It was a long haul, but Scientology was finally recognized in Spain in November 2007.
Spain was the scene of the most protracted legal case the Church has probably ever had. It included the arrest in the late 1980's of the President of the Church of Scientology International when he traveled to the country for a fund raising event.
In the end, the Church and all individual defendants were completely acquitted of all charges, and now the Church has been recognized as a religion in Spain.
The fact that the Church has been recognized in Spain has significance beyond its borders. Spain is a member of the European Union, and although the different countries in the Union or still sovereignties there is supposed to be a consistency among them. One of the countries recognizing the Church as a religion carries a precedent for other countries.
As Scientology has been expanding throughout the EU, this is very good news for Scientologists!
