The councils of Ibiza and Formentera decided on Monday to eliminate the mobility fees that apply during the summer months for residents of both islands as of next year. This was decided at a meeting held at the Consell de Formentera between the top representatives of the island's institutions.
The presidents of the Ibiza and Formentera councils, Vicent Marí and Óscar Portas, agreed to ask the Govern to amend legislation to harmonise the systems for regulating vehicle entry on both islands, with a common system that exempts Balearic residents from quotas and restrictions
«We have identified issues that are causing problems for residents of both islands, and we believe it is necessary to address these issues. The conclusion is that the best thing to do is to eliminate these restrictions and allow freedom of movement for residents of Ibiza and Formentera», said Vicent Marí, president of the Consell d'Eivissa, to the media. «The figures are balanced, and we are not talking about significant numbers of vehicles. It makes no sense to maintain these quotas, which cause inconvenience to citizens and unnecessary bureaucratic procedures. In this way, we are taking an important step towards freedom of movement», Marí insisted.
According to a press release from the Formentera Council, both leaders emphasised the importance of «preferential treatment» for citizens of the archipelago who travel between the islands for work, family or service reasons. Current regulations do not take this into account and can lead to «unfair situations», they agreed.
The regulation of vehicle circulation on the island of Formentera, known as Formentera.eco, establishes a quota of 235 cars and 50 motorbikes per day for Ibiza residents during the period of application, which this year runs from 1 June to 30 September.
Ibizans, like all other residents of the Balearic archipelago, do not pay any fee for taking their vehicles to Formentera.
The quota that the Consell d'Eivissa has approved for residents of Formentera in the Ibiza Circular initiative in its first year of implementation has been 120 vehicles per day.