Fines of €1,500 for the chiringuitos

Between the penalty and the savings

Formentera, March 13, 2025

The eight concessionaires of the chiringuitos in Formentera have been fined €1,500 each for failing to dismantle their installations within the required period. The Consell de Formentera carried out inspections on several beaches across the island in February, confirming that all chiringuitos remained standing when they should have already been taken down.

According to the public administration and based on the bidding conditions, the chiringuitos were required to remove their installations between January 15 and February 15. However, since they failed to meet this requirement, a sanctioning process has been initiated against those responsible.

The legal services of the Consell Insular de Formentera consider this violation to be “very serious,” with penalties ranging from €1,500.01 to €3,000.

However, since this is the first time these concessionaires have violated the regulation and they have no prior sanctions, the authorities have opted to impose the minimum possible fine of €1,500 per establishment.

A possible regulatory change on the horizon

Looking ahead to the winter of 2026, a potential modification to the current regulations is being considered. According to reports in the media, the Balearic Government and the Consell Insular de Formentera are exploring the possibility of eliminating the requirement to dismantle the chiringuitos for one month each year while maintaining the obligation to cease operations for a winter month.

If this measure is approved, Formentera’s chiringuitos could keep their structures in place year-round, leading to significant reductions in operational and financial costs.

Some current chiringuito concessionaires have previously stated that dismantling and reassembling a beach kiosk takes at least 45 days of work and costs approximately €30,000 per unit due to the structural complexity of the current chiringuitos in Formentera—especially in comparison to those from previous years.

A particular case on Migjorn Beach

Among the sanctioned kiosks, there is a special case: the bookshop kiosk located on Es Copinar Beach. Unlike the chiringuitos, this establishment operates under a temporary permit, meaning it is only allowed to function between May 1 and October 30 and must be dismantled starting in November.

Since it was not removed as required, it has also been fined €1,500, placing it on equal footing with the other concessionaires who failed to comply with the regulations. This highlights that the enforcement of fines is uniform, regardless of whether the establishment is a chiringuito or another type of service.

Calls for the annulment of chiringuito concessions

In addition to reporting the failure to dismantle the installations this winter, former chiringuito concessionaires have alleged six serious irregularities in the current chiringuito concession process. They have formally requested that the Balearic Government declare these concessions null and void.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle, they outlined their legal arguments for imposing the necessary sanctions and, most importantly, for revoking the rights granted to the current chiringuito operators.
This move is part of a growing tension between the former concessionaires and the administration, as they believe the allocation process was riddled with irregularities that unfairly disadvantaged the previous chiringuito operators in Formentera.