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NEW TOLLS PROPOSED

FOR SPAIN’S MOTORWAYS FROM 2024

Article supplied by Welex Lawyers & Accountant

The Spanish government has proposed 2024 as the launch date for implementing a system of tolls on motorways in Spain. This proposed toll payment is based on two fundamental criteria, according to the director of the Dirección General de Tráfico (national traffic department), Pere Navarro: “The one who pollutes, pays” and “The one who uses, pays”. The measure, which has been in place for several years in other European countries such as Portugal and France, is included in the “Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan” that the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, sent to Brussels to facilitate the arrival of European Union funds aimed at reducing the negative effects that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had throughout Europe. The main intention of this proposal is to pay for the maintenance of Spain’s extensive road network. One of the largest in Europe, it extends for more than 24,466 kilometres, 12,000 of which comprise high-capacity roads such as motorways and dual carriageways. According to the Spanish government, ”it is not possible for these costs to be assumed directly from public budget resources”. It is proposed that this system will be included in the future mobility law. In relation to heavy vehicles used for transporting goods, the document details that ”these costs will be assumed by the shippers”. However, the government has offered an assurance that this issue will be dealt with directly with professional transporters in order to avoid conflicts such as those experienced in France in 2019. For private vehicles, the government plans to carry out an awareness-raising campaign to familiarise drivers with the urgent need to implement the measure. In addition, to mitigate the public rejection that this system is likely to produce, and is already producing, among Spanish drivers, “affordable fees” as well as reductions or bonuses will be established for several groups and frequent drivers. The fees are expected to be between approximately three and five cents per kilometre on motorways. In order to illustrate more clearly what this measure will entail, we have estimated that the price for a trip between Marbella and Málaga (capital of the Costa del Sol) would be between €1.80 and €3. This plan for tolls on motorways in Spain is quite ambitious as the Spanish government intends to introduce them progressively not only on motorways and dual carriageways, but also on the entire national road network. It will require the Spanish cabinet giving a “first reading” to the mobility law before next June. However, it is not expected to be approved before the second quarter of 2023. (Note: The information published above is purely informative and not legally binding.)

Welex Lawyers & Accountants C/ Ramón Gómez de la Serna 23, Local 7, Marbella Tel. (+34) 952 775 521 info@welex.es / www.welex.es

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