Spain’s health minister, Trinidad Jiménez, has said that a tougher ban on smoking in public places would be introduced by 1 January 2011.

The new law would prohibit smoking in all enclosed public areas, such as bars and restaurants, though hotels would be able to reserve some of their rooms for smokers. The government is also studying the question of smoking in outdoor public areas, such as terrace bars and sports stadiums. At the beginning of 2006, the government banned tobacco smoking in most enclosed public places but only restricted it in bars and restaurants. There was no reply on the question of compensation for the many catering establishments that installed smoking areas with extractor fans, in line with the smoking restrictions introduced four years ago.
The Spanish hotel association is opposing the law. (pi)