KEY POINTS: What changes about life in Spain in July 2024
New speed limit margins, more tourism protests, food price drops, lots of festivals, some promising weather news, income tax cuts and plenty more, these are the key changes to life in Spain in July 2024.
Another anti-mass tourism protest in Mallorca
Disgruntled residents of the Balearic island of Mallorca will hold another protest against the negative consequences mass tourism is having on their cost of living and quality of life following two other protests on the islands in June and numerous others across Spain.
READ MORE: Granada and Mallorca pile more pressure on Spain's mass tourism problem
This time, protest group Menys turisme, més vida en Mallorca (Less tourism, more life in Mallorca) will gather en masse on July 21st to call for laws that protect locals from skyrocketing prices and rents as well as wages that allow them to not be priced out of the place they call home.
When will Spain’s summer heat start?
July is generally the month when Spain truly starts to sizzle in the summer heat, although in recent years heatwaves have taken place as early as May.
This June has bucked the trend somewhat with plenty of rain throughout the month, and early forecasts for July point to the first two weeks of July 2024 not being as suffocating as is standard.
In the second half of July is when the traditional olas de calor (heatwaves) will pay us a visit according to meteorological website El Tiempo. Temperatures will be higher than average for that time of year across mainland Spain and the Balearics.
New speed limit margins
From July 1st, speed cameras in Spain will become less ‘tolerant’ of going over the speed limit on 100 km/hour roads, lowering the threshold for when they flash and you end up with a fine.
Spain’s DGT traffic authority will lower the limit on fixed speed cameras from 5km/h over the limit to 3km/h and from 7 km/h over the limit to 5 km/h regarding mobile speed cameras.
New elevator law
Four out of every ten lifts in Spain have to be revamped under new legislation which comes into force on July 1st 2024, forcing communities of owners to fork out up to €30,000 in renovation costs.
READ MORE: Why you may need to pay for a new lift in your Spanish building
Olive oil prices drop
Spain's government will remove all value-added tax on olive oil from July 1st, a relief for pretty much everyone who uses this staple of Spanish cuisine and has seen prices soar to an eye-watering €15 for a litre.
READ MORE: Spain to eliminate tax on olive oil to ease price jump
It won’t be that much cheaper though, €0.64 on average, and the VAT cut is only expected to last until the end of September.
Other food prices to drop slightly
Olive oil isn’t the only food product that will experience a slight price drop in July, as on June 25th the Spanish government approved a 0 percent VAT rate on bread, eggs, vegetables and fruit until December 31st.
It will give some respite to shoppers who have seen food prices climb up by 47 percent over the past four years.
Income tax slash
Part of the same legislation approved by Spanish authorities includes an IRPF (income tax) cut for 5.2 million Spaniards who earn below €15,876 a year.
Tax Minister María Jesús Montero has essentially raised the salary threshold of a measure already in place.
Those earning up to €22,000 a year can also expect an IRPF cut, but not quite as generous.
New cybersecurity rules for cars in Spain
From July 1st, the electronic system of all new cars sold in Spain will have to meet the EU’s standards on cybersecurity.
In essence, as vehicles become increasingly smart and digitised they have become exposed to being hacked, meaning that new cars will have to update their systems with software that protects them from such attacks (personal data theft, security system failure etc). Cars sold before that date do not have to abide by these rules.
Summer sales go into full throttle
July 1st sees the official start of the summer sales throughout much of Spain, although many stores have kicked off the sales even earlier.
After the start of the sales, you’ll see signs for “segundas rebajas” (second sales), then “terceras rebajas” and finally “remate final” (final push), where discounts progressively go from 30 percent to 40, then 50 and finally down to an incredible 70 percent price reduction.
READ MORE: What to know about Spain’s 2024 summer sales
Festivals in Spain in July
July sees a whole host of festivals and celebrations across the country. Most famous are the San Fermín Running of the Bulls, held in Pamplona from July 6th – 14th and the Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol, held in the historic Galician city of Santiago on July 25th.
Other festivities taking place in July include Bilbao’s BBK music festival from the 11th to the 13th and the Moors and Christians parades in Villajoyosa starting on the 24th, commemorating the famous battle of 1538.
