The system of maritime transport bonuses for residents, a sacred pillar of connectivity in the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla, is facing a drastic reform. The Tribunal de Cuentas has issued a devastating report on the 2023 fiscal year, in which 227 million euros were allocated to subsidize 8.6 million trips. The auditing body warns of a total lack of control over spending: there are no limits on the number of trips, the amount of fares, or the accommodation category, which is allowing the State to subsidize luxury cabins and covert dining services with public money.
The General Directorate of Merchant Marine (DGMM) has managed a program where 93.7% of the budget is directly allocated to subsidizing 75% of the resident ticket. However, the Tribunal denounces that the current system is regressive: without caps, residents with greater financial capacity are the ones who benefit the most from the subsidy by purchasing tickets in higher categories. In addition, the ‘laxity’ in residency accreditation is criticized, which is based solely on registration, opening the door for citizens who habitually reside on the mainland to continue enjoying the discount irregularly.
The report recommends immediate intervention by the Government to ensure the sustainability of the model. Among the proposals are establishing a maximum subsidizable fare per trip, limiting the number of annual trips per person, or linking the aid to the income level of the beneficiary. The Tribunal de Cuentas is particularly strict with the ‘luxury’ or higher categories, suggesting their direct exclusion from the aid system to prevent public funds from financing value-added services unrelated to the basic transportation need.
The lack of control also extends to relationships with shipping companies. The audit has detected insufficient control over the maximum fares agreed upon in public service contracts, resulting in an excessive amount of improperly paid bonuses. Consequently, the DGMM has already initiated recovery proceedings against two companies for a value of 1.14 million euros corresponding to over 331,000 shipments. This scenario of ex officio reviews and possible claims from previous fiscal years marks the beginning of an administrative tightening aimed at ending the opacity in the sector’s settlements.
