▁the ▁project ▁had ▁come ▁to ▁an ▁almost ▁complete ▁stand st ill , ▁in ▁Europe . ▁All ▁hopes , ▁that ▁the ▁achiev ements ▁on ▁the ▁B ale ar ic ▁Islands ▁would ▁spark ▁off ▁further ▁steps ▁on ▁the ▁main land ▁of ▁Spain ▁and ▁from ▁there ▁to ▁other ▁European ▁countries , ▁proof ed ▁to ▁be ▁fut ile : ▁it ▁was ▁mainly ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁c atholic ▁church , ▁still ▁being ▁very ▁influ ential ▁in ▁Spain , ▁that ▁any ▁further ▁progress ▁was ▁ob struct ed . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁however , ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁given ▁an ▁official ▁rela unch , ▁in ▁Germany , ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁Germany - based ▁Gi ord ano - B run o - St iftung . ▁ ▁Great ▁A pe ▁Project ▁Germany ▁file d ▁an ▁official ▁law ▁initi ative ▁in ▁spring ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁a for esa id ▁fundamental ▁rights ▁for ▁great ▁ap es ▁implemented ▁into ▁the ▁constitution al ▁law ▁of ▁ ▁the ▁Federal ▁Republic ▁of ▁Germany . ▁The ▁goal ▁was ▁( and ▁still ▁is ) ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁animal ▁w elf are ▁law ▁extended ▁to ▁specifically ▁grant ▁the ▁great ▁ap es ▁the ▁rights ▁needed , ▁to ▁give ▁them ▁the ▁chance , ▁to ▁have ▁legal ▁guard ians ▁representing ▁their ▁interests . ▁In ▁anal ogy ▁to ▁inf ants ▁or ▁of ▁people ▁suffering ▁from ▁de ment ia ▁or ▁Al z heimer ▁disease , ▁who ▁cannot ▁speak ▁for ▁themselves , ▁legal ▁guard ians ▁could ▁file ▁law su its ▁against ▁anyone ▁viol ating ▁the ▁fundamental ▁rights