Local · Barcelona
Barcelona left-wing parties agree to triple cruise-ship surcharge cap, paving way for €30 stop‑over tax
Barcelona en Comú and Esquerra Republicana have agreed with mayor Jaume Collboni’s administration to raise the municipal cap on short‑stay cruise passenger charges from €8 to €24. Paired with the Catalan regional tax, a stop‑over visitor could face a total levy of €30 per day.
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In brief
BComú, ERC and the PSC municipal government have agreed to push for raising the maximum municipal surcharge on short‑stay cruise passengers from €8 to €24, which with the 6‑euro regional tax would total €30 per person.
The legal cap change requires amending the Catalan budget‑accompanying law. BComú will file an amendment on Tuesday; on Wednesday the municipal Economy commission debates motions backing the measure.
ERC projects the higher charge could generate €20 million a year and wants the proceeds to subsidise 50 % of school‑meal costs for all Barcelona students.
Jaume Collboni announced in May that he aims to reduce stop‑over cruise traffic to zero, arguing day‑trippers saturate public spaces without enough economic return.
- 15 MayMayor Collboni announces ambition to cut stop‑over cruise traffic to zero and accelerate the municipal surcharge increase.
- 15 JunBComú and ERC announce agreement with the PSC municipal government to raise the surcharge cap to €24.
- 16 JunBComú presents an amendment to the Catalan budget‑accompanying law to authorise the higher municipal ceiling.
- 17 JunBarcelona municipal Economy and Finance commission debates motions from BComú and ERC in support of the cap increase.
The agreement
Barcelona en Comú (BComú) councilor Carol Recio announced on Monday that her party and Esquerra Republicana (ERC) had reached an accord with the municipal government led by the PSC to more than triple the ceiling on the city’s surcharge for cruise passengers who stop for less than 12 hours. The current legal cap on the municipal supplement is €8 per person per day; the proposed amendment would lift it to €24. Because the Catalan government already levies a 6‑euro tourist‑stay tax (IEET), the combined maximum for a short‑stay cruise visitor would climb from the current €11 to €30.
The move translates a stated goal of mayor Jaume Collboni, who said in mid‑May he wanted to drive stop‑over cruise tourism “to zero,” arguing that day‑trippers contribute little to the local economy while adding to overcrowding. The city had previously planned to raise the charge gradually to €8 over four years; Collboni later indicated he wanted to accelerate the increase and even triple the tax if feasible.
“The mayor tells us the city is overcrowded, and we agree, but he then makes a deal with Junts on the Ciutat Vella land‑use plan that reinforces shops aimed at tourists.”
Political friction and next steps
Recio’s criticism underscored the political complexity of the deal. While she backed the tax increase, she accused Collboni of failing to match his rhetoric with action, pointing to a separate agreement with Junts that she said favours tourist‑oriented businesses in the historic centre. ERC’s deputy spokesperson Jordi Castellana added that his party would also propose an annual cap of 3.5 million cruise passengers.
The first concrete steps are already on the parliamentary calendar. On Tuesday BComú will submit an amendment to the Catalan government’s 2026 budget‑accompanying law, which would authorise the higher municipal ceiling. On Wednesday the city’s Economy and Finance commission will debate two separate motions (one from BComú, one from ERC) urging the regional parliament to approve the change. If the amendment passes the Parliament, the final rate will be decided within the city’s own tax‑ordinance negotiations later this year.
Financial and tourism impact
Stop‑over cruisers account for 45 % of all cruise visitors to Barcelona, according to Castellana. He estimated that raising the municipal surcharge to €24 could bring in an extra €20 million a year. ERC wants those funds to cover 50 % of school‑lunch costs for every pupil in the Catalan capital. The port authority and cruise industry have pushed back, noting that cruise passengers represent only 2.5 % of the city’s daily tourists and arguing that eliminating stop‑overs would not solve the broader saturation of iconic sites.
“We think the city suffers many impacts from tourism, and we also believe that the benefits of this activity must flow back into the daily life of Barcelonans.”
- Current maximum
- 11 €
- Proposed maximum
- 30 €
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Sources and context
- EL PAÍSLa mayoría de izquierdas de Barcelona acuerda subir la tasa local para cruceristas de ocho a 24 euros
- eldiario.esBarcelona planteará aumentar la tasa a los cruceristas hasta los 24 euros
- El PeriódicoBComú y ERC acuerdan con el PSC subir la tasa turística a los cruceros que atraquen en Barcelona
- LaVanguardiaBComú anuncia un acuerdo con ERC y PSC para poder cobrar 24 euros a los cruceristas de escala
- Carol Recio
- Barcelona en Comú councilor who announced the agreement and criticised mayor Collboni
- Jaume Collboni
- Mayor of Barcelona (Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya) who pledged to reduce stop‑over cruise traffic
- Jordi Castellana
- Deputy spokesperson for Esquerra Republicana in Barcelona, who proposed earmarking the extra revenue for school meals
- Places
- Barcelona
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