The Estepona City Council has authorized nearly 400 licenses for new establishments in the last two years.

The rate of opening permits accelerates, with a 10% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. The Consistory maintains the municipal ordinance that streamlines procedures and allows the rapid establishment of new businesses.

Estepona City Council reports that it has authorized a total of 383 opening licenses in the last two years processed through the delegation of Commerce. The councilor responsible for the area, Cristina Cintrano, has indicated that the growth of the productive fabric continues to rise as evidenced by the data. In this regard, she stressed that the municipal projects developed to enhance the city have managed to boost the local economy and generate a strong economic fabric and opportunities.

Cintrano stressed that in 2024 there was an increase in the number of licenses of 10%, with a total of 202, while in 2023 a total of 181 new opening licenses were granted. The mayor stresses that every day and a half a new business was opened in the town during 2024, while continuing to consolidate those who have been operating in the town for some time. “These data show the increase in economic activity and the focus of attraction in which the city is becoming in recent years,” says the mayor.

Of these 383 licenses granted, 274 correspond to new businesses that have been established in the city, while 109 changes of ownership of establishments have been made in the last two years.

The delegation of Commerce and Industry is responsible, in addition to the processing of new licenses, other important aspects for the city coming to process more than 800 files during the past year. Thus, more than a hundred authorizations were processed for occupation of public roads, 50 authorizations for market stalls, more than thirty authorizations for holding shows or twenty permits for filming in the city, among others.

The head of the municipal area has highlighted the efforts of the Consistory to avoid bureaucratic obstacles that may delay the implementation of projects. Among the measures that have been adopted highlights the elimination of the payment of the opening fee for commercial activities classified as innocuous, totaling 157 in the last two years.

Along with this, a bonus of 75 percent in the cost of the license fee for opening business for groups that are in a situation of greater vulnerability.

Women victims of gender violence, the long-term unemployed, young people under 30 years of age, people with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33 percent and people over 55 years of age who have been unemployed for at least six months in the last two years are eligible for this tax measure.

To offer greater facilities, interested persons can carry out all the necessary procedures for the opening of a new establishment through the electronic headquarters. On this platform they can also manage appointments with the different municipal departments.

In addition to these measures, every year the Consistory launches different campaigns to boost the local commercial network through activities aimed at positioning the businesses and gaining the loyalty of the public.