Aye! There is certainly a political agenda re this common response from most EU member states and it was good to see the big media agencies, including the bbc, being reminded to start providing the true facts re the more recent black history between Catalans and the Franco/Spanish govt from the late 1930s onwards. Sad to see this practise but no surprise - deja vu re this kinda bbc behaviour - the 'impartial' bbc huhhhh! Also good to see Finland 'breaking the mould' and a parliamentary vote being called to recognise an independent Catalonia.