Balearics now managing the coasts but not getting the revenue

Beach regeneration and cliff reinforcement are priorities

Can Picafort. Town halls pay annual charges for beach services' authorisations | Photo: Antoni Pol

Andrew EdePalma21/05/2025 09:02

The Balearic Government is demanding that it can spend the more than 12 million euros a year revenue that is raised from services such as sunloungers and beach bars. At the very least, the government wants the Spanish Government's Costas Authority to convene a joint committee to determine how the annual revenue is spent.

In July 2023, responsibilities for coastal management were transferred from the Costas to the regional government, which now has a coasts directorate for managing these responsibilities. These include the authorisations for beach services. Town halls pay annual charges for these authorisations and then gain revenue from contractors or from direct management of services.

Responsibilities were transferred, but not the revenue generated. This continues to go to Madrid. The regional minister for the sea, Juan Manuel Lafuente, says the Balearics bear all the costs without any compensation.

The Spanish Government should have convened a joint committee but hasn't. Lafuente's ministry is meanwhile pre-empting any meeting by studying investments that are needed. Beach regeneration is a priority as is the reinforcement of cliffs - "some are literally collapsing".

Responding to comments by Pilar Carbonero of the opposition PSOE in parliament on Tuesday, the minister stated: "We received an underfunded transfer, poorly negotiated, and discriminatory."

He compared the transfers of powers to the Balearics and the Basque Country in highlighting the apparent discrimination. "The transfer to the islands came with a budget of 1.3 million euros, investments worth 2,000 euros, and 18 employees for 1,573 kilometres of coastline. The Basque Country, with 246 kilometres, received 4.2 million euros, 400,000 euros in investments, and 14 workers."

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2 comments

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Stan The Man | about 1 month ago

These organisations responsible for the Coasts. Have not been to S'Illot. The bridge has been in need of repair for nearly a year now. The Beach areas are being eroded of their sand areas. If it is the Councils failing. Who should be Fined, and punished for these failures?.

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tranq tranquer | about 1 month ago

If the situation really is as reported then it it absurd. First thing is who from the local government signed off on this. A sacking is in order.