Spain sees record tourist numbers for first half of year

According to the FRONTUR Survey - Inbound Tourism Survey - drafted by the General Sub-directorate of Tourism Information and Studies of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, Spain posted a new record for the first half of this year with a total of 28 million inbound tourists, an increase of 7.3% on the same period of 2013.

​Between January and June, the United Kingdom was the top emitting market once again with 6,535,251 tourists (up 5.8%); followed by Germany with 4,658,700 tourists (up 8.8%) and France with 4,239,804 tourists (up 10.3%). In this period, Catalonia was the top destination autonomous region with 7.1 million inbound tourists.
 

Why now is the best moment to become Self-Employed (Autonomo)?

At this moment you can take advantage on the benefits applied on the taxation, social security and public helps available to establish your own business as self-employed because now  is cheaper and more convenient than ever.

 

Reduced Social Security fees

 

If you are under 30 years, during the first 6 months of activity the fee is around 50 € , a reduction of 80 % over the normal fee . In the next 6 months , the reduction is 50% and in the 18 months following a reduction of 30 %. 

 

The Government reduces to 15% the withholding rate on professionals incomes.

 

 

In an attempt to improve the economic data the government has begun to publish measures to encourage economic growth. According to art. 122.3 of Royal Decree Law 8/2014 of 5 July 2014, the percentage of withholdings on income derived from professional activities is 15 percent where the volume of gross salary income of such activities for the year immediately preceding is less than 15,000 euros and represents more than 75 percent of the sum of the full income from economic activities and work of the taxpayer in that year.

IMF doubles 2014 growth forecast for Spain in just six months

In the space of six months, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has changed its 2014 growth forecast for Spain significantly: from 0.6% to 1.2%.

Improved economic performance that caught the government and the main analysis services by surprise has led the Washington-based group to add three tenths of a point to its GDP growth forecast in April of 0.9%, which was three tenths above that in its January report.
The international organization is also more optimistic about 2015, when it hopes to see GDP grow 1.6%. After that, the recovery is predicted to slow. After two recessions in five years, the Spanish economy is expected to still need around five years to return to pre-crisis wealth levels.

Inflation moderates to 0.1% in June due to foodstuffs and energy prices

According to the data published by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.1% year-on-year in June - one tenth of a point less than in May. This slight moderation in the rate of inflation mainly corresponds to foodstuffs and energy products, particularly to electricity and certain food items such as oils and fats, fresh fruit and potatoes, which continue to balance out the strong rise recorded last year. Non-energy industrial goods have maintained their annual rate, while services have increased slightly. The general CPI rate in June has not changed on the previous month.

New incentives to hire young people.

One of the main problems in Spain is the high unemployment rate, to try to bring it down the Government recently approved a Royal Decree containing the so-called National System of Youth Guarantee, a new attempt to reduce unemployment among young people. Among the measures envisaged are new incentives for permanent contracts and changes to contracts for formation and learning and training contracts.

What if my Tax Return is wrong or I did not file it in time?

 

The deadline for filing the 2013 tax return was on 30 June but ... what if after the period ended, we realize that there was an error and want to fix it? How to act now?. How to act in each case varies depending on whether the mistake favors the tax authorities or us. 

Bye bye España

 

 

In the sunny cafés of Calpe, a seaside town in Alicante province, there is one prevailing topic of concern among the white-haired, suntanned British retirees: the Spanish Tax Agency.

The mistrust triggered by the new obligation to declare assets located abroad is just one of the reasons pushing hundreds of thousands of elderly Europeans to drop off the official statistics, and in many cases, bid Spain farewell forever.

TAX REFORM TO BE DETAILED TODAY

 

Last Friday, the spanish government proclaimed a "breakthrough" of the fiscal reform, which, include a reduction of income tax minimum and maximum marginal rates, new family and personal exemptions, a decrease of taxation on savings and reductions in corporation tax.

Telecommunications, broadcasting or television and electronic services to individuals : new rules for localization.

Starting on January 1, 2015 it come into effect new rules for location of telecommunications services, radio and television broadcasting and electronic services to private end consumers , which are provided for in Council Directive 2008/8/EC  of 12th of February.