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L181SKY wrote on Thu Jul 14, 2022 5:58pm:
So, at last, an agreement. Residents in Spain will now be able to swap their U.K. license for Spanish without a driving test and will be able to drive by the end of July.
Have we had an official announcement? If so can you poss post a link?
I’ve no idea about an announcement but it’s happening . My friend knows i’ve been looking for this for ages and how important it is for me . She sent me a message this morning , but, it is a fact. I’m sure there will be a lot of info available but I don’t have a link. The ambassador to Spain says, “they are at the final stage of getting the Wording of the document finalised “. and they are very aware of the need for speed. He said, people Will be driving by the end of July .
In that case I think we are still waiting for the agreement to be finalised.
According to the ambassador's last Tweet (dated last Friday 9th July) we are still waiting for the deal to be approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers.
To quote - "We are still working through the final technicalities with the Spanish Government and hope to have a more substantive update next week ... Resolving this remains our top priority and we will continue to update you on this channel"
The hope is that it can be finalised by the end of this month, but as Dario rightly reasons, given that we are now in Spanish holiday season it is probably safer to manage expectations and assume that it may not be finally sorted until Spanish officialdom gets back from hols in September. That said, who knows, we may be pleasantly surprised.
The next announcement is scheduled for tomorrow - so fingers crossed.
David62 wrote on Thu Jul 14, 2022 9:57pm:
In that case I think we are still waiting for the agreement to be finalised.
According to the ambassador's last Tweet (dated last Friday 9th July) we are still waiting for the deal to be approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers.
Read more...
To quote - "We are still working through the final technicalities with the Spanish Government and hope to have a more substantive update next week ... Resolving this remains our top priority and we will continue to update you on this channel"
The hope is that it can be finalised by the end of this month, but as Dario rightly reasons, given that we are now in Spanish holiday season it is probably safer to manage expectations and assume that it may not be finally sorted until Spanish officialdom gets back from hols in September. That said, who knows, we may be pleasantly surprised.
The next announcement is scheduled for tomorrow - so fingers crossed.
Whatever, it’s happening anyway
Latest update from UK ambassador to Spain, as of yesterday 15th July.
https://twitter.com/hughelliottuk/status/1548001699591098370?s=21
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:48am
Legendary helpful member
David62 wrote on Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:58am:
Latest update from UK ambassador to Spain, as of yesterday 15th July.
https://twitter.com/hughelliottuk/status/1548001699591098370?s=21
Many thanks; that was dated 15/7 and HMA said they’d just received key documents from Spain, with more expected next week. The text is still being “refined” before it can go for legal and political approval … this means it hasn’t even gone before the Council of Ministers yet. Given how Spain works in summer, I’m struggling to see how an agreement can be signed by end of July … I’d say September as *nothing* happens here in August.
DarioMartin wrote on Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:48am:
Many thanks; that was dated 15/7 and HMA said they’d just received key documents from Spain, with more expected next week. The text is still being “refined” before it can go for legal and political approval … this means it hasn’t even gone before the Council of Ministers yet. &nbs...
Read more...
...p;Given how Spain works in summer, I’m struggling to see how an agreement can be signed by end of July … I’d say September as *nothing* happens here in August.
Well at least it’s happening ,better than what everyone was saying, it never will !Third country etc etc
DarioMartin wrote on Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:48am:
Many thanks; that was dated 15/7 and HMA said they’d just received key documents from Spain, with more expected next week. The text is still being “refined” before it can go for legal and political approval … this means it hasn’t even gone before the Council of Ministers yet. &nbs...
Read more...
...p;Given how Spain works in summer, I’m struggling to see how an agreement can be signed by end of July … I’d say September as *nothing* happens here in August.
Latest update from HMA Madrid 23/7
https://www.facebook.com/100064516637663/posts/pfbid0B2kHDYKbKyP6BUyXkET5tnbbSEid43PA3emHWKUDXD3fKhrRhVsMGXLdaZLnEjxzl/?d=n
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 9:46am
Legendary helpful member
Many thanks David62 - I have copied and pasted the text here for those that are not Facebookists or don't want to get lost in the inevitable anti-Spain comments in the comments section:
**UPDATE ON DRIVING LICENCE NEGOTIATIONS**
We know there are lots of questions and concerns about the ongoing negotiations on driving licence exchange. We’ve rounded up the most common questions you’re sending in to provide you with more information, as well as an update on what’s happened this week.
