Catalan Government collected nearly 3 billion euros in taxes in 2016
The Catalan Government’s tax take rose by 8.3% in 2016, totalling 2.9 billion euros. More than half of this came from the real estate sector, which contributed 1.6 billion euros to the treasury due to the growth registered in both the execution of new mortgages and in the buying and selling of previously owned houses. The wealth tax also contributed to this 225.45 million euros, an increase compared to 2015, not only because the fee grew but also because there were more declarants in 2016 than in the previous years. The figures, which include the Catalan Tax Agency’s own taxes and those transferred by the Spanish state, include the new taxes applied in 2016 for the first time. In particular, the treasury benefited from the taxes applied to empty houses, which represented 11.49 million euros and the 2.99 million obtained by charging Co2 emissions produced by public aviation.
Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan Government collected 2.9 billion euros in taxes in 2016, which is 8.3% more than in the previous year. This increase is mainly due to the income obtained from the real estate sector, which registered a 12% growth in comparison to 2015 due to the rise in both executing new mortgages and in the buying and selling of previously owned houses. The wealth taxes also contributed to this rise, not only because of the increase in the fee but also because of the higher number of declarants. The figures provided by the Catalan Tax Agency also include new taxes which were applied in 2016 for the first time. In particular, those applied to empty houses, which represent 11.49 million euros and those on Co2 emissions produced by commercial aviation, which added 2.99 million euros to the treasury.
Last year, the Catalan Government collected 2,914,890,933.87 euros in taxes, both the Catalan Tax Agency’s own and those transferred by the Spanish state. This amount includes not only the liquid collection but also taxes incurred, which refers to those amounts which haven’t been paid yet but which taxpayers are due to pay.
Within the Catalan Tax Agency’s own taxes, that is to say, those launched by the Parliament there are the tourist tax, that on big commercial centres and the tax which charges empty buildings, amongst others. The list also includes those taxes transferred by the Spanish state, which are wealth, inheritance, donations and taxes on gambling.
Property tax, the main increase
More than half of the income collected in taxes in 2016 came from the real estate sector. In particular, taxes applied to property contributed 1.6 billion euros to the treasury. This 12% growth in comparison to 2015 is due to the rise in both the execution of new mortgages and in the buying and selling of previously owned houses. Indeed, real estate transactions in 2016 rose by 20% in comparison to the previous year, representing the best figure since the beginning of the financial crisis.
In particular, the Catalan Government collected 1.4 billion euros through Property Transfers and 400 million euros in Stamp Duty, which charge mortgages amongst others.
Amongst the taxes which are managed by the Catalan Tax Agency, one of the allocations which grew the most in comparison to 2015 was the Wealth tax. In particular, it registered a 7.3% increase in 2016, totalling 495.4 million euros. This rise is due to two things; one is the increase in the average fee and the other the rise in the number of declarants subject to the tax, which grew by 2%, totalling more than 1,400 people.
The Tourist tax contributed 47.61 million euros to the public treasury in 2016, 10.29% more than in the previous year. Taxes on donations grew by 16.82% while Inheritance tax declined by 8% in 2016 in comparison to 2015.
New taxes
Two new taxes were implemented in 2016; one on empty buildings and the other charging the polluting emissions produced by commercial aviation. The Catalan Tax Agency collected 11.49 million euros for the first and 2.99 million for the second.
Taxes on big commercial centres represented 15.3 million euros to the treasury and those which taxed gambling totalled 201.31 million euros.
On the other hand, some taxes were affected by judicial resolutions which forced the Catalan Government to return the amounts collected. This is the case of the taxes on nuclear energy? and credit deposits, which were declared unconstitutional and therefore invalid by the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC).ord missing. Please review.