Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin Feb 24

FEATURE ARTICLES: "Spanish airports to ditch carry-on liquid restrictions by 2024" and "UK tomato shortage blamed on Spanish weather"

This Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. That’s 365 days of a conflict that has had wide-reaching geopolitical consequences across the world, and has been taken a large share of the blame for the eye-popping rise in the cost of living everywhere.

February in Spain is generally known for two things: being fairly quiet tourist-wise and being pretty cold. As far as the weather goes, it’s certainly living up to its reputation as Crazy February, or febrerillo el loco as the Spanish say. So far this month we’ve seen temperatures in the 20s, driving rain, Saharan dust storms and perishing frosts, which has led many to question whether the unpredictable Iberian climate is responsible for fresh produce shortages in the UK.

So while Spain is usually the country others flock to for a bit of sun, sand, sea and Sangria, many might be considering jumping on a plane to head for warmer climes at the moment. Flying from Spain is set to become a whole lot easier in the not-too-distant future as the airports go high-tech but driving is a little more complicated. Between more delays in the UK licence negotiations and upcoming pay-per-use tolls and tighter electric scooter restrictions, it might be time to get on your bike. The good news here is that the Spanish government is actually thinking about paying for that…

All this news and more awaits you in this week’s round-up so grab a cuppa – and possibly a hot water bottle – and enjoy.

Airport liquids

You’ve bought the ticket. You’ve booked the time off work and packed the bag. Now you’re gliding elegantly through the airport in your holiday finest without a care in the world, eager for your vacation to begin as you step, unruffled, onto the plane. If only real life were like the movies. In reality, most of us are huddled, bad-tempered in unmatching socks, at the miles-long security line as the airport officers rifle through our bags, dumping our expensive perfume as easily as that half-empty bottle of water.

Few people will disagree that navigating airport security is a long and frustrating process, guaranteed to snap you right out of the holiday mood. But a huge investment by Spain’s airport Aena in state-of-the-art technology means that we could soon be sailing through this process in a fraction of the time and with a lot less hassle.

Next year, Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat airports will pilot 3D X-ray scanners that will allow luggage to be scanned without opening it. This means that passengers will no longer have to remove their laptops or place their liquids in a separate tray in those fiddly little plastic bags.

These scanners are already being trialled at London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, and the UK government has announced that it will change security regulations so that they will be operational by 2024.

After Barcelona and Madrid, the scanners will be installed at the airports of Palma de Mallorca and Málaga-Costa del Sol from 2025 and in the year 2026 in Gran Canaria, Tenerife Sur, César Manrique Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández, Ibiza, Valencia, Bilbao and Menorca.

TOMATWOES

A week in February in similar to a day in the UK - every perceivable kind of weather condition thrown our direction at once. The nasty Saharan dust clouds that bathed every available surface in a stubborn orange layer last week returned with a vengeance on Monday and affected the entire country, but as we head into the weekend it’s seriously low temperatures and showers that we need to worry about.

In recent days, large commercial chains in the UK like Asda, Tesco and Aldi have begun to ration fruit and vegetables and photos have emerged of virtually empty produce shelves in supermarkets up and down the country.

Tomatoes are the first casualty of the season, and the experts are unsure whether the cold snap in Spain is causing the shortage in British stores or if it’s an import issue as yet another result of Brexit.

The UK imports around 80% of its tomatoes from countries like Spain, Morocco and the Netherlands during the winter months, but the unpredictable weather has drastically reduced crop yields this year.

However, the Stay European campaign insists that since there is no tomato shortage in Spain or in other EU countries, the blame must lie with Brexit.

But why would Brexit import fruit and vegetable stocks? Well, the trouble begins with the convoluted import process that delivery drivers must navigate when bringing produce into the UK from the EU. Since the UK left the party, truckers are subject to stringent checks at the border which has resulted in long queues, often for hours.

As a result, many producers are choosing to sell their crops inside the EU instead, since the process is quicker and more cost-effective, especially at times when they have less supply to sell. This is according to Stay European, which believes tomato farmers are avoiding the UK.

“Inside the EU, countries can rely on each other when problems like this hit, and rapidly shift around supply chains to keep the shelves well stocked. But outside the EU, we’re on our own,” they conclude.