We also know that all you want is to be back on the roads - and we want this too. We hope the below is helpful in providing transparency and understanding around the process.
**********************************
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:06pm
Helpful member
DarioMartin wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 9:46am:
Many thanks David62 - I have copied and pasted the text here for those that are not Facebookists or don't want to get lost in the inevitable anti-Spain comments in the comments section:
**UPDATE ON DRIVING LICENCE NEGOTIATIONS**
We know there are lots of questions and concerns about...Read more...
... the ongoing negotiations on driving licence exchange. We’ve rounded up the most common questions you’re sending in to provide you with more information, as well as an update on what’s happened this week.
When are we going to be able to drive again?
We also know that all you want is to be back on the roads - and we want this too. We hope the below is helpful in providing transparency and understanding around the process.
**********************************
We don’t know for sure because it is a live negotiation, but the UK’s ambition is to reach a deal as soon as possible. We genuinely are making progress each week. For example, this week we have agreed the main text, which means there are only the annexes outstanding. We recognise it has been frustratingly slow though.
Will it be before the end of July? Will talks be paused over August?
It remains our aspiration to agree the remaining parts as soon as possible. The important paperwork from Spain, which the Ambassador mentioned as outstanding last Friday, arrived this morning (22/07) and the UK team is now reviewing it as quickly as they can. Once everything is finalised, the agreement will then need legal and political approvals. We are committed to get this through the UK and Spanish systems quickly, however, as we’ve said before, we cannot make any guarantees.
We have sought assurances from the Spanish Government that we can continue negotiating in August if needs be. On the UK side, we have a full team available to cover this negotiation over the summer because it is a top priority for us.
At what point in the process are you?
This week we have agreed the main text – which is positive news. We now need to agree the annexes before the whole package can go forward for final legal and political approvals.
Why has it taken so long?
Creating an international treaty is always complex. In this instance, the Spanish Government also asked for data provision to form part of the driving licence exchange process, something which no other EU Member State asked for, and which requires careful legal and operational considerations. We have been required to seek additional legal advice from data experts and establish additional annexes to the main agreement. All of this has taken a lot of back and forth and therefore, a lot of time.
Can you tell us what you discuss in each meeting?
We want to be open and transparent about the negotiations, but we can’t give a running commentary on every meeting. This would be counterproductive to what we’re trying to achieve, which is to get you back on the roads as soon as possible.
Why can’t the temporary measures be reinstated now?
We have asked for this but Spain have not agreed to the request.
Who are the key players in negotiations?
The negotiations are being led by the Department of Transport (DfT) on the UK side and the Interior Ministry’s DVLA equivalent agency, Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), on the Spanish side, in collaboration with The British Embassy in Spain and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
MY OPINION ON THE ABOVE (Stop reading here if you don't care about my opinion):
OK, you're still reading, so you obviously want to see what I think. The first point I'll raise is the little line about temporary measures being reinstated, and Spain not agreeing to that. One could be forgiven for thinking that cessation of temporary measures is all that has brought UK to negotiating in anything like good faith. Perhaps Spain fears that a re-introduction of temporary measures now would see a sudden slackening in the pace of negotiations and perhaps the reversal of items that perhaps Britain has only reluctantly agreed to - like DVLA access.
The other thing is the quite vague and ambiguous statement about negotiating through August. I refer to the "We have sought assurances from the Spanish Government that we can continue negotiating in August if needs be" line from HMA. Notice he doesn't say anything about the legal or political approval neccessary to ratify this treaty other than their commitment to get it through the UK and Spanish political systems as quickly as possible .... I stand by what I said originally after now seeing this update - it will now be September at the very earliest before UK licences are once again given limited validity for British residents of Spain. I say limited because it most certainly won't be open ended. There will be a period of time allowed for British residents of Spain who still hold a UK licence to exchange for a Spanish Carnet de Conducir. This is quite apart from the fact you cannot register a NON-UK address on your UK licence, and having the wrong address on your UK licence CAN leave you open to prosecution by UK authorities and a subsequent fine
This situation doesn't affect me, I just have a holiday home and I'm not resident, but I've been following the driving licence saga with interest. Just to see how Spain and the UK can come to terms on this issue in the hope that more flexibility will come on the 90/180 rules.
What I'm having trouble with, is understanding how so many people didn't switch licences when they knew Brexit was happening?
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