Do you want something to do on Halloween that is more satisfying than scary? Come along and help Eco Amigos with their latest clean-up, and keep litter out of the Mediterranean before the autumn downpours do their worst. This time the team is heading for the spots where heavy rain is most likely to sweep man-made rubbish and debris straight into the sea, and every extra pair of hands will make a real difference.

When and where is the Sabinillas clean-up?

Saturday, October 31 is the one to pencil in and not just for trick or treating, the session runs from 10am to 11.30am and all volunteers should meet outside Chirringuito El Paseo.

Litter-pickers will cover the zone running from the Manilva river down to the sea, taking in Playa de San Luis de Sabinillas. It is a smart choice of location, because riverbeds and drainage channels carry whatever has been dropped inland towards the shore once the rain arrives. Clearing them first stops the problem at its source.

What will Eco Amigos provide?

Organisers will supply bin bags, protective gloves, litter-picking sticks and hand sanitiser, so just turn up and get stuck in. Youngsters are very welcome, which makes this a lovely chance to show children how a little effort keeps a beach beautiful. Dogs, sadly, are not permitted.

Amazing results since 2024

Results speak for themselves. Volunteers have now removed 1,344 large bags of rubbish from natural spaces on the western Costa del Sol since 2024, all of it disposed of properly. Sessions usually take place on Sunday mornings around Casares, Manilva, Estepona and Marbella.

How to join in and help out

Not sure whether it is for you? Message the organisers through the Eco Amigos Facebook group, or visit ecoamigos.net for more information. Bring a friend, bring the kids, and help keep Sabinillas beach looking its best before the rains arrive.

A tiny payment error has caused calls for changes to Spain’s tax rules after a taxpayer faced a hefty surcharge because a payment to the Tax Agency fell just four cents short of the amount owed.

The case has been examined by the Consejo para la Defensa del Contribuyente (Council for the Defence of Taxpayers), an advisory body attached to Spain’s Ministry of Finance. In its 2025 annual report, the council argues that the consequences of such a small mistake can be wildly disproportionate and recommends changes to how certain tax debts are handled.

Why did four cents cause such a problem?

The case involved Modelo 111, the tax form used by businesses and self-employed workers to declare income tax withheld from employees and other recipients. The taxpayer had declared a debt for the third quarter of 2023 but failed to pay it within the original deadline or request a payment extension or installment arrangement. Once the voluntary payment period expired, the debt entered the enforcement stage under Spain’s General Tax Law.

The taxpayer subsequently paid almost the entire amount before receiving formal notification of the enforcement order. However, a small error when entering the payment left four cents outstanding. Under the existing rules, the more favourable 5 per cent executive surcharge applies only when the entire outstanding debt has been paid before the enforcement order is notified.

Because the payment was slightly incomplete, the Tax Agency proceeded with an enforcement order covering the debt. The council acknowledged that the collection authority had applied the legislation as written. Its objection was that the rules left little room to account for an obvious, insignificant error, despite the much larger financial consequences.

Importantly, the original payment deadline had already been missed. The four-cent mistake did not cause the initial late-payment surcharge; it prevented the taxpayer from qualifying for the more favourable rate.

Calls for a ‘right to make a mistake’

The council has recommended that the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Agency introduce consistent proportionality criteria for enforcement surcharges when only a very small amount remains unpaid because of an obvious arithmetic or typing error.

It wants the authorities to consider whether the outstanding sum is genuinely insignificant and whether the taxpayer can demonstrate that the shortfall resulted from a mistake. The proposal includes extending protections to certain errors involving amounts below €3, creating what the council describes as a form of ‘right to make a mistake’ when paying tax debts.

The €3 threshold is not entirely new. A joint resolution issued in November 2022 provided for the cancellation of certain outstanding debts below that amount where the cost of collecting them could outweigh the money recovered. The council argues that a comparable approach should be considered when a taxpayer has paid almost all a debt but made a minor error in the amount transferred.

