Consell d'Entitats extends formentera.eco season and doubles fees

foto 2022xii cde feco ampliat AYesterday at 7.30pm members of local associations gathered for the second session of the Formentera Council of Entities (Consell d'Entitats) to determine the 2023 fees and enforcement period for formentera.eco, a project to regulate vehicles brought and driven on the island. Association representatives voted to extend the regulation period to 1 June to 30 September and raise associated fees to €6/day for cars (€30 minimum) and €3/day for motorcycles and scooters (€15 minimum) – double the rates in 2022.

Ana Juan, president of the Consell de Formentera, explained, "This second session served to set the fees and enforcement period for next summer, bringing us in line with the legislative goal of lowering the vehicle ceiling by 16% in four years". "However, we will continue to work locally on policies for increasingly sustainable mobility", she assured the president, "and in this, residents must be involved as well." She asserted, "Within government we will work to provide alternatives with quality public transport and road safety improvements for both motor vehicles and bicycles".

For his part, Rafael González, councillor of mobility, welcomed the extended regulation period "because it will allow us to better control the months of June and September where we have seen increases in incoming vehicles". As for the fee hike, the councillor insisted that a lengthened enforcement season and new minimum fees last year "brought very positive results", asserting that visitors were staying longer and the number of one-day visits had dropped. González expressed hope that with the changes approved by the Consell d'Entitats for summer 2023 "results will continue to improve".

Enforcement period
The decision taken yesterday by the Consell d'Entitats to extend enforcement and double formentera.eco fees will be taken to the January plenary session of the Consell de Formentera. The formentera.eco website will come online in the first half of February, making it possible for people to reserve their authorisation to drive during the regulation period. The fee increase must also receive initial backing from the plenary and undergo a period of public consultation. Definitive approval and entry in force of the change are therefore expected to occur between April and May. Pending entry into force, drivers seeking authorisation will continue to pay the fees approved in 2022: €3/day for cars (€15 minimum) and €1.5/day for motorcycles (€7.50 minimum).

Lastly, Vanessa Parellada, councillor of citizen participation and moderator of last night's Consell d'Entitats session, applauded the participation of the 28 groups that voted and underscored the fact that, "as always, they look to achieve a more sustainable mobility for our island".

Formentera.eco restrictions do not affect cars, motorcycles or other vehicles belonging to Formentera residents, though they must still obtain accreditation. Residents of the other islands in the region are also exempt from payment, but they must obtain accreditation to drive on the island during the months of regulation.

13 December 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera