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A boost for licence holders
SPEAKING exclusively to the Euro Weekly News at an event held by the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain on Tuesday, January 24, British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott said that the next announcement from the embassy on driving licences will be to set the date when a new agreement will come into place.
The British and Spanish governments have been in negotiations over whether UK nationals living in Spain can exchange their driving licences after Brexit or have to take a test like other third party nationals since the of 2020.
Hopes of reaching a swift agreement initially saw extensions on an agreement to allow Britons to carry on using their UK licences in Spain while an agreement was hashed out.
In 2022 though, these extensions came to an end and the two governments have been negotiating ever since; a source of much difficulty for many expats who been left without the ability to drive in the meantime.
Now, Hugh Elliott has told the EWN that his most recent meetings with the Foreign Ministry took place on Tuesday, January 24, and that a date from which UK nationals will be able to exchange their UK licences for a Spanish one will be announced in the following weeks.
He told the EWN: “I’ve been talking only today to the Foreign Ministry about driving licences. The next announcement will be the date.
“Right now we are in the final stages.
“I can’t claim that I am as keen to get this through as those who have been unable to drive during negotiations because I haven’t been affected by this in the same way as them, but I am super keen to get over the line, in force, and to allow Brits to drive again.”
Seismic movement
ON January 28 Torrevieja registered a seismic movement of 1.7 degrees of magnitude on the Richter scale, as reported by the National Geographic Institute. The earthquake occurred at 15.40 to the northeast of the town centre, in the vicinity of the N332 road and the CV905 road.
Very good cruising
CRUISE passengers arriving in Alicante particularly value three things: climate, safety and gastronomy. This is the result of the latest satisfaction survey carried out by the Alicante Cruise Tourism Association which places the city’s tourist offer, both in terms of infrastructure and public services, between good and very good.
Naughty girl
A RELATIVE of the first deputy mayor of Rojales, Inmaculada Chazarra, is using around eight pieces of agricultural land some 9,000 square metres owned by the town hall for agricultural production without a municipal agreement authorising it. The plots are located around the Huerta Museum of the municipality.
Teacher’s pet
‘MICOLE’, a portal specialising in education, has published a ranking of the 100 best public schools in Spain out of a total of 28,458 centres that exist in the country. This list includes a whopping nine schools in the province of Alicante.
Winning cuisine
ALMAMATER’S cuisine keeps receiving good news. Last November Juan Guillamon’s restaurant achieved its first Michelin star in record time, now it has been chosen as the bestpositioned restaurant in Murcia at a national level according to TheFork’s Top100.
AGE CONCERN Costa Blanca South is looking for volunteer drivers to become part of their great team by helping those in need. All drivers must possess a Spanish driving licence.
If you are interested or would like more information call (+34) 966 786 887 or pop into the Age Concern Day Centre in Calle Paganini, La Siesta, which is open Monday to Friday from 10.00am until 1.30pm. Age Concern Costa Blanca South is a nonprofit making charity registered with the Generalitat Valenciana, in 1998. The geographical area covers from
