2023-06-28 04:15:00
The Government of Spain has approved its seventh shock plan to alleviate the effects of inflation on consumers and companies, and among the measures it has included the extension until December 31 of the electricity reduction for the electro-intensive industry. It is a measure demanded by the Government of the Principality, the Asturian Business Federation (FADE) and the UGT and CC OO unions of the region and that the Association of Companies with Large Energy Consumption (AEGE), to which companies with large weight in Asturias such as ArcelorMittal or Asturiana de Zinc (Azsa), demands that it be permanent “as in other European countries with which we compete”, said Pedro González, general director of AEGE.
The 80% reduction in the cost of access tolls to the transmission and distribution networks for the electro-intensive industry expired on June 30 and there was fear in the sector that it would not be extended because it would mean a sharp drop in competitiveness of the large Spanish industries in international markets. For the first six months of the year, the estimated savings on the electricity bill of the electro-intensive companies is around 112 million, according to government calculations.
Finally, the Council of Ministers has decided to extend until December 31 the reduction of electricity tolls for large industry. The measure is accompanied by a provision enabling the transfer to 2023 of the 2022 electricity system surplus, which will allow its financing without budgetary cost or increase in consumer bills. “The energy-related measures have been very effective,” said Vice President Nadia Calviño after announcing the inclusion of the extension within the package of 3,800 million validated yesterday and that combines extensions of already existing aid and new policies, most of them in force until December 31st. These are the main measures:
Basic food and gas. The VAT reduction on basic foods has been extended until December 31: from 4% to 0% on basic necessities (bread, eggs, fruits and vegetables) and from 10% to 5% on pasta and oils . The freezing of the cap on the price of the butane cylinder is also maintained.
Transportation vouchers. Aid will be extended to the autonomous communities to co-finance the 50% discounts on season tickets and multi-trip tickets for public transport. The State will allocate a maximum of 380 million more to cover the cost of the 30% reduction, as long as the regional and local administrations finance at least an additional 20%.
Bonus to carriers. The Government has decided to extend the fuel bonus for carriers, keeping it at 10 cents per liter until September 30 and lowering it to 5 cents in the last quarter. The discount was abolished in December in general and was only maintained for the professional transport sector, although from April 1 it was reduced to 10 cents per litre, half of the initial 20.
Housing measures. The Executive withdraws the automatic renewal with the same conditions and for six months of all rental contracts and this is limited to vulnerable families. The decision has generated the rejection of Sumar. “Outrageous is little,” said the coalition’s Housing spokesperson, Alejandra Jacinto, while Vice President Calviño stressed that the new Housing Law already establishes maximum rent limits. The suspension of evictions of vulnerable homes is maintained.
Electric car and VTC. A block of measures is focused on the car sector. On the one hand, the Government enables a deduction of 15% in the income tax of any citizen who buys a new electric vehicle. A battery of facilities is also approved to increase the installation of charging stations. And as a result of the new ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on the taxi and transport vehicle with driver (VTC) sector, in which it censured the regulation implemented so far that limited the proliferation of second , the Government has approved a modification to “introduce limitations linked to environmental criteria,” said Calviño.
Permits and scholarship holders. In labor matters, the Executive has given the green light to two modifications. The main one is the permits to facilitate the conciliation of workers that were contemplated in the family law (which will not prosper as a whole given the electoral advance). Salaried employees will have three new permits available. One of five paid days a year, which can be used in the event of a serious accident or illness. Another, also paid, “due to force majeure”, which can be distributed by hours and may reach a total of four days a year. And the third, unpaid, an eight-week parental leave, which can be enjoyed continuously or discontinuously, full or part-time, until the minor turns 8 years old. The Government approves these permits while delaying the entry into force of other measures, such as the obligation to pay scholarship holders, which passes to January 2024.
Measures
Extensions until December 31. VAT reduction on basic foods, discount on public transport season tickets, cap on the price of butane cylinders, aid for the electro-intensive industry, suspension of evictions for vulnerable households and fuel discount for carriers. deletions. Automatic renewal with the same conditions and for 6 months of the rental contracts.new. 15% deduction in personal income tax for the purchase of a new electric vehicle, facilities to increase the installation of charging stations, a new line of ICO guarantees for the purchase of a first home by young people and families with dependent minors, changes in the the VTC to introduce limitations linked to environmental criteria, six-month extension of the term to start the construction of wind and photovoltaic farms, update of the remuneration parameters for cogeneration facilities for the period 2023-2025 and new conciliation permits.
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