Cold snap continues across Britain

London (United Kingdom), 12/12/2022.- People enjoy the snow at Greenwich Park in London, Britain, 12 December 2022. Snow and fog is causing widespread travel chaos across Britain as the cold snap continues. Below zero temperatures are affecting millions of UK households as crippling energy prices hit the poor the hardest. (Reino Unido, Londres) EFE/EPA/ANDY RAIN | ANDY RAIN

Humphrey CarterPalma16/12/2022 13:25
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The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Victor Torres, is lobbying Brussels for permission to scrap the 90 day rule for nonresident British visitors and he wants it now as the UK freezes with millions of people facing record heating bills.

He wants to attract them to the Canary Islands while also opening the door to the rest of Spain, such as Mallorca and the Balearics.

Only last month, Spanish tourism secretary Fernando Valdés said that Spain would like to end the rule that means non-EU travellers can only stay for 90 days within a 180-day period – but the decision would be down to Brussels.

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Under current laws non-resident Britons can only spend a maximum of 90 days in the Balearics.

Balearics 90-day cap for Britons could be scrapped

He said it was in the interest of Spain” to get rid of the 90-day rule, but “unfortunately, this is not something Spain has established by itself or can get rid of it. It is true that after Brexit some problems have emerged with people wanting to stay longer.”

He added that Madrid is trying to put pressure on Brussels to change the 90-day rule: “It is in our interest to lobby and convince (the EU) we can try to work an exception with them. But the solution must come from them.”

Under the Schengen Area rules of stay for third-country citizens, non-EU citizens entering the territory under the visa-free regime can stay for a maximum of 90 days, for every 180 days.

Those who overstay this period – intentionally or unintentionally – may face penalties, including deportation and entry bans, which the Spanish government made clear on January 7 and the new post-Brexit situation is proving a nightmare for thousands of Britons who own properties in Mallorca and elsewhere in Spain.