The four companies grouped in Ciment Català have asked the Generalitat that when it is time to reformulate and possibly increase the tax burdens of all kinds, and in particular environmental taxes, which is being raised recently in the Government, take into account the serious economic situation that continues to suffer construction in general and the cement sector in particular.
In this context, a delegation of the Board of Directors of Ciment Català met last October 2 with the General Directorates of Taxes and Games and Economic Promotion, Competition and Regulation and the Deputy Directorate General of Legal Regime of the Generalitat (Marta Espasa, Albert Castellanos and Natàlia Caba) to inform them that possible increases in tax pressure can have very negative consequences for the future, and even for the viability of the cement sector.
Ciment Català explained that a hypothetical increase in the tax burden may have an opposite effect to the increase in collection or environmental improvement initially proposed, promoting the relocation of production to more competitive but less efficient and more polluting factories. The sector considers that production in Catalonia is clearly penalized in favor of production outside, with more pollution, a fact that is difficult to fit with the principles of the National Pact for Industry.
For all these reasons, Ciment Català asked the Generalitat to reconsider the content of its initiatives, since the imposition of new taxes can easily lead to relocation of production, with net increases in pollution and loss of internal activity. This will also affect exports, which are essential to sustain the activity. It also calls for the availability and authorization of alternative fuels – in line with the developed countries of our environment – to be more competitive. It is basic to increase rates to waste and not apply taxes to the sector.