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Date Published: 02/06/2022

ARCHIVED - British Embassy specifies what data Spain wants from drivers and hints at an agreement in weeks not months

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

In the latest update on UK driving licences in Spain, the Ambassador also stated that if an agreement is reached Spain will let Brits drive again for 6 months while they exchange their licences

After it became illegal on May 1, 2022 for UK citizens resident in Spain to drive on their British driving licences if they have had Spanish residency status for more than six months, many Brits living in Spain have been unable to drive and are increasingly frustrated at what is perceived as a lack of progress in negotiations between the British Embassy in Madrid and the Spanish authorities to resolve the issue.

The British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, released an update today, Thursday June 2, answering some of the doubts and queries many Brits have about the current status of driving licence negotiations.

In a video posted on Facebook, the Ambassador said he “can’t go into lots of detail or give a running commentary of what is an ongoing negotiation”, but has assured that the Embassy is “working on this every day” and are “genuinely making progress”.

With regard to the issue of vehicle data provision from the UK to Spain, which was named as one of the sticking points for why negotiations are taking so long, Mr Elliot said that while many people are very happy for their data to be shared if that means getting them back on the road, “the data that Spain is seeking relates largely to those visiting Spain and driving on their UK licences rather than the data of residents”.

He acknowledged that “this is all the more frustrating if you’re a resident”, but said that “the better news is that we will be able to resolve this issue”.

He further stated that the interim measure that allowed Brits to continue driving on their UK licences post-Brexit can’t be reinstated because Spain has flatly refused to agree to this.

However, “Spain has agreed to a clause that will allow everyone back on the road from the moment the agreement is signed for a period of up to six months to allow people time to exchange their licences.”

Although the Ambassador refused to make promises on when a deal might eventually be reached or whether it will be reached at all, he did say he was “confident”.

“We are genuinely in the final stages,” he said, “and I expect it to take a matter of weeks, not months.”

“It’s our top priority here in the Embassy and we are working on it every day,” he concluded, repeating his call for people to get help from their nearest British consulate, local charities or the organization Support in Spain.

Image: British Embassy Madrid

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