Can he still exchange licence?

QUESTION: 

I HOLD a residence certificate as an EU citizen in Spain and I have a UK driver licence, valid until my 70th birthday. Because of Brexit, I have to exchange my UK driver licence for a Spanish licence. After the exchange, do the Spanish authorities return the U.K. licence? Obtaining the appointment to exchange may take five to six months. Will this delay complicate matters due to its being after the Brexit date, or, because I started the procedure before the Brexit date, will that make the exchange simpler, meaning that I will not need to take a Spanish drivers test?

P.L. (Costa Blanca)

ANSWER: 

The best I can say is that tentative agreements between Spain and the UK suggest that you will be able to make the exchange without problem, even if it takes place after Brexit, as long as you apply beforehand. Apply now. You should already have exchanged your UK permit valid to 70 years of age in any case because an official resident of Spain must make the change after two years. No, Spain does not return your UK permit.