Putting a contentious topic to rest - maybe (updated for those who can not get beyond the paywall)

Airtaine wrote on Mon Nov 27, 2023 8:19am:

Maybe this will be believed or not 

FACT CHECK: No, Spain isn't lobbying for 90-day rule change for Brits

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Rumours that Spain could follow in France’s footsteps and look to amend the 90-day rule for Britons have resurfaced, partly due to a wrongly attributed quote claiming Spanish authorities are “lobbying” to change the law.

November 2023 headlines have suggested that Spanish authorities “want to change the rule” and are “trying to convince the EU”. 

To lend credibility to this, there’s a quote that’s allegedly from Spain’s now former Tourism Minister Héctor Gómez (replaced in November 20th’s cabinet reshuffle), which says:

“Unfortunately, the rule is not something Spain has established by itself or can get rid of.

“It is in our interest to lobby and convince the EU that we can try to work an exception with them. But the solution must come from them.”

LBC, Daily Mail, GB News and regional English-language sites in Spain have all wrongly attributed these quotes to Gómez, without providing a source, date or location either. 

Unless Spanish tourism officials are meticulously learning off by heart the same answer to the 90-day question, Héctor Gómez did not say those words in November 2023.

The rumor probally started here; 

UK news outlet i News on Tuesday published an interview-based article in which Spanish Tourism Secretary Fernando Valdés said his government wants British visitors not to be subject to the Schengen 90-day rule post-Brexit.

"It is in Spain’s interest to get rid of the rule" and "lobby to convince [the EU] we can try to work an exception with them," he is quoted as saying.

Brexit news outlets the Daily Express and GB News have jumped on the story with headlines such as “Desperate Spain begs EU…”, which evidences how the ‘they need us more than them’ rhetoric is still alive for some. 

Theres more but the gist of it is 

Therefore, as things stand there is no specific, attributable or new evidence to suggest there have been any advances on the 90 out of 180 days question.

Lmj18 wrote on Fri Dec 1, 2023 2:58pm:

People were hoping to follow France’s lead, but as I said it’s not been passed yet.

So an update….

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An immigration bill article giving ‘automatic visa’ rights to British second-home owners in France has been struck out by a committee of MPs – but could be resubmitted in a new format.

France’s new immigration bill, as presented by the Interior Ministry and amended by the Senate, is under scrutiny by the MPs’ laws commission before its full Assemblée nationale debate from December 11. 

Article 1er K, described as potentially ‘life-changing’ by one Connexion reader, proposed allowing British second-home owners, on proof of property ownership, to visit for longer periods than 90 days without additional formalities but has been removed..

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Lmj18 wrote on Fri Dec 1, 2023 2:58pm:

People were hoping to follow France’s lead, but as I said it’s not been passed yet.

So an update….

Read more...

An immigration bill article giving ‘automatic visa’ rights to British second-home owners in France has been struck out by a committee of MPs – but could be resubmitted in a new format.

France’s new immigration bill, as presented by the Interior Ministry and amended by the Senate, is under scrutiny by the MPs’ laws commission before its full Assemblée nationale debate from December 11. 

Article 1er K, described as potentially ‘life-changing’ by one Connexion reader, proposed allowing British second-home owners, on proof of property ownership, to visit for longer periods than 90 days without additional formalities but has been removed..

.

DarioMartin wrote on Fri Dec 1, 2023 3:02pm:

Hmmmm - what was the VLS-T visa that was introduced? Or was that part of this and now withdrawn?

Lmj18 wrote on Fri Dec 1, 2023 3:07pm:

I’ll ask my family in France. See if they can send me more information. 

Lmj18 wrote on Fri Dec 1, 2023 3:07pm:

I’ll ask my family in France. See if they can send me more information.