Spain would reach best practice on the definitions and concepts and fields of application of anti-discrimination law if the law punished nationality discrimination in many areas of life, and punished discrimination by association and on the basis of assumed characteristics. Enforcement mechanisms grant complainants access to many different procedures and to legal aid, shifts in the burden of proof, and protection against victimisation. However, a victim may be stuck in a lengthy court case, with only limited possible punishments for the guilty party. Since Spain's specialised equality body is not yet operational, its mandate, powers, and legal standing are still ill-defined, leading to a slightly unfavourable policy score.
