Catalan separatism poses major challenges for European policy. This is because the regional government’s striving for statehood contradicts the goals of European integration for various reasons. It sows disputes between EU member states over national borders and promotes tensions between the nation states and the supranational EU institutions. This article deals with the motives of the various Catalan parties, their strategies and possible consequences for European policy. These relate to the debt of the eurozone as well as future EU reforms.