Mallorca car hire quotas: 22 changes seek CNMC view
Mallorca’s vehicle quota bill faces 22 proposed changes as the car hire association Baleval calls for a view from Spain’s competition watchdog. Baleval made the request on Thursday and wants to put its case before the relevant committee in the Balearic Parliament. It says any limit on vehicles entering Mallorca must be backed by technical, economic and competition assessments, including the real capacity of public transport.
The association wants clear rules for allocating quotas — limits on the number of vehicles allowed. It also argues that vehicles which do not create tourist pressure should be left outside the system. Baleval is calling for ongoing reviews and effective action against illegal activity.
Competition concerns over the quota plan
Baleval president Cristóbal Herrera said the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) had already challenged vehicle-limit systems in Formentera and Ibiza because it considered them restrictive to competition. The association wants the CNMC to set out its position on Mallorca so businesses can plan around the quotas they receive.
Herrera said reliable studies were needed before quotas are introduced. Mallorca’s population has grown by 35% over the past 25 years, while the number of passenger cars has risen by 42%, he said. The island’s current problems cannot be pinned on one type of vehicle, according to Herrera.
Call for a wider mobility strategy
Herrera said investment, adapted infrastructure and a transport system able to meet population growth and changing habits had been lacking. He argued that the proposal should have been sent back so a wider mobility strategy could be drawn up.
Baleval also questions whether the bill fits Spanish and European law. It says the proposal does not sufficiently show why car hire activity should be restricted, and warns of possible effects on competition, consumers, mobility and the economy.
Topics: Housing · Tourism · Politics
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com