The ministry's register has 48,000 vehicles, but the director-general, Pilar Carbonell, is once more criticising the lack of cooperation by a large number of companies. They are not letting the government know how many cars there are, so the ministry will respond by stepping up inspections between April and September. The problem for the ministry, though, is having enough inspectors.
Proceedings have been started against companies which breach regulations and don't register cars. Fines can be as much as 150,000 euros, though half a dozen proceedings are currently in the system which attract fines around a tenth of this.
There has been a particular early rush to bring cars to the island because of the threat of strikes by dockworkers. The Baleària and Trasmediterránea shipping companies have both reported that the ports in Barcelona and Valencia have been chock-a-block with cars.
The two hire-car business associations agree that there are too many cars in Majorca and are urging members to register vehicles with the ministry. "This is the only way to avoid chaos," says the Aevab association.
Meanwhile, the government's consumer affairs department is saying that large companies are refusing to sign up to its code of practice, one to which Aevab and fifteen companies are signatories. The department is going to be doing its own inspections by monitoring websites and visiting facilities.
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I hired a car in March this year, from the expensive rare metal Company. I was ripped off by €180.00. I would like to warn Tourists to thoroughly check, every aspect of their Contract, before they leave the Hire Car Desk.