Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin March 1
FEATURED ARTICLES: "The truth about post-Brexit travel rules to enter Spain" and "Full list of Murcia Corvera Airport summer flight destinations 2024"
Welcome to March!
We say goodbye to a dry and sunny leap-year February, not to be witnessed again until 2028. If February was drier than it normally is, for this month just begun they’re actually predicting it will be wetter than an average March for the south of Spain! Heaven knows we need it…
This week, we’re focusing on how Brexit is affecting (or not, as the case may be) travel and trade to Spain, and on the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Plus, the full list of summer flight destinations 2024 at Murcia airport and loads more Spanish news.
Brexit’s back!
You may have seen that press outlets such as the Daily Express and GB News have been peddling an old scare story recently which claims that there are loads of harsh new post-Brexit restrictions on Brits trying to come into Spain on holiday, who are supposedly being stopped at border gates and asked for additional documentation that barely anyone has.
This is the dreaded ‘carta de invitación’, a letter of invitation from your hotel, someone you plan to stay with in Spain or from the police that formally invites you to stay in the country for a specified length of time. The idea, they say, is to keep tabs on non-EU visitors to Spain and ensure they are not trying to sneak into the country for good. But what’s the truth? Is it likely that Spanish border guards will ask you for this letter, and is it really important?
Yes, the letter of invitation exists. It’s been around for a long time. Yes, theoretically, you could be asked for one at passport control if you cannot prove you are a Spanish resident. Yes, if you fail to produce one you could, technically, face a fine of up to £8,000.
But is it being demanded of British holidaymakers left, right and centre by stick-in-the-mud border police looking to squeeze us for all we’re worth? No. No, it’s not.
Like the rule that says you must be able to provide proof that you have the financial means to spend at least 100 euros a day for the duration of your trip, it exists but is rarely enforced.
The prevalence of the invitation letter is a scare story wheeled out by the press every couple of years just to keep people on their toes. As long as your passport is valid and has at least 3 months left on it by the date you plan to leave Spain, you should be okay to travel to Spain for your holidays.
Where Brexit is rearing its head is in the sale of UK food products in the EU. For a good number of the more than 400,000 UK nationals resident in Spain, specialist import stores bringing familiar goodies from home out to their adopted home are a lifeline. Cadbury’s cream eggs, Pot Noodle, Jaffa Cakes, Pork pies, fishfingers… you name it. Sometimes all we want is a little taste of home.
However, supplies of some of these items of British comfort food could be limited in Spain due to the increasingly common ‘Not for EU’ labels.
These labels have been obligatory on red meat products, processed meats and some dairy products going from the UK to Northern Ireland since last August. From this October, this rule will be extended to all milk and dairy products and by 2025 it will be stamped on all fruit, vegetables, fish.Originally, the idea of these labels was to prohibit the sale of UK products in the Republic of Ireland whilst respecting its free movement over the border with Northern Ireland. This was the solution agreed in the Windsor Framework, which is the colloquial name given to the agreements between the UK and the EU to facilitate the freer movement of ‘retail goods’ from England, Scotland and Wales to Northern Ireland.
But it could have a knock-on effect for Brits abroad as certain favourites may be unavailable in specialist import stores that serve Britons in Europe.
It’s important to note that UK food products stamped with the ‘Not for EU’ label are not of a lower standard and it does not necessarily mean that they fail to meet EU food regulations. But they still cannot be legally sold in the EU.
You can, however, still bring some food and drink over to Spain with you yourself, providing you’re not planning to sell it, but not meat or dairy products.
That’s living, alright
Every day social media forums are lit up by concerned consumers questioning the extortionate cost of groceries in Spain, with so many looking for the cheapest supermarkets and ways to save a few euros on the weekly shopping bill.
Sadly, gone are the days when you could fill a basket for 20 quid and have change left over. Now, many staple items, even those produced in Spain, appear to be cheaper in UK supermarkets.
We first noticed prices going up when war broke out in Ukraine. The nation is often referred to as ‘the breadbasket of Europe’ and almost overnight, common items like baked goods, flour and cereals skyrocketed. At the same time, farmers began struggling to import fertiliser so the cost of locally produced meat, fruit and veggies started to soar.
