 27, 2012	[69]
61	Canet de Mar	Maresme	September 27, 2012	[70]
62	Collsuspina	Osona	September 27, 2012	[71]
63	Sant Esteve de Palautordera	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[72]
64	Cardedeu	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[66]
65	Els Hostalets de Pierola	Anoia	September 27, 2012	[66]
66	Bellvís	Pla d'Urgell	September 27, 2012	[64]
67	Puig-reig	Berguedà	September 27, 2012	[66]
68	Santa Eugènia de Berga	Osona	September 27, 2012	[71]
69	Balaguer	Noguera	September 27, 2012	[64]
70	Casserres	Berguedà	September 27, 2012	[66]
71	Torrelles de Llobregat	Baix Llobregat	September 27, 2012	[66]
72	Sant Celoni	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[66]
73	Les Borges Blanques	Garrigues	September 27, 2012	[73]
74	Montgai	Noguera	September 27, 2012	[74]
75	Castelló d'Empúries	Alt Empordà	September 27, 2012	[75]
76	Móra d'Ebre	Ribera d'Ebre	September 27, 2012	[76]
77	Flaçà	Gironès	September 27, 2012	[66]
78	Les Franqueses del Vallès	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[66]
79	Fontcoberta	Pla de l'Estany	September 27, 2012	[77]
80	Santa Eulàlia de Ronçana	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[78]
81	Vilassar de Dalt	Maresme	September 27, 2012	[79]
82	Arsèguel	Alt Urgell	September 27, 2012	[80]
83	Bigues i Riells	Vallès Oriental	September 27, 2012	[81]
84	L'Ametlla de Mar	Baix Ebre	September 28, 2012	[82]
85	Sant Martí Sarroca	Alt Penedès	September 28, 2012	[83]
86	Sant Joan de les Abadesses	Ripollès	September 28, 2012	[84]
87	Espinelves	Osona	September 28, 2012	[85]
88	Llanars	Ripollès	September 28, 2012	[86]
89	Gallifa	Vallès Occidental	September 28, 2012	[87]
90	Altafulla	Tarragonès	September 29, 2012	[88]
91	Arbúcies	Selva	September 29, 2012	[89]
92	Corbera de Llobregat	Baix Llobregat	October 2, 2012	[90]
93	Les Piles	Conca de Barberà	October 2012	[90][citation needed]
94	Llançà	Alt Empordà	October 3, 2012	[91]
95	Cercs	Berguedà	October 3, 2012	[92]
96	Isona i Conca Dellà	Pallars Jussà	October 3, 2012	[citation needed]
97	Vilamaniscle	Alt Empordà	October 3, 2012	[93]
98	Calella	Maresme	October 4, 2012	[94]
99	Viladamat	Alt Empordà	October 4, 2012	[95]
100	Arnes	Terra Alta	October 4, 2012	[96][97]
101	Arbolí	Baix Camp	October 2012	[citation needed]
102	Santa Bàrbara	Montsià	October 5, 2012	[98]
103	La Seu d'Urgell	Alt Urgell	October 8, 2012	[97][99]
104	Puigcerdà	Cerdanya	October 8, 2012	[97][99]
105	Vilanova i la Geltrú	Garraf	October 8, 2012	[97][100]
106	Hostalric	Selva	October 8, 2012	[97][99]
107	Sallent	Bages	October 8, 2012	[97]
108	Lladó	Alt Empordà	October 8, 2012	[101]
109	Castellfollit de la Roca	Garrotxa	October 9, 2012	[102]
110	Miravet	Ribera d'Ebre	October 9, 2012	[103]
111	Olost	Osona	October 9, 2012	[104]
112	Sant Hilari Sacalm	Selva	October 10, 2012	[105]
113	Artés	Bages	October 10, 2012	[106]
114	Alpens	Osona	October 10, 2012	[107]
115	Torroella de Montgrí	Baix Empordà	October 11, 2012	[108]
116	Ivars d'Urgell	Pla d'Urgell	October 11, 2012	[109]
117	Taradell	Osona	October 11, 2012	[110]
118	Cervera	Segarra	October 11, 2012	[111]
119	Santa Coloma de Queralt	Conca de Barberà	October 11, 2012	[citation needed]
120	Sant Pere de Vilamajor	Vallès Oriental	October 12, 2012	[112]
121	Prades	Baix Camp	October 12, 2012	[citation needed]
122	Avià	Berguedà	October 12, 2012	[citation needed]
123	El Brull	Osona	October 15, 2012	[citation needed]
124	Breda	Selva	October 15, 2012	[113]
125	Roda de Ter	Osona	October 16, 2012	[114]

No.	Comarcal Council	Province	Declaration Date	References
1	Garrotxa's Comarcal Council	Girona	October 11, 2012	[8]

See also

• Catalan independence
• Assemblea Nacional Catalana
• Association of Municipalities for Independence
• Catalan independence referendums, 2009–2011
• 2012 Catalan independence demonstration