catalan way

Catalan political parties, business associations, and many citizens are outraged by the decision to increase toll prices in Catalonia, while in the rest of Spain there are many toll-free highways. The Catalan Transport Minister asked the Spanish Government to implement a “soft toll” throughout Spain, instead of increasing toll prices in Catalonia. He reminded that for some journeys within Catalonia, there are no free of charge alternatives to the tolled highways. Catalan nationalists see this measure as a new proof of Catalonia’s high fiscal deficit, paying much more to the rest of Spain than what it gets in return. The People’s Party (PP), running the Spanish Executive, asked the Catalan Government to reduce the price of its tolls.

Catalan Parliament approved on Wednesday the proposal for a new fiscal pact for Catalonia by an overall majority. The proposal defends the creation of an independent tax agency with powers to raise and manage all taxes in Catalonia. According to the Catalan President, Artur Mas, it involves starting a “difficult” negotiation with the government of Spain but it was either “now or never”. If achieved, this new fiscal arrangement would be similar to the one enjoyed by the Basque Country, that collects its own taxes and has been able to keep its debt under control. Therefore, it could help Catalonia getting out of the crisis. Currently, out of the all the territories, Catalonia is ranked third for the amount it pays in taxes, but is ranked tenth for the amount it receives in return. The new arrangement would see Catalonia leaving the common system established by the Organic Law on the Financing of the Autonomous Communities (LOFCA) and establishing bilateral fiscal relationships with Spain.

The Pro-Language Platform, an organisation that works to promote the Catalan language, reports that only 6% of products sold in supermarkets meet the Consumer Code of Catalonia, which requires that products are labelled in Catalan. In a study, the organisation revealed that the market is not yet standardised, claiming that 94% of products do not meet the law’s requirements and that this is disrespectful to the consumer. The organisation reports that although large multinational companies such as Danone, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Gillette and Philips respect the laws of other linguistic areas, they do not abide by the labeling requirements in Catalonia.

The Minister of Culture, Ferran Mascarell, met in Parliament with representatives from the Catalan cultural sector. In the meeting they discussed how unpopular the new VAT increase is within the cultural sector in Catalonia. Mascarell sent a letter to Spanish Finance Minister, Cristóbal Montoro and Spanish Culture Minister, José Ignacio Wert representing the cultural sector on this issue. The president of the Employers Association of Catalan Cinema, Camilo Tarrazón, said after the meeting "Spain will be the only state to have culture as a luxury good".

The Catalan President in a parliamentary session criticised what he considers to be “acts of disloyalty” by the Spanish government. He said it is unfair that regions have to assume most of the burden of Mariano Rajoy’s adjustment program and emphasised the fact that Madrid has yet to pay much of its debts to Catalonia. Mas accused Rajoy of “lacking respect” for the autonomous regions and said this could lead to a “break down of relations” between administrations.

Where will the basketball teams stay during the Olympics? How will they travel from the hotel or the Olympic Village to the stadium? Who will help the sailing referees if they have any problems? What will the Cultural Olympics programme look like? Four Catalans can answer all these questions. They are part of the enormous team of people working for the London Olympics 2012. The Catalan News Agency has spoken with four of the Catalan "infiltrators" in the Olympics to find out more about their contribution to the world’s biggest sporting event.

The Catalan President has made the case for Catalan full fiscal autonomy in a trip to Portugal. Artur Mas has started an international tour to try to explain to foreign leaders why Catalonia wants to have a new fiscal arrangement with Spain. According to the president, the Catalan fiscal deficit caused by the current system is damaging Catalonia, one of the driving forces of the Spanish economy, and therefore is also detrimental to Spain.

New research by the Catalan Government studied more than 20 Catalan cities in different sectors to calculate how Catalan use has increased in schools, hospitals, public administration and media. The study, Ofercat, concludes that more traders and public employees are answering in Catalan despite it not being their usual language.

The British financial news publication has also awarded the Spanish Santander the ‘Best Bank in the World 2012’. Euromoney emphasised CaixaBank’s fiancial solvency and its strong growth over the previous years.

The ruling Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition, Convergència i Unió (CiU) and the People’s Party (PP) have agreed to evaluate the drug prescription fee in 2013. The implementation in 2013 of the 1 euro fee will be on the condition of meeting the deficit targets and the effects of other financial measures regarding medicines. The PP has abstained in the Catalan Parliament’s vote and the plan finally has the green light to be implemented.

Catalan and international painting from 1870 to 1970 will interact to show the relation between people and landscape. The exhibition ‘Landscapes of light, dream landscapes. From Gauguin to Delvaux’ kicks off the activities at the Espai Carmen Thyssen, in Sant Feliu de Guíxols Monastry, on the Costa Brava. This will be the first of many exhibitions in this Catalan coastal town, said Carmen Thyssen. In fact the Baroness and the town’s City Council are planning to build a permanent Thyssen Museum in the town. Thyssen also stated that it would be “wonderful” to show more paintings in her collection at Catalonia’s National Art Museum’s expansion.

Catalan companies sold more goods and services abroad than they did to the rest of Spain in 2011. 52.9% of all Catalonia’s external sales were made abroad, while 47.1% were made to the rest of Spain. In addition, it is the first time that Catalonia has registered a positive balance of trade.

From Sunday to Wednesday, the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), located in Tarragona, hosted a chemistry conference in order to discuss the latest discoveries in this discipline. Six chemistry Nobel Prize winners participated in the ‘Southern Catalonia Nobel Campus’, as well as Finn Kydland, who won the Nobel Prize of Economics in 2004. Kydland gave the opening speech. The chemistry days took place at the PortAventura conference centre, located next to the Costa Daurada amusement park.

The ‘Gaudí Experiència’ offers the visitor, in 9 different languages, an interactive experience, diving into the work of the Catalan genius who designed the Sagrada Família, La Pedrera, the Casa Batlló and the Parc Güell. In fact, the new museum is located next to the famous park. It shows how nature’s elements including cypress trees, water and the Montserrat Mountain inspired Gaudí.

Sales of industrial goods to non-EU markets increased by 28% between January and March. Catalan industry reached a record in 2011 by exporting €55.19 billion in goods. However, the sector continues to lose jobs, which makes it more competitive in return. Also, industrial investment increased by 2.4% in 2011.