05/10/2021 (Agence Europe) – The Court of Appeal in Sassari (Italy) decided on Monday 4 October to wait for the outcome of appeals to the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) by the defence of Spanish MEP Carles Puigdemont (NI) before ruling on an extradition request from Spain. The Catalan is the subject of a European arrest warrant issued by the Spanish authorities for organising an illegal independence referendum using public funds. He was arrested on 23 September last year on arrival at Alghero airport to attend a Catalan cultural festival (see EUROPE 12798/3). The MEP’s parliamentary immunity was withdrawn in March by the European Parliament, a decision against which Mr Puigdemont appealed, which was rejected by the EU General Court and is now awaiting the Court’s ruling (see EUROPE 12773/19). (PH)