The Spanish government and the Catholic Church in Spain have signed an agreement to compensate victims of sexual abuse in church-run institutions, even in cases where the statute of limitations has expired.

Following two years of negotiations, the agreement was inked in Madrid on Monday by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government, the church and the Spanish Ombudsman.

Following the signing, Justice Minister Félix Bolaños spoke of a "groundbreaking model worldwide" and "a day of justice for the victims."

The state would "have the final say" on the claims and the church "will pay," Bolaños stressed.

The agreed procedure is primarily aimed at those whose cases can no longer be prosecuted, for example due to the statute of limitations or because the perpetrators are no longer alive.

According to official figures, this applies to the majority of victims. Those affected may submit their claims to the Ministry of Justice from April 15.

A two-stage procedure is envisaged. An independent commission under the Ombudsman will examine the claims and propose compensation. A church commission will give its opinion, but the final decision rests with the Ombudsman. The church will cover the payments in full.

According to Ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo, the procedure is expected to take a maximum of three months.

The agreement does not set out any specific guidelines regarding the amount of compensation. Neither minimum nor maximum amounts have been established.

According to the latest figures from the Spanish Bishops' Conference, more than 1,000 cases of abuse have been documented since 1940.

This contrasts with significantly higher estimates from independent investigations: a report by the Spanish Ombudsman published in 2023, based on a representative survey, estimated that there are at least 236,000 victims, and possibly even more.