The Spanish government went back and forth on the best way to deal with the cost-of-living crisis but they eventually came up with a solution: reduce VAT or eliminate it completely on some of the most often bought grocery items like bread, eggs, milk and olive oil.
But while the administration promised that this initiative would benefit millions of shoppers, pulling their grocery bills right back down, prices still seem to be going up every other week. Why is that?
Well, the sad truth may be some double dealing by the supermarkets themselves, and several of our favourite Spanish chains are being investigated once again for failing to pass the VAT reduction on to the end consumer – you.
Following numerous complaints from consumer groups about possible price increases, the General Directorate of Consumer Affairs has opened an investigation into the matter.
The reduced VAT rate has been extended until June of this year and the law expressly prohibits supermarkets from using it to increase their own profits. However, if stores are simply increasing the price tag on these grocery items to make up the shortfall, it really defeats the purpose.
Previous investigations have exposed similar issues. In January 2022, the Spanish consumer rights watchdog Consumers in Action (Facua) analysed the prices of 676 products across eight major retailers and found that 52 items did not reflect the VAT reduction. Only Mercadona properly implemented the price cuts.
To address this concern, supermarkets and hypermarkets must now disclose pricing information for affected products and their profit margins. Failure to comply may result in fines up to 100,000 euros, or four to six times the illicit gain, for severe violations.
Talking of VAT, Spain has also floated the idea of increasing the tax on electricity bills to 21% providing energy costs continue to drop in the coming months. Electricity prices have (finally) been going down recently, attributed to a milder-than-usual winter and the increased integration of renewable energy sources.
This has brought relief to household consumers, but that may also trigger an unplanned increase in VAT from 10% to 21%, which will certainly dampen any savings they’ve made.
The Spanish government dropped the VAT down from 21% to 10% after energy costs skyrocketed, and hadn’t planned on bringing the VAT on electricity back up until January 2025. Now, though, with the prices steadily dropping, they see it’s time to turn the heat back up, and other electricity taxes will also increase progressively. However, it could be put right back down to 10% again if leccy prices unexpectedly rebound.
This policy of fluctuating taxes based on varying market values puts consumers in a precarious position and power providers are now appealing to the government to reconsider these variable VAT mechanisms, arguing they’re unfair to ordinary folk.
Murcia
The bus service between Murcia’s Corvera Airport and the bus stations in Murcia city and Cartagena got new scheduled departure times as of this Monday just gone, February 26. This new reduced schedule will be in place until 25th March, when an expanded bus service (yet to be announced) is expected to replace it.
That’s about when the summer flight season is due to start, and the full list of Murcia Corvera Airport summer flight destinations 2024 has now also been released. Starting from the end of March, the number of destinations you can fly to Corvera from, and from which you can fly there, will be going up.
So what’s new this summer high season? Well, for starters there are 22 flight destinations between the Region of Murcia and other domestic and international airports as opposed to 19 last summer. The new flight destinations are Madrid and Barcelona (which started last December and will be running year-round); Bilbao; Oviedo; Santander; Bilbao; and charter flights to Oporto in Portugal between July and September.However, the routes being discontinued are Palma de Mallorca, Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic; and the charter flights to Cairo, Egypt.
So that’s 7 destinations added and 4 lost. An increase of three. Mainly in Spain. In fact, the number of countries you can fly to from Murcia is actually going down from seven to six.
While domestic flights seem to be the priority for now, it is true that all nine of last year’s flight routes between Murcia and the UK are back again this year, as are flights to Dublin and Belgium, among others.
So that’s what’s coming up for Murcia at the end of this new month just started. And at the beginning of this new month, the Region is being plunged into an officially declared situation of “extraordinary drought”.
For the first time ever, the Segura River Basin – a hydrographical area that encompasses almost all of the Region of Murcia, as well as parts of Alicante, Albacete and Andalucía – is being thrust into this ‘extraordinary’ drought, as they call it, though there will be nothing that fantastic about it.What it will basically mean that there will be average water restrictions of 25% for the whole basin area, which are mainly cuts for farmers when it comes to watering their crops, and that the Sinclinal de Calasparra ground well will be opened up to provide additional water. For now, there won’t be major disruption for ordinary folk, such as the decreases in water pressure at night that the likes of the Costa del Sol have been implementing for several months now.
