Bristish driving licenses are valid to drive in Spain until the 30th of April 2022.

    The agreement has been made to extend the period that allows holders of British driving licenses, that are valid and in date, to drive here in Spain for an additional two months, from the 1st of March until the 30th of April 2022.

     Negotiations are currently under way and a bilateral agreement is currently being negotiated regarding the traffic matter which includes, amongst other subjects, the possibility of Spanish citizens and British residents that have been residents for more than six months in the United Kingdom or Spain, respectively, can exchange their driving license for a British or Spanish driving license. According to correspondents they are determining the conditions in which they can bring the agreement for the exchange into effect. It is therefore considered appropriate that the extension period, in which British driving licenses are valid in Spain, is extended an extra two months as the bilateral agreement is still in negotiation, this extension of two months permits British residents in continuing to use their British driving license here in Spain. 

    This matter does not affect people with British driving licenses who travel to Spain for short periods of time, inferior to six months, who can continue to drive here in Spain, in accordance with the provisions of article 21 of the general regulations of drivers, approved by the Royal Decree 818/2009, of May the 8th.

 For further information please do not hesitate in contacting us.

www.vpadvisers.com

Pasaporte COVID

 Desde el sábado 4 de diciembre será necesario el certificado Covid para acceder a: 

-Locales de ocio, restauración (aforo superior a 50 personas) y actividades de azar con restauración.

-Eventos  de más de 500 personas donde no siempre se pueda llevar la mascarilla.

-Visitas de hospitales (cuando se permitan) y residencias de servicios sociales.

hay 3 tipos de certificados Covid válidos:

-De vacunación,

-De diagnóstico 

-De recuperación

Puedes obtener el tuyo presencialmente en el centro de salud o por internet (Sólo necesitas la tarjeta SIP y el móvil):

https://t.co/p5dpSgHrjt

Para acceder a los espacios indicados tendrás que llevar contigo el certificado (digital o impreso) y mostrarlo junto al DNI o pasaporte.

Los profesionales ya podéis descargar de manera gratuíta la app COVIDcheck.Iu para verificar la autenticidad y la validez del certificado covid.

Android: https://t.co/29z12AoIKk

¡OS: https://t.co/NdgaxM1h6c

VP Advisers

Covid passport

 From Saturday the 4th of December it will be necessary to show your COVID Certificate to enter the following premises:

-Bars, restaurants (with a capacity that is superior to 50) and gambling activities with restauration

-Events which have a capacity of more than 500 people where it is not possible to have your mask on at all times

-To visit hospitals (when it is permitted) and social service residences

 

There are 3 types of COVID Certificates:

1)Vaccination

2)Diagnostic

3)Recovery

 

You can obtain your COVID Certificate by asking at your local medical centre or online (you only need your SIP card and phone):

https://t.co/p5dpSgHrjt

 

To enter the premises indicated you will need to have your certificate with you (digitally or printed) and show your certificate along with your DNI/NIE or passport.

Professionals are now able to download the app for free to verify the authenticity and validity of the covid certificate.

Android: https://t.co/29z12AoIKk

¡OS: https://t.co/NdgaxM1h6c

 

The free app is called COVIDcheck.Iu

 

For further information do not hesitate in contacting us.

VP Advisers

COVID 19 Hostelería nuevas medidas (Comunidad Valenciana)

 

Hoy la Generalitat Valenciana  ha publicado la Resolución de 5 de enero que entre otras establece las siguientes medidas para la hostelería:

-La ocupación de las mesas será de un máximo de 4 personas por mesa o agrupaciones de mesas. 

- La distancia entre mesas será de 2 metros en interior de establecimientos y 1,5 en terrazas exteriores.

- El consumo será siempre sentado en mesa 

- El aforo máximo permitido debe estar visible en la entrada

- Los establecimientos de restauración y hostelería concluirán su actividad a las 17:00 horas, y la clientela no podrá permanecer en el establecimiento fuera del horario permitido.

  Los establecimientos de hostelería con hospedaje, pueden dar servicio de restauración exclusivamente a las personas alojadas en horario de cena. 

  Las actividades de restauración de servicio a domicilio, o de recogida por la clientela en el establecimiento con cita previa, se podrá llevar a cabo durante el horario de apertura del establecimiento con el límite horario regulado para la libertad de circulación de las personas en horario nocturno (hasta las 10 de la noche)

  No queda permitido en los establecimientos de restauración y hostelería:

– El uso de la barra.

 – Los servicios tipo self service o buffet.

– Fumar en las terrazas de cafeterías y bares. 

