Andorra Outlines French, Spanish Security Checks Under Pending EU Border Deal

Andorran ministers told parliament on 6 November that a pending border-management agreement with the European Union would require security assessments by France or Spain for non-EU nationals applying for or renewing Andorran residence permits. The plan is not yet in force.

Foreign Minister Imma Tor, Justice and Interior Minister Ester Molné and EU relations secretary Landry Riba outlined the agreement before the Consell General's Foreign Policy Legislative Committee, according to separate releases by the government and parliament. Their appearance was a briefing on implementation and proposed legal changes, **not** parliamentary ratification or enactment.

The proposed arrangement aims to preserve Andorra’s existing pattern of random police checks at its land borders with France and Spain instead of introducing systematic checks under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). It would also expand short-stay Schengen travel arrangements for qualifying third-country nationals holding Andorran residence permits, subject to the agreement’s conditions. Andorra would not thereby become a Schengen member.

In exchange, applicants for new or renewed residence permits who are nationals of non-EU countries would face security checks by France or Spain using Schengen databases, supplementing Andorra’s own immigration checks. The government says proposed immigration-law changes would also establish legal grounds for international security-related data transfers, subject to data minimisation, purpose limitations, traceability and access controls.

The parliamentary account says the immigration-law amendment was still in its final committee stage on 6 November. The government also said operational details, including which neighbour performs particular checks and readmission arrangements, still require agreement with France and Spain.

The EU and Andorra initialled the border text in March 2026; the text was published in September. The agreement must complete signature, ratification and other European procedures before its planned arrangements can operate. Existing travel and residence rules should not be mistaken for the proposed future framework.

Outstanding accountability questions include how security-check delays will affect permit decisions, what data will be exchanged, who can challenge an adverse assessment, and the final wording and effective date of Andorra’s immigration-law changes.