That could all change, though. The water authority for the Segura area, the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS), are going to review the drought status again at the end of this month and they have said that if it doesn’t rain in March these restrictions could be increased from 25% to 40%. On the positive side, they say that rainfall is expected in March, April and May, so they are confident of some improvement by then.
Still, the Region’s golf courses – the pride of Murcia – are still in pretty good nick. In fact, the prestigious Top 100 Golf Courses website unveiled its most recent rankings of the best courses to play in Spain and Murcia proudly boasts six of its courses among the nation’s top 100.
Okay, so you’ve got to go down to number 29 before the first Murcia course creeps into view, which is Real La Manga Club (South), closely followed by Real La Manga Club (West) at number 34, proving that La Manga Club resort is following up on its promise to be one of the most vibrant, up-and-coming golf and leisure resorts in the country.Not to be outdone, Saurines de la Torre golf course on the Terrazas de la Torre resort holds its own at number 39 on the list, while outside the top 50 lie Alhama (#52), Hacienda Riquelme (#53) and El Valle golf course (#58), each offering its own unique charms and challenges for players to enjoy. Have you played them all?
Check out our EVENTS DIARY to see events coming up soon in the Region of Murcia:
Spain
If you fancy a sweet treat this weekend, best steer clear of Aldi and Lidl or you might bite off more than you can chew – literally. The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has ordered an immediate recall of various chocolate cookie products due to the discovery of metal shards within the goods.
The tainted treats were available for purchase at the German chains nationwide.
The alert was triggered by a notification sent through the European Food Alert Network (RASFF) from the Dutch health authorities. The impacted brands include Cookies Aux Trois Chocolats (Arizona brand), Grandino triple chocolate (McEnnedy brand), and Nougatelli cookies (Sondey brand).
AESAN reports that the contaminated products have been pinpointed in several regions, such as Andalucía, Catalonia, the Canary Islands, Madrid, the Valencian Community, Galicia, the Basque Country and the Region of Murcia. Nevertheless, it’s very possible they were for sale further afield.
If you’ve bought the contaminated biscuits, you can return them to the point of sale for a full refund. It’s important not to eat them, as the cookies could cause abdominal, chest or throat pain, as well as fever and vomiting. Anyone who experiences such symptoms after consuming the products should seek medical attention immediately.
These days, most marketing initiatives focus on social media to create a buzz for a new product or service and reach a wider audience. These campaigns usually focus on free give-aways, competitions and the like but every once in a while, a truly novel idea pops up that excites the masses.
We’re sure that was the plan for a group of YouTubers who announced a treasure hunt on platform X to advertise an upcoming concert, but to say the experiment went awry is something of an understatement.
The influencers behind the campaign left clues for their followers, inviting them to locate a briefcase containing 1,000 euros. They even recommended the tools needed for the task, suggesting that participants bring shovels. The challenge consisted of three videos with three clues, and the final video provided coordinates for the treasure hunters.
In the end, dozens of successful participants found themselves on the protected sand dunes of Maspalomas in Gran Canaria and they wasted no time in pulling the natural space apart digging for the loot.
Ya veréis lo que queda mañana de las Dunas de Maspalomas ( Reserva Natural Protegida)...poco nos pasa para lo que merecemos 🤦🏻♀️ pic.twitter.com/6K5shIsNAF
— Laura (@Rodraedo) February 25, 2024
The Maspalomas Dunes Natural Reserve, where the briefcase was buried, is a protected area, and the fines for trespassing range between 150 and 300 euros. The reserve covers the entire dune territory and has three delimited areas: general use, restricted use, and exclusion zone.
The Department of Environment of Gran Canaria has launched an investigation into the shocking incident and the organisers of the campaign now face potential legal consequences, including fines and criminal charges.
