A/HRC/29/8 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review , established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its twenty-first session from 19 to 30 January 2015. The review of Spain was held at the 5th meeting on 21 January 2015. The delegation of Spain was headed by Ignacio Ybáñez, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. At its 10th meeting held on 23rd January 2015, the Working Group adopted the report on Spain. 2. On 13 January 2015, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Spain: the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Spain: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation prepared in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/21/ESP/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/21/ESP/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/21/ESP/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Spain through the troika. Those questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain considered that the universal periodic review was an essential tool for assessing human rights policies and laws and a mechanism for dialogue between States on their commitment to the universal system of promotion and protection of human rights. 6. The delegation recalled that Spain had ratified most human rights instruments and optional protocols, submitted all its reports to the treaty bodies and extended an open invitation to the special procedures. Since its first UPR, Spain had received visits from four special procedures. 7. The drafting of the national report was intended as an exercise in self-criticism—an essential element of the UPR—and included the participation of ministries and other public institutions, and civil society. The suggestions from civil society were extremely useful to better understand how laws and policies promoted by the Government were perceived. The national human rights institution, the Defensor del Pueblo, also participated in the process as an observer. 8. The national report focused, primarily, on the recommendations received in 2010— previously addressed in the voluntary interim report submitted in 2012—and on the developments and events of recent years, particularly the fiscal adjustment undertaken to counter the global economic and financial crisis, which still had significant repercussions. 3