14

Catalonia’s external action can be regarded as a consolidated reality after three decades of intense activity. This consolidation has been mainly fueled by the strong determination of successive Catalan governments that have deemed the external projection of their domestic powers unavoidable in a globalized and interdependent world. The generalized acceptance of substate external action within the European regional context has also contributed to the process. Consolidation and normalization, however, have not eliminated the persisting conflict between Spain’s central government and the Catalan one over the nature and scope of the latter’s external action. This conflict is heavily influenced by the situation and tone of the overarching political relations between both governmental actors.