European Visa Row
British tourists may face a €60 charge to visit Europe after Spanish demands over Gibraltar’s status derails EU visa free travel plans.
The dispute over whether the British Overseas Territory should be described as a ‘colony’ threatens agreements on legislation that exempts UK nationals from requiring the travel permit.
Yesterday the European parliament rejected a Spanish proposal that a footnote containing the contentious description of the disputed territory be added to the legislation.
It is the third time the proposal has been sent back by MEPs, increasing the risk the plan will not be in place before the UK leaves.
A Czech MEP said Spain was ‘playing with fire’ with just weeks to go before the UK leaves the EU.
The plan would secure visa free travel until 2021, after that Brits will need to pay €8 for three years visa-free travel under a new European Travel Information and Authorisation System.
But if the current impasse is not broken and the UK crashes out, Brits planning on staying in an EU country for less than 90 days would have to pay €60 for a Schengen visa that takes up to two weeks to be authorised.
Environmental Plan
The government announced a 47 billion euro public investment plan yesterday to tackle climate change over 10 years, which would be partly financed by issuing green bonds.
The proposal, which sets a goal to make Spain carbon neutral by 2050, is a statement of intent as the government faces a general election on April 28.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the plan would also be partly financed by EU funds but did not give details.
The draft package includes a plan to offset job losses in polluting industries.
As well as a draft law, the package includes a delayed national plan to combat climate change, which is due to be approved at a cabinet meeting tomorrow and sent to the European Union for its sign-off.
While there is probably time for the plan to be sent to Brussels, April’s snap election makes it unlikely the draft bill will be approved under the current government.
Benidorm Bar Fire.
Another seafront bar has gone up in flames .. The Golden Last bar in Benidorm.
The pub shows games to Rangers football fans as well as ex-pats.
As a result of the blaze there has been considerable damage to the frontage of the building.
The incident comes as Celtic fans descend on the Costa Blanca area for their crunch Europa League clash with Valencia tonight.
Many fans will have flown into Benidorm for the game which is only 87 miles from Valencia.
It is not known at this stage who was responsible for the blaze.
Meanwhile
Firefighters and police have evacuated more than 100 people from a health centre yesterday after a fire broke out.
An electrical fire that started in a false ceiling in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Alicante forced the organised evacuation as a preventative measure.
Emergency services were alerted after a strong smell of burning was detected.
Local Success
Costa Blanca favourites Denia and Javea have both made a top 10 list of most popular destinations in Spain.
In rankings published by rental specialists HomeAway and dominated by the major cities, Denia was in sixth place and Javea in ninth place.