The expats who live in illegal homes

Moving to Spain is a dream for many – a chance to retire somewhere sunny where the pension is worth more, or to relocate with the family and live life as it’s meant to be lived, with enjoyment and adventure. But it doesn’t always go to plan, as any one of the nearly half a million property owners from the Costa del Sol up to Castellón could tell you.

During the construction boom of the early noughties (before the property bubble burst in 2008) and even as far back as the 1990s, promoters and developers were building hundreds of new urbanisations and private estates up and down the Spanish coast, and cutting corners when it came to planning procedures to make a quick euro.

These homes were then sold on to unsuspecting, mainly foreign buyers who, not speaking Spanish well enough to be versed in the intricacies of property law, found themselves unable to get a licence of occupation, which is a necessary requirement for getting basic services like wastewater facilities and access roads.

The promoters, real estate agents and lawyers were less than 100% honest with them, to put it politely, and thousands of Brits, Germans and expats of other nationalities ended up – through no fault of their own – living in illegal homes whose value plummeted almost as soon as they bought them.

After two decades, in many cases, of fighting tooth and nail to have their case heard and to turn the situation around, there finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

And that is that the Valencia government is launching a scheme to finally try a legalise these properties by way of a new licence – the MIT licence. It stands for the Minimización de Impacto Territorial (Territorial Impact Minimization), and despite its uninspiring, jargon-y name, it promises to certify that these houses have the legal minimum standards, building conditions, water and energy supply, waste treatment and safe access. And as the requirements for getting one are less stringent than those for getting an occupation licence, it’s thought that around 192,000 homes could be eligible to apply for one in the Valencian Community alone.

A stumbling block would be the fact that getting a municipal report to prove that there isn’t open sewage seeping out onto the property, that it isn’t causing an active fire hazard or similar conditions would normally take up to three years. However, they’ve thought of that too, and now those reports can be issued by private entities in a matter of just a couple of days.

The town of Llíber in Alicante’s Marina Alta (population just 1,000, over half of whom are expats), has arguably been one of the worst affected communities by this whole illegal homes shambles. But it’s also hoping to be one of the first of an estimated 542 villages in the region to use what this new MIT programme offers to finally – after more than 20 years – legalise the homes that were built so long ago on green-belt land unfit for the purpose and end the suffering for the hundreds of expats living there.

The foreign residents in Llíber have been struggling through a bitter court case against those responsible since 2009, when the ex-mayor and several developers were arrested. There is palpable bad blood between the Spanish and expat halves of the town, where the party in power still has ties to those who caused the mess in the first place and where the Spanish families were the ones who sold their land to the developers in the full knowledge that any homes built there would face this legal issue.

It is hoped that if this MIT project delivers all it promises, then the village can finally begin to heal and the two sides can begin to move on. All eyes are on Llíber now, and towns just like it, to see how this plays out. If it’s a success, then there is every likelihood that the same model could be replicated in other places in Spain affected by the same issue, such as the Valle del Sol urbanisation in the Region of Murcia and various communities down on the Costa del Sol.

Murcia

Anyone living near Camposol, Lorca or around the entire southwestern corner of the Region of Murcia may have heard some loud booming noises coming from the skies recently. Yep, the fighter jets are at it again, practising their manoeuvres from the Albacete Air Base as part of the army’s ‘Tactical Leadership Program’ (TLP).

Training manoeuvres for military supersonic flights have been approved in the afternoons from Monday February 20 until Thursday March 2, and with the aircraft going at speeds of up to 2,500kmh – twice the speed of sound – the cracking noise of the sonic boom may be heard over the course of the week as they break the sound barrier.

There have been times during previous military supersonic aircraft training exercises when the noise and vibrations caused by the airplanes has been mistaken for an earthquake, and it can frighten people and pets. Some have also wondered why these training exercises don’t take place over the sea instead where they won’t bother anyone except the fish.

Many people have also complained recently about aviation noise from sub-sonic aircraft flying out from the new commercial pilot training campus near Fuente Álamo and the Air Force Academy in San Javier, but it’s the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) that calls the shots on these training drills and they maintain that they’re absolutely necessary.

It can be a sight to behold to see the planes swooping and diving and looping, but those concerned about the noise disruption can do little more than be aware of the dates and times of the programmed exercises and take appropriate measures themselves, such as comforting nervous pets or wearing noise-cancelling headphones.

