THERE are no burkas on the streets of Tarres. In fact, there are no Muslims at all in this village of 108 inhabitants in northeast Spain. But that will not stop the parish council debating whether to ban burkas and face-covering niqabs from parts of the village next week.

“It is true that there are no Muslims living in the village now, but this would be a preventive measure in case they come,” said parish councillor Daniel Rivera, from the tiny and openly xenophobic Partit per Catalunya. Rivera's motion to ban burkas has outraged many. The motion is symptomatic of wider moves in the Catalonia region to ban Islamic veils from public buildings.

On Friday, the nearby provincial capital, Lleida, formally passed a ban that was first announced in May. Women found wearing burkas in public buildings will first be given a warning, but any repeat will lead to a fine of between 300 and 600 euros.

From Barcelona to Tarragona, bans are being slapped into place across the region. “At this rate we will end up with more bans than burkas,” said the immigration minister, Celestino Corbacho.

Conservative opposition parties — including the Convergence and Union coalition, which looks set to win regional elections in the autumn — had been pushing for an even stricter ban.

Following is a summary of how other EU countries are tackling the burka ban.

— In Belgium a new bill outlawing the wearing of face veils in public is awaiting senate approval. If passed, offenders will be fined or face a week in jail.

— France is trying to ban the wearing of full-face Islamic veils in public. President Nicolas Sarkozy has said they oppress women and are “not welcome”. An estimated 2,000 women in France wear full veils.

— The UK does not ban any form of Islamic dress. Schools are permitted to devise their own uniform policy.

— The Netherlands debated banning burkas four years ago and may yet outlaw them.

— In Italy, several regions have introduced rules to deter public use of the Islamic veil. Some mayors from the anti-immigrant Northern League have also banned the use of types of covered swimsuits.

— The Guardian, London