News
Airport record
Málaga exports hit
by US tariff hike
The agricultural sector in Málaga
received a set-back on October 19
when the USA’s new tariff on
importing produce from Spain became
effective. It affects a wide range of
products including olive oil, olives,
butter, wine, cheese and pork.
Málaga’s airport hit a new record in
September with more than two million
passenger passing through during the
month, a rise of 2.8% on the same month
in 2018. Airport operator Aena says 87%
of travellers flew from or to other
countries with the UK market continuing
to lead over Germany and France. It is
likely that the airport’s passengers total
for the year will exceed 2018’s record, so
maintaining its position as fourth busiest
in the country.
Boost to tourism
Nerja and Almuñécar are amongst 18
towns in the region which have met new
qualifications and have had their
classification as Tourist Municipality
renewed with the regional government.
Nerja’s tourism councillor Gema Garcia
said the move is a boost to the
development of tourism which is the
town’s main economic engine. The Junta
de Andalucía first awarded Nerja the
classification in 2005.
Property seized
A Málaga court has seized the property
in Totalán where a two-year-old boy
died after falling 70 metres down a bore
hole. The land owner has declared
bankruptcy after being ordered to pay
€885,310 for the complex rescue
operation which was then mounted. The
prosecutor has asked for him to be jailed
for three years for serious reckless
homicide, although the boy’s parents
have called for six months longer,
alleging “extremely serious” negligence.
Torrox parking
La Almedina car park in the centre of
Torrox is set to close at the end of the
year after the concession holder, UTE
Almedina, said the town’s mayor will no
longer negotiate with them. Mayor Oscar
Medina says the concession, awarded 11
years ago, was extended from 20 to 40
years in 2014 to compensate for losses of
€4.1 million claimed then by the
operator. Two courts have also thrown
out their later claims for €33 million in
compensation.
The rate increased from 3.5 per cent to
25 per cent which the Bank of Spain
has estimated will mean a decline of at
least 12 per cent in Spanish sales to
America, equivalent to 0.01 per cent of
GDP. The government has estimated
an economic impact of US$841 million.
The rise came as representatives of
Málaga’s wine and oil industries voiced
their concerns to Juan Carlos
Maldonado, vice-president of the
provincial government and its Deputy
for Sustainable Economic
Development. They warned him that
small and medium businesses in the
sector will see falls in their exports to
the USA of up to 30 per cent.
Oil producers are particularly worried
that American customers will turn to
ordering supplies from Italy, Tunisia
and Greece which are not affected by
the increased tariff rate. The Axarquía
in particular is heavily dependent on
producing the raw fruit for the
manufacture of olive oil.
The Deputy was also made aware that
there is “great concern” amongst small
business because large companies
exporting oil or wine in bulk are not
affected by the increased rates.
Sr Maldonado said Málaga’s provincial
government has commissioned a study
to assess the economic impact of the
tariff increase, and is encouraging
central government and Brussels to
approve aid packages for the sector. He
added that the situation should act as
an incentive for the sector to seek new
markets, particularly in Asia.
In Madrid, the Minister of Industry,
Trade and Tourism functions, Reyes
Maroto, has assured Spanish producers
that the Government is working to
make the USA reconsider through
“dialogue and consensus.” He added
that Spain’s policy is to “negotiate,
negotiate, negotiate.” The tariffs have
been imposed by the US after the
World Trade Organisation ruled in
favour of the United States which
claimed that illegal subsidies had been
received by the European aircraft
manufacturer Airbus. The measure also
affects food products from over a
dozen EU countries including French
wines and cheeses, Scottish and Irish
malt whisky, British sweets, German
coffee and biscuits, and Italian cheeses.
Málaga airport incident
Spain’s Civil Aviation Accident and
Incident Investigation Commission
opened an enquiry last month into an
incident at Málaga airport on
September 11 involving two Boeing
737s operated by Ryanair. The incident
passed off without any consequences.
It appears that one aircraft leaving en
route to Liverpool and another
arriving from Hamburg were
scheduled to use the same runway.
According to reports, the departing 737
was given clearance to move onto the
runway and take off, but as it gathered
speed and lifted the nose for take-off,
the incoming 737 passed overhead. The
second aircraft had approached the
runway but had not been given landing
clearance. The preliminary report
18
issued by the Commission into why
the 737s came within the minimum
separation distance has attributed the
incident to the use of a single runway
despite the heavy workload. Air Traffic
Controllers, while still awaiting the
final report, said on social media that it
was not untypical for such incidents to
occur at busy airports operating only
one runway. Other comments added
that controllers always want to use a
second runway, but that staff shortages
means that this is not always possible.
The second runway at Málaga airport
opened in 2012 allowing up to 37
landings and take-offs per hour when
both runways are open. It has been
closed at times because of lack of staff,
and through industrial action by some
airport workers.