Apr
24
No agreement in ‘tax lease’ negotiation
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The tax lease system was used to build vessels until mid-2011. (Photo: Abeijon Hermanos)
No agreement in ‘tax lease’ negotiation
SPAIN
Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 01:40 (GMT + 9)
The head of the Ministery of Industry and Pymar, José Manuel Soria, and the Commissioner responsible for competition of the European Union (EU), Joaquin Almunia, met in Madrid to negotiate a new tax credit or tax lease for the naval sector, but an agreement failed to be reached.
The tax lease is a system used until 2011 in Spain to build vessels.
According to the sources consulted by the newspaper Faro de Vigo, the positions between the Spanish Government and the EU are “really far apart.”
Therefore, the term granted by the Executive to shipyards for a new financial tool to enter into force – by late April or May – is in danger.
In the Ministry of Industry it is considered that the meeting was “positive” and was developed “smoothly.” In addition, it is clarified that the Spanish government “does not intend to have any difference” from what other EU countries determine.
In this regard, Almunia expressed his “agreement” on this proposal.
Meanwhile, Spanish authorities will continue working on a system that is similar to the French one, which is the only one that has the approval in Brussels at present.
The Galician shipyards that are members of the Restructuring Society of Small and Medium Shipyards (Pymar) and Aclunaga (Galician cluster of the naval sector) admitted that despite the fact that last Saturday they had “good expectations” as to the meeting, the issues treated and whether officials came “to any conclusion” are still unknown.
Since the cancellation of the tax lease, in June last year, the Government has developed several drafts for the launch of a new tax credit system.
Meanwhile, the General Workers’ Union (UGT) argued that the Spanish technicians (Finance, Tax and Industry) and those from the European Commission (EC) have agreed on a final tax lease draft that would take the model from France as reference.
However, he said it “is not useful” as it does not set a bonus percentage.
“Without knowing the details [about the meeting between Soria and Almunia], we imagine that nothing will change for the naval sector,” said the secretary general of MCA-UGT in Galicia, Manuel Garcia.
Related article:
– Galicia Shipyards regret negotiation exhaustion of ‘tax lease’
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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