Pride celebrations are also set to return in July. Madrid’s LGBTIQ+ festival will take place from June 28th to July 7th throughout many areas of the city but concentrated around Chueca.
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Another anti-mass tourism protest in Mallorca
Disgruntled residents of the Balearic island of Mallorca will hold another protest against the negative consequences mass tourism is having on their cost of living and quality of life following two other protests on the islands in June and numerous others across Spain.
READ MORE: Granada and Mallorca pile more pressure on Spain's mass tourism problem
This time, protest group Menys turisme, més vida en Mallorca (Less tourism, more life in Mallorca) will gather en masse on July 21st to call for laws that protect locals from skyrocketing prices and rents as well as wages that allow them to not be priced out of the place they call home.
When will Spain’s summer heat start?
July is generally the month when Spain truly starts to sizzle in the summer heat, although in recent years heatwaves have taken place as early as May.
This June has bucked the trend somewhat with plenty of rain throughout the month, and early forecasts for July point to the first two weeks of July 2024 not being as suffocating as is standard.
In the second half of July is when the traditional olas de calor (heatwaves) will pay us a visit according to meteorological website El Tiempo. Temperatures will be higher than average for that time of year across mainland Spain and the Balearics.
New speed limit margins
From July 1st, speed cameras in Spain will become less ‘tolerant’ of going over the speed limit on 100 km/hour roads, lowering the threshold for when they flash and you end up with a fine.
Spain’s DGT traffic authority will lower the limit on fixed speed cameras from 5km/h over the limit to 3km/h and from 7 km/h over the limit to 5 km/h regarding mobile speed cameras.
New elevator law
Four out of every ten lifts in Spain have to be revamped under new legislation which comes into force on July 1st 2024, forcing communities of owners to fork out up to €30,000 in renovation costs.
READ MORE: Why you may need to pay for a new lift in your Spanish building
Olive oil prices drop
Spain's government will remove all value-added tax on olive oil from July 1st, a relief for pretty much everyone who uses this staple of Spanish cuisine and has seen prices soar to an eye-watering €15 for a litre.
READ MORE: Spain to eliminate tax on olive oil to ease price jump
It won’t be that much cheaper though, €0.64 on average, and the VAT cut is only expected to last until the end of September.
Other food prices to drop slightly
Olive oil isn’t the only food product that will experience a slight price drop in July, as on June 25th the Spanish government approved a 0 percent VAT rate on bread, eggs, vegetables and fruit until December 31st.
It will give some respite to shoppers who have seen food prices climb up by 47 percent over the past four years.
Income tax slash
Part of the same legislation approved by Spanish authorities includes an IRPF (income tax) cut for 5.2 million Spaniards who earn below €15,876 a year.
Tax Minister María Jesús Montero has essentially raised the salary threshold of a measure already in place.
Those earning up to €22,000 a year can also expect an IRPF cut, but not quite as generous.
New cybersecurity rules for cars in Spain
From July 1st, the electronic system of all new cars sold in Spain will have to meet the EU’s standards on cybersecurity.
In essence, as vehicles become increasingly smart and digitised they have become exposed to being hacked, meaning that new cars will have to update their systems with software that protects them from such attacks (personal data theft, security system failure etc). Cars sold before that date do not have to abide by these rules.
Summer sales go into full throttle
July 1st sees the official start of the summer sales throughout much of Spain, although many stores have kicked off the sales even earlier.
After the start of the sales, you’ll see signs for “segundas rebajas” (second sales), then “terceras rebajas” and finally “remate final” (final push), where discounts progressively go from 30 percent to 40, then 50 and finally down to an incredible 70 percent price reduction.
READ MORE: What to know about Spain’s 2024 summer sales
Festivals in Spain in July
July sees a whole host of festivals and celebrations across the country. Most famous are the San Fermín Running of the Bulls, held in Pamplona from July 6th – 14th and the Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol, held in the historic Galician city of Santiago on July 25th.
Other festivities taking place in July include Bilbao’s BBK music festival from the 11th to the 13th and the Moors and Christians parades in Villajoyosa starting on the 24th, commemorating the famous battle of 1538.
Pride celebrations are also set to return in July. Madrid’s LGBTIQ+ festival will take place from June 28th to July 7th throughout many areas of the city but concentrated around Chueca.
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