When it comes to hard-hitting drama or gripping mini-series, it’s really hard to beat the BBC. But how to the writers come up with such winning stories time and time again? Turns out the Spanish may have something to say about this, as TV station RTVE is considering legal action against the UK broadcaster for allegedly stealing the idea for its new show ‘The Ministry of Time’, which is set to air in Britain this May.
The BBC’s drama is based on a novel by the same name, written by author Kaliane Bradley, and the plot revolves around a secret British government institution that recruits people from various historical periods, referred to as expats, to travel through time supported by bridges and 21st-century assistants.
This concept bears a striking resemblance to the Spanish series El Ministerio del Tiempo, produced by RTVE, which premiered in 2015, and this hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans of the original show, or indeed the Spanish producers.
But the author of the British novel has publicly defended her work, insisting that she has “never” seen the Spanish series. Her book is “an original product of fiction”, she said this week, claiming that the similar plots and “identical titles” are an “unfortunate” coincidence.
Tune into the BBC in May and see what you think.
Alicante
Easter is now less than a month away and the promises made by the Orihuela Costa authorities to have the beach bars reopened for the holidays are looming large in everyone’s mind. Because the awarding of the contracts was delayed, the area’s 11 beaches have been without chiringuitos, sunbeds, umbrellas and water sports for more than a year, and the famed coast went the entire summer without any facilities to speak of.
But there’s a new government in place, and they have decided to split the beach services up into five different lots to encourage competitive prices. Everything seems to be going according to schedule – more than a dozen potential beach bar managers have already submitted bids – so by rights the beaches should have their facilities up and running well before the end of the month.
However, in a worrying development, the coastal authorities have come up with a contingency plan, which has led many locals to believe they’re not as confident as they’re making out that the contracts will be in place on time. Earlier this week, a spokesperson said that, at the very minimum, the beaches will all be supplied with wooden walkways, toilets and lifeguards.
Sadly, the fact that the council has outlined a back-up doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Given the numerous promises and letdowns since last January, the Cabo Roig and Lomas Neighbourhood Association is understandably sceptical. “Will there be time in three weeks to prepare the logistics?” they asked recently, after requesting that the outdated and dilapidated bathrooms also be replaced.
Torrevieja has just become a whole lot cleaner thanks to the latest innovation in waste collection technology – the Motocaca! This nifty motorbike is not only effective at tackling dog waste on public roads, but it’s also a total showstopper. With its playful name and eye-catching design, the Motocaca is making waves among residents and visitors alike.
So, what exactly is the Motocaca? It's a specialised motorcycle designed by waste collection company Acciona to combat the growing problem of dog excrement on the city’s streets. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good pun? The name Motocaca may sound silly, but the service it provides is no joke. In fact, it’s been so successful that it’s already led to a significant decrease in dog waste in the area, making the streets a cleaner and more enjoyable place for everyone.
The Motocaca service focuses on the seafront of Torrevieja, as well as roads, public spaces and squares, including the centre of La Mata. It operates daily, alternating between urbanisations from Monday to Saturday. The driver rides a 125cc motorcycle equipped with a custom-made vacuuming system that can collect around 30 droppings per day. That’s a lot of poop!
So, what happens to the dog owners who don’t pick up after their furry friends? In Torrevieja, owners who fail to do so face some pretty hefty fines, but in reality, these sanctions are rarely imposed since the law states that police officers actually have to catch them in the act if they want to impose penalties.
So, kudos to Acciona for taking matters into their own hands and coming up with a solution that’s not only practical but also entertaining to watch.
Immersed in the picturesque Marina Alta region of Alicante province, the charming town of Vall de Laguar serves as the perfect starting point for adventures in the great outdoors. One such excursion is the renowned Barranco del Infierno Route, also known as the ‘cathedral of hiking’, a challenging yet rewarding trail that winds through a breathtaking landscape of rugged rocks and lush greenery.
Dubbed the ‘Hell's Ravine Route’, this 15-kilometre journey takes approximately 6 hours and 45 minutes to complete, offering an immersive experience for seasoned hikers and nature enthusiasts. The path traverses the ravine twice, incorporating thousands of carefully crafted stone steps that blend seamlessly into the natural environment.
