Spain Extends Euro 2020 Visa Permissions for UEFA
Spain has decided to extend tax breaks and visa permissions granted to UEFA for the hosting of Euro 2020 matches, which are scheduled to be played in Bilbao, as the tournament has been postponed until next year due to Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), the Spanish government announced.
UEFA’s request for tax breaks, exempts officials and appointees, employees, accredited members of the media and participating teams, from corporate tax and non-resident income tax (IRNR) in Spain has been approved by the authorities,
The country’s new decision will enable the income by non-residents for services to UEFA and prize money earned by the participating teams to be tax-free.
In September 2014, the San Mamés Stadium of Bilbao was selected to host four matches during Euro 2020, including three group games and one round-of-16 matches, but as Spain is the second most affected country by the Coronavirus, the government decided to temporarily extend the event permission.
Spain’s Council of Ministers agreed to extend the tax and visa validity after UEFA’s requirement to its host countries to ensure that the commitments were upheld.
UEFA’s employees are allowed to enter and exit a host country as many times as needed for up to four years before the competition and one year after its conclusion, according to UEFA’s Tournament Requirements guidebook.
Foreign nationals also receive a valid passport who attend a Euro 2020 match with official personal accreditation with the necessary visas to enter, stay and leave Spain.
Last week, Spain’s government announced that the country would extend its “state of alarm”, related to travel restrictions and border closure, until at least May 10.
According to an order signed by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the border controls with neighbouring countries France and Portugal will remain in place until at least May 10.
The European Commission has asked the European countries that are part of the Schengen Zone, and the associated states to extend the external border closure for non-essential travel to the EU for a month, until May 15, as an effort to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