– Los juegos de azar en los bares y similares. (no se permite el uso de máquinas recreativas ni de azar, se recomienda su desconexión).

  Se suspende la actividad de los locales de discotecas, salas de baile, karaoke, bares de copas y pubs, con y sin actuaciones musicales en directo. Y se suspende también la realización de karaokes y actuaciones esporádicas o amateur de canto en los establecimientos de restauración y hostelería. Tampoco se permiten las actuaciones de disc-jockeys, pinchadiscos, locutores y/o similares”.  

  No se permite fumar en la vía pública, playas u otros espacios al aire libre, cuando no sea posible mantener la distancia de seguridad mínima interpersonal de, al menos, 2 metros. En todo caso, se prohíbe fumar al aire libre en terrazas de cafeterías y bares”.  

El toque de queda se establece de 10 de la noche a 6 de la mañana.

La presente resolución producirá efectos desde las 0:00 horas del día 7 de enero de 2021 y mantendrá su vigencia hasta las 23:59 horas del día 31 de enero de 2021.  

COVID 19 bars and restaurants new measures

 

Today the valencian government  has published the Law (resolution of January 5th), which among others establishes the following measures for bars and restaurants:

-The occupation of the tables will be a maximum of 4 people per table or groups of tables. 

- The distance between tables will be 2 meters inside establishments and 1.5 meters on outdoor terraces

- Consumption will always be seated at the table 

- The maximum capacity allowed must be visible at the entrance
- Bars and restaurants establishments will conclude their activity at 5:00 p.m., and the customers will not be able to remain in the establishment after the allowed hours.
Hospitality establishments (hotels and hostels) with lodging can provide catering services exclusively to people staying at dinner time.

The activities of home delivery service, or collection by the customers in the establishment by appointment, may be carried out during the opening hours of the establishment with the regulated time limit for the freedom of movement of people at night (up to 10 at night).

The following is not allowed in bars and restaurants establishments:

- The use of the bar. 

- Self service or buffet services. 

- Smoking on the terraces of cafes and bars. 

- Gambling in bars and the like. (The use of arcade or other gambling machines is not allowed, disconnection is recommended).

The activity of nightclubs, dance halls, karaoke, cocktail bars and pubs is suspended, with and without live musical performances. And the performance of karaoke and sporadic or amateur singing performances in restaurants and hotels is also suspended. Nor are the performances of disc jockeys, DJs, announcers and / or the like ”.

Smoking is not allowed on public roads, beaches or other outdoor spaces, when it is not possible to maintain a minimum interpersonal safety distance of at least 2 meters. In any case, it is forbidden to smoke outdoors on the terraces of cafes and bars ”.

The curfew has been established from 10 at night to 6 in the morning.

 This resolution will take effect from 0:00 hours on January 7, 2021 and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m.of January 31, 2021.

Prices fall by 0.8% due to energy and unprocessed foods

 

 

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell by 0.8% in February in year-on-year terms, according to the latest figures published by the National Institute of Statistics (Spanish acronym: INE), as previously announced at the end of last month. Hence, the overall reduction, compared with January, stands at 0.5%, fundamentally down to fuel prices and unprocessed foods. Compared with the previous month, the general CPI fell by 0.4% in February, compared with a 0.2% increase in the same month of 2015.

ICO issued 166,000 loans to Spanish companies through its various lines for a sum of almost 10 billion euros

 The Official Credit Institute (Spanish acronym: ICO) issued 10 billion euros last year through its Mediation Lines in partnership with the private banking sector. A total of 166,000 transactions were completed through these lines of credit, which were used to finance investments, liquidity and foster the internationalisation of Spanish companies.

Furthermore, the ICO financed 1.25 billion euros to companies in 2015 through direct loans for major investment projects, which is an increase of 70% on the previous year.

Two out of three people who set up as entrepreneurs in Spain are women

​On International Women's Day, the President of the Government visited the Google Campus in Madrid, where he held a talk with entrepreneurs who presented him with their respective technological projects.

Mariano Rajoy indicated that the percentage of women working in 1977, at the start of the democratic period, was 18%, while now the female employment rate is over 40%, which is "a very substantial improvement". He also pointed out that following the "monumental" economic crisis suffered by the country between 2008 and 2014, the recovery in female employment has outpaced male employment.

DECLARATION OF ASSETS ABROAD, UNTIL THE END OF MARCH

From January 1st until March 31st tax residents in Spain are obliged to report on the following groups of assets and rights abroad they had in 2015 (in case the assets of a group are exceeding 50000€):

1) Bank accounts, credit accounts or any other  financial product in any institutions located abroad.
2) Securities, rights, insurance and annuities deposited, managed or obtained abroad.
3) Real estate and real property rights of ownership located abroad.