As you navigate the trail, you’ll encounter numerous highlights, including a one-of-a-kind panoramic view of the majestic mountains and meandering Ebro River, visible through a strategically placed hole in a massive boulder.
The Barranco del Infierno Route is an unparalleled opportunity to connect with nature, challenge yourself physically and witness the splendour of the Marina Alta region from a truly unique vantage point.
Be sure to join the Costa Blanca What’s On and Where to Go Facebook group to see more things to do around Alicante province!
Andalucía
This Wednesday February 28 was a festivo in Andalucía for the ‘Día de Andalucía’ – the Andalusia Day regional holiday. As on most festivos, people got a day off work and most shops were shut. Some educational establishments even took February 29 and March 1 off as holidays, too, citing the occasion of the ‘Day of Education’, meaning that many school children had a five-day weekend and plenty of parents who had to keep on working were left in the lurch!
In the region’s capital, Seville, Ryanair was applauded this week for heroically coming to the aid of Irish golfer Joe Lyons, who faced a dilemma when returning from sunny Seville with his trophy after having just won the Spanish Senior Men’s Amateur competition.
Denied entry to the flight due to baggage rules, Joe expressed his frustration with the airline on social media, which made Ryanair prick up their ears. No doubt spying a good PR opportunity, Ryanair offered to fly the trophy to Ireland and courier it to his home in Galway free of charge, much to Joe’s delight and the appreciation of his followers.
Elsewhere in Seville, the city council is proposing to charge tourists a fee to enter the Plaza de España in order to alleviate overcrowding and preserve the historic site. If you’ve ever been there, you’ll know it’s an enormous open area with water features integrated into it, a large semicircular palace on one side and a peaceful park next to it. It’s quite different from other ‘Plazas de España’ you’ll find around Spain, and creates a sense of wonder and spectacle that makes you forget you’re in the middle of a vibrant, busy city. It’s one of the city’s most popular attractions, and around 90% of visitors to Sevilla make a stop there.
Fair enough, the council say they want to preserve this spot, financing conservation efforts through visitor fees. They haven’t yet revealed exactly how much they plan to charge. But there is opposition from residents who say that it is not just a tourist trap, but a public area that they should be able to use and appreciate too without having to pay. The debate revolves around balancing heritage conservation with accessibility and economic impact, but this is something that could be solved by implementing a tourist tax, say opponents, an idea that has been floating around Seville for years now.
Finally, if you’re looking for something to do in the Seville/Cádiz area, check out El Coto de las Canteras, billed as the ‘Petra of Andalucía’. This site is basically an ancient quarry, reminiscent of Jordan’s Petra, and boasts 2,000 years of history, serving as a picturesque venue for various events.
With admission at 3.50 euros and children under 10 entering for free, it’s a must-visit spot for travellers seeking natural beauty and alternative cultural experiences in Andalucía.
You may have missed…
- Sunken ships removed from Mar Menor in major clean-up operation.
Several important organisations, including the Asociación Hippocampus and WWF, have come together to launch a comprehensive plan to restore the Mar Menor lagoon to health, with one of their key initiatives being the removal of sunken ships that lie at the bottom. - March 1-19: Las Fallas fiestas in Valencia.
It’s that time of year again when Valencia celebrates its famous Fallas fireworks and bonfire festival. This year, some events in the pre-Fallas week were changed due to the 3 days of mourning following the tower block fire on 22nd February, but now the official events starting from today will carry on as normal. - 5 natural monuments to visit in the Region of Murcia.
From caves to legendary mountains, from Mazarrón to Yecla, here’s a brief guide to some of the Natural Monuments of the Region of Murcia! - Take That booked to perform at the Tío Pepe Festival in Jerez, Andalucía.
Get ready for a night of pure excitement and entertainment as the legendary British band Take That brings their ‘This Life Under the Stars’ tour to the Tío Pepe Festival in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) this July! - EU waters down Nature Restoration Law following farmer protests.
After weeks of intense protests from farmers in Spain and across Europe, the European Parliament has voted in favour of a watered-down law aimed at restoring natural habitats and ecosystems across the EU.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading and we’ll be back next week.
’Til then!
