SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, December 27 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Plenary of the Parliament of the Canary Islands has approved this Monday to issue a favorable report to the proposal of the Ministry of Finance to modify the Economic and Fiscal Regime (REF) that includes the extension of the materialization of investments of the RIC until 2023 and the extension of the period of validity of companies in the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC) until 2027.
The groups that support the quadripartite -PSOE, NC, Sí Podemos and ASG- and the opposition -CC, PP and Mixto- have separated around the deadlines for the extension of the ZEC, which are subject to approval of the European Commission (EC), and that the opposition demanded that it be increased until 2029.
The Vice President of the Government and Minister of Finance, Román Rodríguez, has indicated that “there is no doubt” to extend the materialization of the RIC until 2023 and with respect to the ZEC, he has admitted that “we have to fight”, although “it is easy” because it is enough to notify the extension until 2029 to the European Commission.
Rodríguez has commented that this change “could be made earlier” because it was set in April, and in fact, NC warned about it since September but the State always “pushes the REF negotiations to the limit, in this case until this Tuesday, when it will be approved by royal decree-law.
Ricardo Fernández (Cs) has said that he does not understand or understand the attempts of the State to “shave” the REF and leave it until the last minute and he wonders “why does the document bother the Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, and her team.
He has said that he does not agree that certain incentives are removed and the “specificities” of the islands are not understood.
Vidina Espino, spokesperson for the Mixed Group, has pointed out that the modifications of the RIC and the ZEC “are necessary and are taken in extremis” but does not share the criteria with the incentive of the ZEC because the enjoyment should last until 2029 and not 2027.
“To accept what the ministry proposes is to accept a mutilation of the ZEC that we cannot afford at a time of great economic difficulties,” he said.
A “HACHAZO”, ACCORDING TO THE PP
The spokesperson for the Popular Group, Australia Navarro, has said that in Parliament they have been fighting for “three years” every time the State “hits an ax” on the REF and “does not assume” that they are the rights of the islands “and they are not a gift”.
He has commented that “it is very sad” to see the “weakness” of the Government of the Canary Islands to “set limits” to the central Executive, which puts at stake the “legal security” of the REF and its ability to attract investment and generate employment.
Along these lines, it has stressed that neither the RIC nor the ZEC is “respected” with companies that cannot afford the committed investment or pay taxes.
Rosa Dávila (CC-PNC) recalled that Parliament “already stood up” this year and went to the Constitutional Court to defend the REF and now, the Government is trying to military the period of validity of the ZEC until 2027 and not 2029 as required . “They make the most pernicious and damaging interpretation of the ZEC,” he indicated.
It has said that it does not understand how the Government reports favorably to the modification of the REF when its arguments “coincide” with those of the opposition.
Melodie Mendoza (ASG) has commented that the registration of ZEC companies is extended until 2027 at the proposal of the State but the quadripartite groups ask the European Commission to extend it until 2029, and the RIC until 2023.
He has said that the extension of these periods is “fundamental” but has regretted that the periods chosen by the State are short and shorter than those allowed by the EC.
Manuel Marrero, spokesman for Sí Podemos, has commented that the EC has always admitted the extension of the periods of enjoyment of the ZEC incentive, hence his group supports the favorable report.
RESPONSIBLE MODIFICATION AND “GIVES SECURITY”
Esther González (NC) has said that “there is no need to object” with the extension of the registration of ZEC companies until 2023, as well as the materialization of the RIC, while with respect to the period of validity, there are “differences of interpretation” between the Government of the Canary Islands and the central one.
Thus, he considers that “the most practical” is to accept the extension of the period of validity of the ZEC until 2027, as defended by the State, but trusts that the EC will finally extend it until 2029, a task that will be carried out by the ministry itself. “It is necessary that dialogue with the State prevail,” he added.
Nira Fierro, president of the Socialist Group, has commented that the modification of the State “is responsible and gives security to the ZEC” and on the period of validity, which should be six years, has commented that it depends on the EC.
“They know that it will be expanded shortly but they are looking for an artificial conflict and putting aside the historic consensus with the REF,” he snapped at the opposition, whom he accused of “wanting to kill” the ZEC with “civil war language.”
