The Valencia region has observed a continuation of service concessions for vehicle technical inspection stations (ITVs) under the public administration model. The Ministry of Sustainable Economy and the local Consell have notified the concession operators that the term of the current service agreement has been extended. This adjustment was undertaken to accommodate different recovery timelines after the first wave of the Covid-19 health crisis across the autonomous community. The extension aims to align ITV operations with the evolving post quarantine demand and regional health service pacing, ensuring service continuity for residents.
Consell extends exclusive concession of service provided by ITVs for 53 days
In practical terms, Minister Climent approved a partial extension of contract 1997/CONT01/9 by 55 days, covering January 1 to February 24, 2023, which redefines the end date for ITV operations in several towns. The updated list of affected stations includes Alcoy, Benidorm, Ondara, Orihuela-San Bartolomé, Redován, Torrevieja, Villena, Utiel, Gandia, Ontinyent, Vinaròs and Xàtiva.
Additionally, a second extension runs 62 days, from January 1 to March 3, 2023, applying to ITV stations in Alicante and Elche along with Alzira, Castelló, Catarroja, Llíria, Massalfassar, Riba-roja de Túria, San Antonio de Benagéber, Valencia-Campanar, Valencia-Vara de Quart and Vila-real.
These changes follow Royal Decree 463/2020 of 14 March, which declared a state of alarm and ordered the temporary closure of many retail outlets and nonessential services. The directive allowed essential services to remain open, while ITV operations faced suspension during the height of the restrictions. The General Directorate of Industry, Energy and Mines informed concessionaires on 17 March 2020 that ITV service was not considered a core service, and stations would stay closed while the alert state persisted. This adjustment reflects an effort to balance health imperatives with the need to preserve essential vehicle inspection capabilities for the community.
Pilar de la Horadada reveals temporary ITV suspension tied to Consell franchise rescue
The extraordinary health measures during the early stage of the pandemic made performance of the contract temporarily impossible. Between 17 March 2020 and either 11 May or 18 May 2020, depending on the location, ITV service was unavailable and the concessionaires closed their facilities for a total of 55 days in the first scenario and 62 days in the second.
The responsible department under Minister Climent then invoked Article 34.4 of Royal Decree Act 8/2020 of 17 March, which covers extraordinary emergency measures to mitigate the economic and social impact of COVID-19. The provision supports local governments or communities when the pandemic scenario warrants it, allowing the concessionaire to restore the contract’s economic balance as appropriate to each case.
The proposal for this adjustment centers on rebalance measures to restore economic equilibrium during periods when service delivery became impossible due to the state of alarm. Public company Sociedad Valenciana will transfer ITV operations back to the Generalitat through the ITV management entity, with the aim of boosting efficiency, competitiveness, and service quality. The initiative also envisions price savings for residents, including a potential 20 percent discount on rates, accompanied by modernization and expansion efforts to enhance overall service delivery.