Catalan art industries united against tax rise on culture

Barcelona (ACN).- The Catalan Minister of Culture, Ferran Mascarell, met in Parliament with representatives from the Catalan cultural sector to discuss how unpopular the new VAT increase is within the cultural sector in Catalonia. The meeting included representatives from the main associations of Music, Theatre and Cinema in Catalonia, among others. The meeting discussed various options and considered if they could take some kind action to oppose the VAT increase.

Mascarell indicated that he would use what he had learned in the meeting to write a formal letter to the Spanish ministers Cristóbal Montoro and José Ignacio Wert explaining the position of the government. He is aiming to state clearly that the VAT increase will make competition difficult with other European countries and criticises the changes as “beyond all logic”. The Minister will take action in congress to tackle the VAT increase, describing cultural taxation “as part of a more general problem because on the one hand VAT reduces consumption and on the other, Catalonia gets nothing”

The president of ADETCA, Daniel Martinez, praised the meeting. "While many have no power to change decisions, the Minister is now aware of the problems … and is committed to do whatever is necessary". He added, "In Madrid there was no consensus and no dialogue".

Ramon Colom, president of the Federation of Audiovisual Producers, said that "culture is not a luxury and the tax rates should not be homologous to that of luxury products”. Colom also considers that another objective should be to reconsider how culture is funded.