Another sight to behold would be the prospect of World Cup matches being played in Murcia city in 2030, farfetched as it seems. The capital city of the Region of Murcia is throwing its hat into the ring to become one of the host cities in the joint Spanish-Portuguese-Ukrainian bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Let’s be honest: if Spain (along with Portugal and Ukraine) does win its bid to host the World Cup in seven years’ time, it’s more likely to be venues like Madrid, Barcelona and Seville that get the big matches (not to mention Lisbon and Kyiv, war situation permitting). But that’s not stopping Murcia city from aiming high and trying to bring some World Cup games down to the Region. We’ll have to wait a while to find out, though, as the winning World Cup bid won’t be decided until September 2024.

More good news for sports fans, this time golf, as the new owners of the Alhama Signature golf course on Condado de Alhama have committed to “maintaining and significantly improving” not only the course itself but also the clubhouse and other facilities in Condado.

Despite the change in ownership of the course at the beginning of January, it has not been closed even for one single day and the were around 1,400 golfers teeing off there last month alone, more than in the last comparable pre-pandemic year 2020.

The new owners, Alhama Healthy Living SL, have even promised to build the luxurious clubhouse which was first promised back when Condado was first marketed and built but which never materialized. At the same time, they are planning to create a golf school an “aparthotel complex” consisting of apartments and villas to accommodate up to 400 visiting golfers for short stays.

For events coming up soon in Murcia and Alicante, check out our EVENTS DIARY:

Spain

It’s been another frustrating week for UK nationals resident in Spain who don’t hold Spanish driving licences following a British Embassy update that had little new to say. After more than two weeks of radio silence, Hugh Elliott took to social media on Wednesday to reassure UK licence holders that the “final steps” in the negotiation between Spain and Britain will “be taken in the next few weeks”.

The update follows a barrage of criticism from stranded British drivers over the speed at which the Spanish Council of Ministers managed to reach a reciprocal licence agreement with New Zealand, which was signed, sealed and delivered in just over three months.

“You will be able to drive again very shortly after approval by the Consejo de Ministros which, to repeat, we expect to take place within the next few weeks,” he said.

Whether by choice or not, these days many people in Spain are opting to swap the motor for a bicycle to get from A to B and to encourage this environmentally-friendly trend, the Spanish government is working on implementing a new ‘En bici al trabajo’ scheme that would encourage employees to leave the car at home and cycle to the office instead.

As part of its ‘State Strategy for Bicycles’, the powers that be are looking at the option of companies paying extra money to staff who bike to work, an initiative that is already in place in several European countries.

Essentially, the Ministry of Transport is considering modifying tax regulations so that workers could be compensated for cycling to work, similar to the way company cars operate.

Countries like France and the Netherlands already apply similar measures. There, employees can earn up to 800 euros (France) and 1,500 euros (Netherlands) extra a year for going to work by bicycle, but in Spain this would require a change in current legislation.

For now, the Ministry is trying to incentivise employers to encourage their staff to bike to the office rather than drive. Some of the suggestions include larger businesses being more flexible with their working hours to allow employees the time to cycle, or installing secure bike parking and changing and shower facilities for staff.

If you need another reason to get on your bike, how about the new tolls for roads in Spain that are just around the corner? Although the government has insisted time and again that no changes will be made in the next 12 months given the state of the economy, some kind of pay-per-use system for Spain’s motorways will have to be implemented by July 2025, as this is the deadline agreed to in the Recovery Plan with Brussels.

At the moment, Spain is the only country in Europe where every taxpayer is expected to pay for the roads, whether they drive on them or not, but the funds garnered come nowhere close to the more than 10 million euros needed to maintain the nation’s high-capacity thoroughfares, according to infrastructure group Seopan.

Charging motorists for using Spanish roads “is the only alternative”, the group believes, “as Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Austria already do it, all of Europe does it except Spain.”

Alicante

Four months of anguish and appeals for information about the whereabouts of missing Irishman Ken Moore who disappeared while holidaying on the Costa Blanca came to a heartbreaking end for the 53-year-old's family this week when his body was found in Alicante.

The tragic discovery was made by staff from a gardening company working on wasteland near Agua Amarga beach in Avenida de Elche. The body was found face up on the ground in an advanced state of decomposition. His head was resting on a rucksack, there were no signs of violence, and his passport was next to the corpse.

Last November, Mr Moore's distraught family issued a public appeal for information to try to locate him.

