Politics
spending
Politics
Catalan Government’s budget for 2016 to include €700 million more for social spending
Politics
The Constitutional Court bans the Catalan Government's drug prescription fee
Business
International tourists spent €7.68 billion in Catalonia between January and July
A report issued by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism reveal how Catalonia has received €7.68 billion from foreign tourist expenditure between January and July of this year. The figure represents an increase of 9.8% on 2012, and also means that Catalonia received 23.9% of Spain’s total foreign tourist spending, higher than any other area. Meanwhile, each tourist spent an average of €878 during their visit – 4.4% higher than last year’s figures. The average daily expenditure also increased by 1.2% on last year to €123. The Canary Islands received the second highest amount of foreign tourist expenditure with €6.24 billion, while The Balearic Islands were third with €5.67 billion.
Politics
Mas blames the Spanish government for the severe austerity measures in Catalonia
Catalonia won’t be able to meet its deficit targets without imposing cuts with “serious consequences” on the welfare state, said the Catalan President on Monday. Artur Mas explained in Parliament that the Spanish Government is forcing him to implement austerity cuts that are “impossible to meet without seriously affecting some basic elements of the welfare state”. Mas added that his government has been making a “very important” effort to reduce spending but blamed Madrid for “suffocating” the autonomous communities and local administrations by imposing very difficult deficit targets on them.
Society
Pharmaceutical spending drops by 24.6% in Catalonia in July
Compared to a year ago, the Catalan Healthcare System spent 24.6% less last July than in the same month of 2011. In July 2011, Catalonia spent €143.52 million on pharmaceutical products while it spent €108.10 million last month, when the drug prescription fee began and citizens started to pay a greater share of the cost of prescription drugs. Furthermore, drug prescriptions fell by 20%. In the whole of Spain, pharmaceutical spending also decreased by 24% last July, compared to a year ago.
Politics
The Catalan Health Minister warns that not subsidising 417 drugs may increase health spending
The Spanish Social Security has published the list with the 417 drugs that from September will no longer be subsidised in order to reduce public spending and meet deficit targets. Most of them are some of the most consumed medicines for minor symptoms, such as heartburn, muscle pain, or diarrhoea. Since the measure is not popular among doctors, the Catalan Health Minister, Boi Ruiz, said that more expensive drugs with similar effects but not included in the list may now be prescribed, which would increase pubic healthcare spending instead of reducing it.
Politics
Immigrants lacking legal residence will have their access to the Catalan public healthcare guaranteed
The Catalan Government has rejected the Spanish Executive’s initiative to limit public healthcare to foreign nationals without a legalised residence status. The Spanish Government proposed that irregular immigrants would only have access to emergency rooms and obstetrics services, but not to regular treatments and consultations. The Catalan Health Minister, Boi Ruiz, confirmed on Friday that in Catalonia, all foreign residents, independent of their legal status, would have free access to the public health system for “solidarity” principles but also “for public health reasons”. Besides the ethical issue, experts had warned about infectious diseases that could have increased because of having groups of people excluded from the health system.
Politics
All parties in Catalonia, except the PP, are against the Spanish Government’s Budget for 2012
CiU stated that it will be “absurd” that they support the current budget proposal in the Spanish Parliament although they are open to negotiate and modify it. Furthermore, CiU “does not rule out the possibility of taking the Spanish Government to court” for ignoring the current legislation. The Socialists directly considered the budget proposal “to mistreat Catalonia”. The Green Socialists ask for a “common Catalan front” against the budget. The Catalan Independence parties (ERC and SI) say the budget plunders Catalonia. The anti-Catalan nationalists stated the budget wants to please Merkel. The only party supporting the budget was the PP, which runs the Spanish Government.
Politics
The Spanish Budget for 2012 violates approved laws regarding investment in Catalonia
The Spanish Government will not respect the territorial funding scheme, approved by the Spanish Parliament and in a referendum, as it will only invest 11% of its regional spending in Catalonia. According to the current legislation, in order to compensate for an historical lack of infrastructural investment in Catalonia recognised by the Spanish Parliament and the Constitutional Court, the Spanish Government must invest at least the equivalent of Catalonia’s economic weight within Spain, which represents 18.7% in 2012. Furthermore it does not include €1 billion pending from 2008 and 2009, to which Catalonia is legally entitled.
Politics
CiU and the PP reach a final agreement to approve the Catalan Budget
The Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU), which controls the Catalan Government, and the People’s Party (PP), the third political party in Catalonia’s Parliament, have agreed to reduce some of the fees from the original proposal, reduce the number of public companies, build new schools and community health centres, and allocate more money to municipalities and victims of terrorism. Furthermore, the agreement goes beyond the budget and foresees the development of laws and plans to foster employment, entrepreneurship and a spending limitation. CiU has denied that it has a “stable agreement” with the PP for the entire term. The PP has demonstrated its new central role in Catalan politics. Every opposition party has criticised the agreement.
Politics
The King of Spain Juan Carlos has a salary of €292,752
For the first time since 1979, the Spanish Royal family has published how it spends the public money that it receives every year. In 2011, the household was given €8.4 million. The transparency of the monarchy comes at a time when the king’s son-in-law, Iñaki Urdangarín, and his business partners are the subject of a fraud investigation involving millions of euro of taxpayers’ money
Business
Catalan deficit cut by 6.9% in November
Despite a 4.6% reduction in revenue, the Finance Department has been able to cut spending by €283 million when compared to 2010. The government had a deficit of €3.798 billion in the eleventh month of the year, equivalent to 1.9% of GDP. The aim of the Catalan Government is to close 2011 with a 2.66% budget deficit.
Politics
The Catalan Government budget for 2012 fulfils the 1.3% deficit objective by increasing taxes, selling assets and reducing public sector salaries
The Catalan Government will reduce department expenditure by 3.8%, public sector prices will increase and real estate assets will be sold. In addition, a symbolic tourist tax and a universal fee for each drug prescription will be introduced. The Catalan Finance Minister, Andreu Mas-Colell, insisted that next year’s budget continues with the two-year adjustment plan, which has been designed to reach a 1.3% deficit objective in 2012. Basic welfare services and security and judicial policies are the areas least affected by the reductions. In the next few weeks, parliamentary negotiations will take place to approve the final budget.
Politics
Some regions are trying to “fool” the Spanish government, says an FT expert
Lex Writer Richard Stovin-Bradford argues in an interview with the CNA that Catalonia “is adopting strong measures” to cut its deficit while some autonomous communities “have not yet reduced the spending” as much.