Jason MoorePalma13/01/2021 09:53
TW
0

We were reliably informed that Brexit wouldn´t really impact our lives in Spain. I am sad to say that these “reliable sources” were wrong. Slowly, it is becoming evidently clear that Britons will not enjoy the same rights in Spain that they had almost taken for granted. The first Brexit bombshell was that non-residents can only stay for 90 days in a 180 day period in Spain (and across the European Union) which will make life difficult for those residents who have holiday homes and want to enjoy an extended stay. The second is qualifications.

As you will have read in yesterday´s newspaper British yacht captain will not be able to skipper Spanish flagged yachts and certain other professional qualifications may not be accepted in Spain. You can no longer bring meat and milk products into Spain from the UK, which in some cases will dent the appetite for British expats returning from the UK with a big food shop. There is also plenty more red-take for those companies who want to take products in and out of the UK.

Now, a great deal of work is being done on many of these issues by the British Foreign Office in Spain and Chambers of Commerce and business organisations and hopefully things will change in the not too distant future. Brexit may have past slightly under the radar as a result of Covid but it has made a difference with new laws and regulations and unfortunately this is just the start.