Key facts
- Spanish government entities are reportedly being told to blacklist Palantir.
- The directive stems from concerns over national security information leaks.
- Companies overseen by SEPI, Spain's state-owned industrial holding company, are impacted.
- The ban affects sectors including defense, military technology, and public infrastructure.
- Spain's Ministry of Defense is reportedly still in discussions about renewing contracts.
- The move aligns with similar actions taken by France and Germany against Palantir.
The Spanish government has reportedly initiated a quiet ban on the U.S. data analytics firm Palantir Technologies, instructing state-controlled entities to cease future contracting due to national security and sovereignty concerns. The directive, communicated by the prime minister's office to companies overseen by the State Society of Industrial Participations (SEPI), impacts major entities in critical communications, defense, military technology, and public infrastructure, including Telefónica, Indra, and Navantia.
Sources cited by Spanish publication El Confidencial indicate that board members of several publicly listed companies have been ordered to avoid contracts that could jeopardize national sovereignty or strategic information. This political intervention has already disrupted procurement pipelines, including a project with Navantia and a collaboration agreement with the Guardia Civil that was vetoed by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
Despite the broader directive, Palantir reportedly continues to hold active contracts with the Spanish Ministry of Defense, including a €16.5 million deal with the Armed Forces Intelligence Center (CIFAS) set to expire in November. Military leadership has advocated for its renewal, but a final decision from Moncloa is pending.
The restrictions echo similar actions in Europe, with France ceasing work with Palantir and German authorities favoring European alternatives. The move also coincides with geopolitical tensions between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the incoming U.S. administration, given Palantir's founders' ties to Donald Trump. In response to perceived risks, Spain is accelerating funding for domestic technology platforms to bolster national data sovereignty, including an €115 million investment in Catalan firm Openchip.