Having spent more time than usual in Spanish airspace last week, I must surely have seen the worst ATC service in the civilised world with the addition of unnecessary bloody mindedness. They are pathetic - I was even denied a climb to a more economical level because it wasn't in our flight plan. I should have pointed out that descending at more than 2500 fpm wasn't in our flight plan either, but we happily obliged them.
I never thought I'd say this, but I found myself looking forward to the earliest possible transfer to the French.