Why is important to produce a spanish will?

 

We should know about how important is having a will in Spain in case of people national of other countries when they have property in Spain as it can be a house, and being or not residents in Spain.

VP Advisers - Solicitors and Tax Specialists

 

VP Advisers has been helping people in Orihuela Costa since 2009. It was created by leading lawyers and economists in order to provide accounting advisory services, tax and labour advice to local home-owners and residents, the self-employed and businesses of all sizes. 

Spanish Tax Agency to strengthen efforts against hidden economy and investigation of overseas wealth and incomes in 2016

Strengthening the fight against the hidden economy and the investigation of wealth and incomes that may be hidden overseas will be the basic pillars of the 2016 Tax Control Plan, the guidelines of which will be published on Tuesday in the Official State Gazette.

​Other fundamental aspects of the plan include steps to control international fiscal planning and e-commerce, fields in which the Spanish Tax Agency will be supported by strengthened taxpayer selection and control tools. Similarly, the fight against fraud in the area of tax collection will also be stepped up under a strategy focused on extending actions to manage the collection of outstanding debts to a larger number of taxpayers by detecting cases of liability and guaranteeing effective debt collection.

Number of National Insurance contributors rises by 63,355 in February

The year-on-year rate of NI contributors rose by 2.97%, the largest increase in a month of February since 2007. In seasonally-adjusted terms, this increase represents 32,492 more people in work.

​The average number of National Insurance contributors amounted to 17,167,712 in the month of February, after rising by 63,355 contributors (up 0.37%).

Number of unemployed rises by 2,231 in February

The number of unemployed registered with the Public Employment Services rose by 2,231 in the month of February on the previous month to take the total number to 4,152,986. In February 2015 it fell by 13,538 and in February 2014 by 1,949.​In seasonally-adjusted terms, unemployment fell by 21,959 in February.

Over the last 12 months, recorded unemployment has fallen by 359,167. This is the largest fall in a month of February since records began. The rate of decline maintains its year-on-year rate of around 8% (7.95%).

Spain tops global wine export table, but is selling product cheap

Spain was the world’s number one wine exporter in 2015, setting a new record with sales of nearly 24 million hectoliters, which brought in revenues of €2.6 billion. Those figures easily beat the 20 million hectoliters exported by Italy and the 15 million hectoliters by France, the second- and third-biggest global exporters, respectively.

Can I register as self-employed for just a couple of months a year?

This is one of the asked questions by our clients and we are going to try to give a proper answer.

If it’s not worth your while paying your Social Security contributions the whole year round, it is possible to register only for the months you work. This could be the case for self-employed language teachers, or for people employed in seasonal activities such as tourism.

What happens if I’m not registered as self-employed and I get caught?

If you don’t register as self-employed when you should, and you are caught, you will have to pay all of your outstanding contributions since you first started working for yourself, along with a 20 percent fine, with interest. And remember, having registered with the tax office will not make a difference. You have one month to regularize your situation as a self-employed worker after registering with the IAE.

Can I bill clients without being registered as self-employed?

“Being registered with the tax office is obligatory if you want to issue any kind of commercial document,”. So if a client asks you for an invoice, you will have to register your specific activity with the tax office – this is called the impuesto de actividades económicas (IAE), or tax on economic activities. This doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t mean you are registering as self-employed – which is done at your local Social Security office.

When should you register as self-employed in Spain?

Have you been offered occasional work in Spain and you’re not sure what to do regarding tax and social security? Have you been offered regular work with a Spanish firm outside of your regular job? If you have, then you might have asked yourself if you need to register as self-employed, or autónomo, as it is called in Spain. And you might also have wondered whether, if you have to pay tax and social security on what you earn, it’s really worth taking it.

Spanish Social Security system now has 527,335 more workers than in 2014

The General Regime grew by 2,317 people (0.02%), with noteworthy growth in Education (up 24,859 people), Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles (up 19,585 people), Construction, (up 9,770) and Manufacturing Industry (up 8,362 people).

The Special System for Agricultural Workers posted an increase of 17,936 contributors (up 2.4%), to stand at a total of 766,182 average contributors. The Special System for Domestic Workers grew by 1,818 contributors (up 0.42%) to stand at a total of 429,897 workers.

In contrast, the greatest decline was posted in the Hotel and Catering Sector, with 85,884 fewer contributors in November.