Portugal's Beach Noise Crackdown Threatens UK Tourists with £30k Fine

Portugal’s Beach Noise Crackdown Threatens UK Tourists with £30k Fine

Tourists are being warned they could face huge fines if they breach a new ‘noise’ rule on beaches in Portugal.

Portugal’s National Maritime Authority (ANM) has banned playing loud music through portable speakers at a volume that upsets other beachgoers.

The smallest fine beachgoers will be slapped with if they're caught is €200 (£170), but repeat offenders or those who have ignored previous warnings can be stung with a bill for €4,000 (£3,400). For groups, the fines can reach a staggering €36,000 (£30,953).

Locals and tourists who are bothered by loud noise blasting from portable speakers on Portugal’s beaches are being urged to contact the local Maritime Police force responsible for the beach where the disturbance is.

“Portable speakers are prohibited on beaches at volumes which can bother other sunbathers.

“We have seen this problem increase in recent years and we are increasing our vigilance to combat it.”
A spokesperson for the Portugal’s National Maritime Authority (ANM)

The ban comes as the peak tourist season approaches in popular areas such as the Algarve, which welcomes more than one million tourists from the UK every year.

It is unclear how loud music would have to be before officials consider it at a level worthy of a fine.

Border Rule Changes

British holidaymakers heading to Europe are also being warned to expect changes at the border later this year.

Non-EU tourists who can visit the EU without a visa will soon be required to register their fingerprints and pictures under EU new laws.

The European Union is introducing a new automated IT system to register all travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries every time they cross an EU external border.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will require travellers to scan their passports and other travel documents at a self-service kiosk before crossing the border.

The system will register your name, type of travel document, fingerprints, pictures of your face, and the date and place of entry and exit. This data will be used to ensure compliance with the rules of the Schengen area on entry and the permitted lengths of stay. The system will also record anyone who overstays and any refusals of entry.

It is due to come into effect by the end of this year, but a confirmed date is yet to be announced. It has already been delayed twice, after originally being scheduled for 2022 and later pushed back to May 2023.

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