Electric Steps are vehicles powered exclusively by electric motors with a design speed between 6 and 25 km/h.

Before driving an electric step in Spain, it is important to be aware of the rules that users of personal mobility vehicles must comply when driving in urban areas and to do so safely.

It should also be borne in mind that from 22 January 2024, all steps on the market, must be certified for use and that from 22 January 2027, only those steps that comply with the provisions of the VMP (Vehículo de Movilidad Personal – Personal Mobility Vehicles) Characteristics Manual and thus have a VMP certificate number from the DGT may be put on the road. The DGT has published a list of all certified VMP which you can check on the DGT website to ensure maximum security for the buyer.

Each local government can regulate the circulation of electric steps in a specific way. However, all users must meet certain minimum conditions in Spain, which are described below.

– The speed of these steps must be between 6 km/h and 25 km/h.

– The DGT has prepared the Handbook of Characteristics of Personal Mobility Vehicles, a regulatory document containing the technical characteristics that MPVs must meet in order to be allowed on the road and the requirement for these vehicles to be certified by the competent authorities in Spain.

– They cannot drive on pavements and are not allowed on interurban roads, intersections, motorways, dual carriageways or urban tunnels.

– Their drivers are subject to the same maximum alcohol levels allowed by the Road Safety Act, as well as the prohibition of driving with drugs in the body.

– They are not allowed to wear headphones or use a mobile phone or other device while driving.

– The recent traffic law requires drivers of motorised two-wheelers to wear safety helmets, with conditions to be laid down in regulations. The DGT is already working on this regulatory development in collaboration with municipalities and stakeholders in Spain.

The electric step in Spain is required to have the following:

• Braking system
• Audible signal device (buzzer).
• Rear and front lights and reflective devices.
• It is also recommended to use a helmet, even if the municipal regulation does not require it.
• Third-party liability insurance for electric steps in Spain

Offences and associated fines in Spain

• Driving an electric scooter in Spain under the influence of alcohol and other drugs can result in a fine of between €500 and €1,000, depending on the alcohol level, or €1,000 if drugs are involved. In case of a positive test, the vehicle will also be stopped, as for all other vehicles.
• For using a mobile phone while driving a scooter or any other communication device in Spain, the fine is €200.
• For wearing headphones, driving at night without lights or reflective clothing, or not wearing a helmet, if the municipal ordinance requires this measure, the fine will be €200.

Maintenance of an electric step in Spain

The electric scooter needs regular maintenance. It is not recommended to use it if parts are broken, if the battery life has significantly decreased, if there are air leaks in the tyres or signs of wear, or if there are noises when turning or other abnormal symptoms. In such cases, contact a workshop.

Also check the condition and pressure of the tyres if they have inner tubes. Use a damp cloth for cleaning and avoid electrical parts. Never charge the battery overnight as it may overheat and catch fire. Charging should be done before the battery is completely empty and never when the scooter is wet or damp.

If you need advice on this new personal mobility law in Spain, or on any tax or legal issue, please contact our law firm Welex in Marbella. Do not hesitate to contact our offices, our team of professionals will be happy to give you the advice you need.

La entrada Regulation in Spain for riding an Electric Step se publicó primero en Lawyers Costa del Sol Spain.

Have you suffered any crime in Spanish territory? Have you witnessed a criminal act being committed in Spain and you don’t know where the facts may be investigated? In the following lines, the English speaking criminal lawyers at our offices in Marbella will give you a first approximation to the jurisdiction, determining the body in charge of the investigation of the facts that could have criminal characteristics.

Do not hesitate to contact Welex, your criminal law firm in Spain. Approach our English speaking criminal lawyers in Marbella, the heart of the Costa del Sol, Spain.

Matters of jurisdiction are an essential element in the investigation of a criminal act, because knowledge of the case by a judicial body that is not called upon by law to carry out an investigation or to prosecute and rule on the case could render that procedure null and void, since it violates the provisions of Article 117 of the EC, as well as Article 24(2) of the EC, and the right of the ordinary judge predetermined by law, which implies that the judge must determine the criminal act before it is committed, outlawing what are known as ad hoc courts.

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La entrada The jurisdiction of judges and courts in Spain in the criminal field se publicó primero en Lawyers Costa del Sol Spain.

The Spanish Constitution configures the judicial power as an independent power, being the only power of the State to which the name of power is given.

The Spanish judicial system configures as one of the essential pillars of the Administration of Justice the determination of the ordinary judge predetermined by the Spanish law, as a preposition of the jurisdiction and arising directly from the separation of powers.

Going deeper into this idea, the Spanish Constitution configures the judicial power as an independent power, signed in Title VI of the Spanish Constitution

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La entrada The ordinary judge predetermined by law in Spain se publicó primero en Lawyers Costa del Sol Spain.

The Spanish law of criminal prosecution introduces preliminary rulings as a key issue regarding the complexity of criminal offenses in Spain

Jurisdiction for the sole purpose of repression

By Welex, your criminal lawyer in Marbella!

The jurisdiction of the criminal courts in Spain is one of the most important procedural matters, since its non-observance can have such a relevant consequence as the violation of the constitutional guarantee of the ordinary judge predetermined by law in article 24 of the Spanish constitution, sanctioning its non-observance with the nullity of the act.

In this scenario, and in front of the complexity of the criminal definitions, which on many occasions make it necessary to define the regulatory elements of the criminal definitions, the need arises for the judicial body to deal with these elements solely for this procedure. This question is covered by the Spanish law of criminal procedure in Chapter II, Title I of Book I, under the heading “Preliminary rulings”, to which the law devotes only 5 articles.

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La entrada Preliminary rulings in the criminal field in Spain se publicó primero en Lawyers Costa del Sol Spain.

Our law firm in Marbella can answer all your questions about Spanish bankruptcy proceedings. First, it is important to note that Spanish law tries as much as possible to help individuals and companies that are going through complicated situations meet their payment obligations.

If it is foreseen that the Spanish bankruptcy procedure will take a long time, that is to say, that there is no short-term solution, a so-called creditors’ meeting will be requested. This enables a judge to intervene and assign an administrator to be in charge of mediating between a business and its creditors in order to find a solution to end the situation of the outstanding debts.

What is the aim of bankruptcy proceedings in Spain?

The creditors’ meeting is the tool to help, or at least to try to help, a company stay in business. A company with outstanding debts will search for ways to pay their creditors and it will try to stay viable.

How does the creditors’ meeting work?

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La entrada Bankruptcy proceedings in Spain: All you need to know? se publicó primero en Lawyers Costa del Sol Spain.