News
Changes to ITV tests in force
Important changes to vehicle testing came into force across Spain last month . The ITV inspection ( equivalent to the MOT in the UK ), which ensures that a vehicle is roadworthy and complies with the law of the road , must be carried out four years after its first registration , then in the case of privately-owned vehicles every two years until it is ten years old , and annually thereafter .
A new law regulating the ITV system came into effect on May 20 , 2018 , although many of the changes will not come into full effect until September of this year . These are the most important changes for private drivers to bear in mind .
A check on the computer which runs the vehicle has been introduced . This is to check it is controlling emissions efficiently and to uncover any illegal modifications to the software .
Stricter testing for emissions will be introduced next year to reduce the volume produced by the vehicle . Meantime , catalytic converters and particle filters will be inspected .
More than a fifth of all ITV tests which failed in Andalucía last year were because of defective tyres . Tyres on the
The Partido Popular has asked the regional government to reactivate the project to build a marina on the border of Nerja and Torrox . A draft plan in 2012 promised 486 moorings plus a commercial zone , parking and other facilities related to nautical activities , but since then little has happened .
The PP spokesman in the Andalucian Parliament , Carmen Crespo , said during May that he planned to ask the Minister of Development , Felipe López , about the marina . He is being supported in the move by the mayor of Torrox , Óscar Medina , and the former mayor of Nerja , José Alberto Armijo . same axel must be identical and have a tread of at least 1.6mm . They must also be suitable for the vehicle and be in good condition generally .
Until now , the owner of a failed vehicle has one month to rectify the problem and return the vehicle to the same testing station for approval . Now , the second test can be carried out at any testing station in Spain where only the problem area will be tested again . Vehicles can be tested up to one month before the date on which the inspection is due , and the new certificate will now date from the renewal date , not the inspection date as has previously been the case .
Cars imported from another EU country are subject to an ITV inspection as part of the importation process . Now , Spain will accept a valid inspection certificate from another EU country , with the next inspection due according to the age of the vehicle . Police can order an imported vehicle to be inspected at any time .
Testing stations have a year to implement the new regulations which also require the station to be accredited and all mechanics to be qualified to at least the level Técnico Superior de Automoció .
Marina project may be reactivated
The PP believes there remains a great demand for moorings in the area and the development of a marina would be , “ a generator of employment and wealth .”
Lottery taxes
Tax exemption on winnings from Spanish lotteries is to be increased from € 2,500 to € 10,000 this year . This will be doubled in 2019 , and then doubled again to € 40,000 in 2020 . Prize amounts above these figures will be taxed at 20 %, a measure introduced in 2013 which last year raised € 500 million for Spain ’ s tax authority .
Alcohol education
The Health Ministry is considering a proposal to fine the parents of underage youngsters found drinking alcohol . Alternatively , minors and their parents could choose to take part in educational activities instead of paying the fine . It is also being suggested that alcohol taxes should be used to fund preventive measures against underage drinking and its health effects on young people .
Court order
A court in Castille y Léon has ordered a Spanish woman to return her five-yearold son to his father in the UK . The family moved to Britain from Palencia but within a year , the parents divorced . The mother took the boy back to Spain for a holiday in September 2016 but both have remained here ever since . The court said returning to live in the UK would not put the child at any risk or danger because the father is of good character and has a secure job .
Fake news
Tourism authorities in the Canary Islands have denounced British newspapers for spreading false reports that the volcano on Tenerife is about to erupt , triggering a tidal wave which would wash away the island . Headlines during May warning of a natural disaster followed similar reports a year ago . Experts have denied any imminent risk and it remains unclear where the UK tabloids sourced their reports .
Tests resume
After a year of industrial action resulting in a quarter of a million driving tests being cancelled , instructors have won a rise of € 250 a month . The government has financed the € 3 million deal at the expense of the traffic authority ’ s research budget . Over 170,000 pupils were unable to sit their test last year while over 60 driving schools went out of business as people gave up taking lessons .
Migrants kidnapped
A gang of five Moroccans have been arrested in Algeciras suspected of kidnapping African migrants and holding them to ransom . Promising to help those arriving in Spain , they instead locked them up and confiscated all their possessions . Once the victims ’ relatives were traced , cash was demanded for their release .
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