It has also called for a broader review of Spain’s enforcement surcharge system, including the differences between taxpayers who submit their declarations on time but fail to pay and those who submit them late without first receiving a demand from the authorities.

What does this mean for foreign residents in Spain?

The case is a reminder that meeting a tax deadline and paying the correct amount are two separate requirements. British residents and other foreign nationals with tax obligations in Spain are subject to the applicable Spanish tax rules, just like other taxpayers in comparable circumstances.

Anyone paying a tax bill should check the amount carefully, ensure the payment has gone through and confirm that the full balance has been covered. If a payment is short, even by a small amount, it is worth seeking advice promptly rather than assuming the difference is too minor to matter.

Anyone who receives an enforcement notice should also check the deadline for responding and paying, as the surcharge can depend on whether the conditions for a reduced rate are met.

The council’s recommendations do not automatically change the law. Its annual report does not establish that the surcharge in this case has been cancelled, nor does it confirm that the proposed protections have been adopted.

For now, the case raises a straightforward question for Spain’s tax authorities: should an obvious mistake involving a few cents carry such serious financial consequences when a taxpayer has paid virtually the entire debt?

Christmas seems to arrive earlier every year, and one small village in Malaga province has already switched on its festive lights while much of Spain is still enjoying October, preparing for Halloween and All Saints’ Day.

Cartaojal, a village belonging to the municipality of Antequera, switched on its Christmas lights on October 22, getting ahead of the famous displays in Vigo and leaving the rest of the country wondering whether it is too early to start thinking about Santa Claus.

The early switch-on prompted a cheeky message from Antequera’s mayor, Manolo Barón, who took the opportunity to tease Vigo and its mayor, Abel Caballero, over their annual Christmas lights rivalry.

His message was essentially that Christmas had started in Cartaojal, with an apology to Vigo for getting there first.

Cartaojal beats the Christmas rush

¡ Este año la Navidad empieza en Cartaojal !

La primera población de España en encender su alumbrado navideño.

Lo sentimos por Vigo y por su alcalde… 😉 pero este año Cartaojal se adelanta a todos.

🎄Cartaojal y Antequera.

¡ Los primeros de España en encender la Navidad ! https://t.co/vVPdwYIGj8

— Manolo Barón 🇪🇸 (@manolo_baron) October 22, 2026

The village, home to around 1,200 people, may not have the enormous displays or national fame of Vigo, but it has certainly grabbed attention by getting into the Christmas spirit before the end of October.

Vigo has become one of Spain’s best-known Christmas destinations, attracting visitors with its huge illuminated displays, festive attractions and increasingly elaborate annual switch-on ceremonies. Visitors can explore Vigo’s famous Christmas lights through the city’s official tourism website.

However, Cartaojal has now thrown down the gauntlet, at least unofficially, in the race to get Christmas underway. The village joins the race to switch on Spain’s Christmas lights, which has seen smaller Andalusian towns compete with the country’s better-known festive destinations.

For everyone in the area, the early lights offer a welcome splash of festive cheer as the autumn evenings draw in. For others, it may be a reminder that there are still several weeks to go before December 25.

Malaga prepares for Christmas

Cartaojal is not the only place already looking towards the festive season. Towns and cities across Spain are preparing their Christmas decorations, with Malaga city scheduled to switch on its famous lights on November 27, according to the city’s published plans. The official Malaga Christmas lights schedule lists the planned inauguration.

Vigo is also preparing for another major display, although its annual celebrations traditionally take place later in November. EWN readers can look back at Malaga’s famous Christmas lights to see how the Costa del Sol capital celebrated last year.

Whether people love the early arrival of Christmas or feel the decorations should wait until December, Cartaojal has certainly started the countdown ahead of schedule.

And with Halloween still to come, anyone hoping to enjoy a little more autumn before the festive season takes over may have to look away from the Christmas lights for a few more weeks.

It makes one wonder if they will remember it’s Christmas by the time the festive season is actually celebrated, or for that matter, if they will remember to take the decorations down before Carnival, like so many don’t.