According to this brother Trevor Moore, the victim had left Cork for Valencia on September 17, and spent a few days in the city before travelling to Alicante and then on to Villamartin in Orihuela Costa. The pair last spoke on October 10 2022.

Spain's missing person's bureau SOS Desaparecidos reported Mr Moore officially missing on November 30, two days after a formal police file was opened. Witnesses claimed to have seen the victim at the end of October, and the authorities believe he could have died around this time, although the pending results of a post mortem are expected to clarify this and other circumstances.

In the coastal town of Torrevieja, home to one of Alicante' province's largest British expat communities, the often arduous task of obtaining the all important 'empadronamiento', also known as a padrón, has been greatly simplified.

The document is vital in Spain, providing official proof of address and one of the requirements for residency applications, and as is the case with many administrative procedures, getting hold of one can be a bit of a bind, involving a trip to the Town Hall, and a second visit to pick up the signed document.

However, a complete automation of the municipal register in Torrevieja means anyone in a hurry to get an up-to-date padrón can now do so digitally following a complete automation of the municipal register.

Torrevieja Council has stressed the importance of the new streamlined service and assured it will "expedite the procedures for applying and obtaining this particular document", as well as "other various Register certificates".

The new service is available through the Town Hall's website.

Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin Feb 24 In the latest round of promotions to encourage more of us to use public transport as opposed to cars, anyone under the age of 30 in Alicante province will soon be able to hop on an intercity bus and travel for free.

Following the huge success of free TRAM travel for under 30s, with more than 34,000 beneficiaries since its implementation at the beginning of February, the Valencia Government is extending the measure to intercity buses.

The 100% discount for young people will be applied to the entire region and the government is expected to have it up and running in about six weeks.

In Alicante province, the free travel will affect around 30 routes that connect different municipalities, and will include the city line to Alicante-Elche airport.

The fully subsidised travel is expected to come into at the beginning of April and will go hand in hand with free travel for under 30s on Alicante TRAM until at least July 31.

Andalucía

The Caminito del Rey in the province of Malaga is one of the most popular hiking spots in the south of Spain, especially for thrill seekers as it’s known as one of the most dangerous paths in all of Europe.

With sheer drops from the path, which clings precariously to the cliff face over the El Chorro gorge, people have sadly died on the Caminito del Rey before, and in inclement weather it has to be closed due to safety concerns.

Okay, so it’s no longer quite as dangerous as it once was, and while it’s still a daunting trek that’s not entirely suitable for those who suffer from vertigo or who have reduced mobility, the famous footbridge is now far more secure after a series of interventions.

Thousands of tourists flock to the area each year, and now there is going to be a new Cercanías overground train going directly to El Chorro and the Caminito del Rey from Malaga capital city.

Up until now, the way most people got to this tourist attraction was by private car or bus, but now there is an additional option. Due to be opened next month, there will be a total of five trains on weekdays going from Málaga city to El Chorro/Caminito del Rey and six going back the other way towards Málaga on the C2 Cercanías line.

This is just a pilot scheme for now, initially planned for three years, though if there is enough interested and enough passengers using the line to make it worth it, this could be extended. Even better, it’s expected to be free of charge for the whole of 2023 for passengers who buy a railcard, as it falls under the government’s much talked about free train travel programme.

What better excuse to take a trip down to the Costa del Sol’s most famous (or infamous…) walking trail this year?!

From on walking trail to a walk-in trial, Malaga will also be the site of the test run of a system to deliver Amazon packages to people who live in gated communities so that they can receive what they ordered even if they’re not at home.

Online shopping has grown in popularity a lot recently, not least of all due to lockdown, but missing a delivery can be a hassle, as it often means a trip to the post office and a lengthy queue.

That’s why Malaga is teaming up with Amazon to try out its new automated delivery system, the first of its kind in Spain. It works using an app called ‘Amazon Key’, which gives delivery people a code if it’s established that the customer isn’t home. That gets them through the front door, and they then have ten minutes to leave the parcel outside the buyer’s door and get out the building.

Several Costa del Sol communities have already signed up to install the system, which is completely free. Amazon has assured that it is totally safe and there are measures in place to stop people entering the buildings who aren’t supposed to be there. They may even install special delivery points in the foyers of buildings that place a large number of monthly orders with the company, and if successful, don’t be surprised if this is rolled out to more communities across Spain in the next couple of years.

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