France, Portugal and Greece could be set to follow in the footsteps of Spain by levying heavy taxes on British expats setting up in the EU.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez announced this week that a 100 per cent tax will be introduced on foreign home-buyers who are non-EU citizens or don’t already live in the country.
He said the new measure will help “prioritise the availability of housing for residents”, pointing out that 27,000 foreigners from outside the EU purchased homes in Spain in 2023 “not to live in them, but to speculate”.
Now, in news that will come as a bitter blow to post-Brexit Britain, the move could be replicated in other EU countries, including France, Portugal and even Greece.
According to reports in The Mirror, France has already been facing pressure to stem the rise of short-term tourist rents in recent years to make housing more affordable for locals.
Greece, meanwhile, issued a blanket ban on short-term rentals in the centre of Athens following a massive public outcry.
In Portugal, there have been protests over the lack of affordable housing, with banners displaying messages like: “I have to choose between paying for a house or eating.”
Related: British expats in disarray as Spain announces plans to scrap ‘golden visa’ scheme