The EPSV for self-employed workers in the Basque Country will begin to operate in three months

2023-12-27 14:15:07

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Pedro Azpiazu, and the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce of Gipuzkoa, Mauri Arregui; Álava, Gregorio Rojo; and Bilbao, José Ignacio Zudaire, signed a collaboration agreement this Wednesday for the implementation of a pension system articulated through an EPSV of preferential employment for self-employed or self-employed people, as this newspaper already reported in November In principle, it is estimated that it will come into operation within approximately three months.

The signing of this agreement took place at the headquarters of the Bilbao Stock Exchange, where Azpiazu and the president of the Gipuzkoa Chamber, Mauricio Arregui, on behalf of the three chambers, held a press conference. This agreement comes after the approval, a month ago, by the Government Council, of a subsidy for these Chambers of Commerce and thus facilitate the creation, constitution, and registration in the Registry of Voluntary Social Security Entities of this EPSV.

In principle, the set of professionals to be incorporated into a model of these characteristics in Euskadi is 124,531, according to data from the Basque Institute of Statistics-Eustat referring to 2022, although they have assured that, currently, that figure could be higher .

At the hearing, they explained that this initiative aims to provide complementary social security for this group, since they usually contribute to Social Security, in general, at minimum rates, consequently obtaining “reduced benefits and pensions.”

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Pedro Azpiazu, has indicated that the objective of the initiative is to promote complementary social security for these professionals that is “efficient, adjusted in management expenses, with early incorporation of workers and with tax incentives if The collection of benefits occurs in a complementary way to the Social Security pension, that is, in the form of income.

By virtue of this agreement, the Chambers of Commerce will promote the creation and constitution of this initiative by preparing a Regulation that will contemplate, among other issues, the system of contributions and benefits and the maximum administration expenses to be charged to the member, which will never They may exceed 0.5% of the assets linked to each plan. The agreement contemplates that there may be pension plans for each association that brings together the self-employed.

At the hearing, Mauricio Arregui, on behalf of the Chambers of Commerce, highlighted that they have taken up this initiative “with interest and willingness to collaborate”, since it is in accordance with their nature and “it is good for the group of self-employed people.” .