We summarize about the BOE Royal Decree-Law 6/2022, of March 29, which adopts urgent measures within the framework of the National Plan of response to the economic and social consequences of the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is having major consequences in all respects. From a humanitarian point of view, it has led to the displacement of millions of refugees, who continue to arrive in the EU. Likewise, the beginning of the war prevents the return to Ukraine of many Ukrainians who are staying in our country.
The Government has decided to promote a National Plan, which includes both normative and non-normative measures. The basic objectives of the measures they make up are the lowering of energy prices for all citizens and companies, support for the most affected sectors and the most vulnerable groups and the reinforcement of price stability. With the intention of limiting the economic and social costs of the geopolitical distortion in the price of gas and facilitating the adaptation of the economy to this situation of a temporary nature, while strengthening the foundations for economic recovery and the creation of quality jobs.
Energy
The rule contemplates the automatic renewal of the social bonus. The 60% and 70% discounts for vulnerable consumers and the severely vulnerable will remain in place until June 30.
In order to lower energy prices and strengthen consumer protection, tax reductions on electricity bills are maintained until June 30: VAT reduction to 10%, Electricity Tax to 0.5% and suspension of the 7% tax on electricity generation. The limit to the growth of the gas tariff (TUR) for households and SMEs is also extended in the next revisions.
Aid to the electro-intensive and gas-intensive industry
The support mechanism to be applied to the electricity-intensive industry includes an 80% reduction in electricity costs corresponding to the tariffs for access to the electricity transmission and distribution network that are applied at any given time. This measure will take effect from January 1, 2022 until December 31, 2022, representing a cost of 225 million euros.
In addition, 125 million euros will be allocated in direct aid to gas-intensive companies, which will benefit some 1,600 companies, of which 88% are SMEs. The sectors that will benefit from this aid are paper and cardboard, glass and ceramics.
The Government has authorized the call for the granting of subsidies included in the Statute of Electrointensive Consumers, in order to compensate the charges of the electricity bill destined to the financing of the specific remuneration to renewables and high efficiency cogeneration and for the additional financing in the non-peninsular territories.
Likewise, the Council of Ministers has approved an increase of 65 million euros to compensate for the costs of CO2 emission for this year. This mechanism allows each Member State to compensate for indirect costs of industries in certain sectors or subsectors that are considered to be exposed to a significant risk of “carbon leakage”, due to costs related to greenhouse gas emissions passed on in electricity prices.
Social security contributions for companies
In addition, the RDL includes measures to strengthen the liquidity of companies and workers, in line with those approved during the pandemic through deferrals at a very low interest. Through liquidity measures for companies in various sectors affected by the current situation, such as the special deferrals of Social Security contributions at a very low interest rate, of 0.5%, seven times lower than usual in the following sectors:
- Companies with workers registered in the General Social Security Regime and workers included in the Special Social Security Regime for Self-Employed or Self-Employed Workers, who carry out their activity in the urban and road transport sector (CNAE 4931, 4932, 4939, 4941 and 4942), whose accrual takes place between the months of April to July 2022, in the case of companies, and between the months of May to August 2022, in the case of self-employed workers.
- Companies and workers included in the Special Social Security Scheme for Sea Workers, whose accrual takes place between the months of March to June 2022.
Similarly, these deferrals are extended for another month for companies Special Agricultural System (from March to June) and for self-employed belonging to the Special System for Self-Employed Workers (SETA), from April to July.
Aid to the transport sector
The plan also reflects the agreement reached between the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda and the National Road Transport Committee (CNTC), with a package of immediate measures to alleviate the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine, including the fuel price bonus that exceeds 600 million for the sector.
Extraordinary increase in the minimum vital income benefit
The beneficiaries of the minimum vital income will have an increase of 15% in the monthly payments of April, May and June 2022.
The update of the amount of the benefit with effect from January 1, 2022, taking as a reference the computable annual income of the year 2021, will not affect this extraordinary increase, provided that the right to receive the benefit is maintained, once said update has been made.
Limitation of rentals
The new plan also contains an extraordinary limitation of the annual update of the rent of the habitual residence, preventing increases of more than 2%.
The tenant may negotiate with the landlord the increase that will be applied in that annual update of the rent.
Ukrainian refugees
People of Ukrainian origin who apply for Spanish nationality will be exempt from providing birth certificates and criminal records from their country of origin, thus assimilating refugees and stateless persons recognized as such by the Ministry of the Interior.
They will also be exempt from providing this documentation in the procedures that are processed in the civil registries during the duration of the conflict.
Grants for the prevention, detection, care and protection of victims of violence against women and victims of trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation in the context of the humanitarian crisis
Staff costs and current costs arising from the implementation of the following actions shall be eligible:
- Awareness-raising actions to prevent violence against women and trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation in the context of the humanitarian crisis.
- Implementation of services aimed at prevention, information, care and comprehensive protection, including housing resources and reception resources, for victims of violence against women and victims of trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation adapted to the needs of women in temporary care.
Supplement to the budget of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration to finance the care of refugees from Ukraine
Credit supplements totalling €1.2 billion are approved in 2022 for the reception of refugees from Ukraine. With the following distribution of budget items:
- Sub-item 227.99 “Work carried out by other companies and professionals. Other’ amounting to EUR 600 million.
- Sub-item 484.05 “International protection system” amounting to 550 million euros.
- Sub-item 780.01 “Immigrant care projects” amounting to 50 million euros.
The extraordinary appropriation approved will cover all expenses for the implementation of the Reception, Care and Referral Centers, as well as the reinforcement of places in the reception system and the rest of the amounts necessary for the care of people from Ukraine.
IMPORTANT:
If you are currently a beneficiary of the social bonus, you will continue to maintain the right to receive the social bonus until it matures. At that point, if you continue to meet the requirements to be considered a vulnerable / severe vulnerable consumer and do not belong to the large family group, you will automatically receive the social bonus for two additional years (a single extension).
At any time, you can request the application of the social bonus under the new conditions, whose renewal every 2 years will be automatic indefinitely, provided that the requirements contemplated in the applicable regulations are met.
Image credits by David Clode.
