Waiting for the PSOE and Unidas Podemos (UP) to close their negotiations before the Council of Ministers approves the third anti-crisis package To alleviate the effects of the war in Ukraine, many of the measures included in this royal decree can be anticipated, which will be explained by the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, after the last meeting of the Executive this year. The decisions affect everything from fuel to commuter tickets and Rodalies or foreign investments in Spanish companies, among many others.
Discounts on fuel and aid to the countryside, transport and others
In the decree, the government shields discounts of 20 cents during 2023 in fuels for farmers, for whom it in turn agrees aid for the extra cost that has occurred in fertilizers, one of the basic elements for its production. The aid, with a maximum item of 300 million euros, will be 20 euros per hectare in dry land and 50 in irrigated land.
Aid for diesel consumption is also approved for owners of fishing vessels and traps, for which an amount of 120 million euros.
Subsidies are also provided for maritime passenger and cargo transport services on lines of public interest, such as Balearic or Canary Islands.
The road transport companies They will have an aid of 20 cents per liter of diesel between January 1 and March 31, 2023 and 10 cents between April 1 and June 30, 2023. Direct and extraordinary aid is also provided for the use of fuel and energy products to taxis, passenger transport with driver (VTC), ambulances and urban and suburban passenger transport.
basic food
The coalition government negotiates better prices for food through a 300 euro check for the shopping basket for vulnerable families and the VAT reduction for basic foods. In the absence of knowing the final measure, the draft of the royal decree law explains that the price increase “is especially relevant in food, with basic necessities, such as flour, butter or sugar, which have experienced increases of close to 40 % YoY”.
Advantages in transport
The Government has decided to include a limitation on the increase in motorway tolls, at least in the draft that has been handled so far. The aim is to prevent the automatic application of the toll update system from being 8.5%. The measure is “extraordinary and temporary” for a maximum period of two years or until the Executive approves a new review system for the rate and toll review system of the State concession highways.
Another of the expected advantages consists of the reduction of multi-trip tickets for users of public road transport service concessionaires that are the responsibility of the State thatbetween next February 1 and June 30 They will have a 100% discount, provided they make at least 12 trips in the first quarter and 16 in the four-month period between May 1 and December 31.
It is planned to maintain the discount 50% of Renfe who were already benefiting from it until next January 31st. The company will create a multi-trip ticket for commuters and Rodalies, which will be free for users with current requirements.
housing measures
While the partners of the Government of the PSOE and Unidas Podemos (UP) have just closed an agreement on rentals, the draft contains the modification of royal decree law 11/2020 and establishes the suspension of the eviction proceedings and the releases for vulnerable homes without a housing alternative. Other measures related to this area, such as those that affect verbal trials on claims for rent or amount owed by the lessee or the expiration of the duration of the contracts are extended until June 30, 2023.
foreign investment
Another of the measures contemplated in the draft decree with anti-crisis measures refers to the limitation of significant investments by individuals or companies from third countries or communities in activities that are considered strategic. This limitation, which expired on December 31, is extended for two more years. These are operations in which the investor comes to hold a share equal to or greater than 10% and all those that allow you to have control. All this affects companies listed in Spain or not listed if the value of the investment exceeds 500 million.
Minimum wage and non-contributory pensions
In the absence of an agreement for the minimum interprofessional salary (SMI) of 2023, the draft text of the Government establishes an extension of the current one, of 1,000 euros in 14 payments “until the royal decree is approved by which it is set for 2023 within the framework of social dialogue.” Once there is an agreed amount, the Executive will approve it and can start it up from a certain moment or with retroactive effects from January 1.
Among other labor measures, the anti-inflation package also includes the extension throughout 2023 of the 15% rise in non-contributory pensions and the Minimum Vital Income (IMV), the amount of which is determined based on the amount set for this type of pension. The relief contract in the manufacturing industry is extended until January 1, 2024, a formula that allows workers to partially retire before reaching retirement age in exchange for the company hiring younger personnel, and is approved a new offer of public employment for the year 2022 of up to 1,000 places in the Scale of Local Administration officials with national qualification
Extension of tax reduction on electricity and gas
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Beyond the newly created measures, the Government will extend others that it has been expanding in recent months, such as the tax reduction on the electricity bill for vulnerable households and consumers until June 30, with a VAT of 5% and a Special Electricity Tax of 0.5%, as well as the suspension of the 7% tax on electricity production. In addition, the VAT is also maintained at 5%, the VAT on natural gas, as well as briquettes or “pellets& rdquor; from biomass and wood for firewood used as fuel in heating systems. Disposable surgical masks will also continue to be taxed at 4%, while vaccines and covid tests will remain at 0%.