The central Executive published this Monday the regulatory bases to grant aid for an amount of 450 million euros to compensate the additional costs due to the exceptional increase in natural gas prices during the year 2022, but from the industry of Castellón they warn that it’s too late. As much as to remember that the aid places them at a disadvantage compared to their competitors, who have received it since the beginning of 2022.
The president of CEV Castellón and spokesman for the “Manifesto for the maintenance of the economy of Castellón”, Luis Martí, who has once again complained about the times of the Government to save the tile sector through the platform ‘Salvem Castelló’, qualifies it. that brings together companies, but also civil society. “The aid, which should have been urgent, will arrive very late for Spanish companies,” says Luis Martí, spokesman for the Manifesto.
The aid package endowed with 450 million euros will allow industries to receive compensation of up to 4 million euros per company to balance the increase in the price of natural gas. They could receive up to 25 million euros per company if they prove a reduction in their EBITDA of more than 30% in 2022 compared to the previous year.
However, they defend in ‘Salvem Castelló’ that the amount of aid for all the gas-intensive industries in Spain is “an insufficient amount”. And they allege that only the tile sector of Castellón has suffered an extra cost in the energy bill since 2020 of close to 2,000 million euros.
Likewise, from the Ascer employers’ association they predict that, with the process still pending and waiting for the call, the aid would not reach the companies until the end of this year. The deadline for submitting applications that the Government has given, and the corresponding documentation, is 20 business days between July 18 and August 14, 2023, both inclusive.
The tile employers have always demanded the urgency of aid and “at the same level as our competitors and under the same conditions that allow us not to lose competitiveness.” For this reason, they argue that although aid is being offered, it is “clearly insufficient, with excluding requirements and that it will arrive (if it does) very late, contrary to what has happened in our neighboring countries,” they explained to La Vanguardia.
Likewise, from the tile employers they remember that the requirements of the Delinquency Law are still in force and point out that, therefore, many companies will not be able to benefit from these aids. “The recently approved exception, being a positive aspect that aims to help the affected companies, fails in the analysis since, regardless of the period that is given, precisely those companies that need it the most will be left out of aid. and those who have more slack in their treasury will be helped,” they argue.
Last June, the Executive approved the modification of the General Subsidies Law that allows a six-month exception to compliance with the Delinquency Law for companies that want to request said aid of 450 million for the gas-intensive industry.
Also in ‘Salvem Castelló’ they see a problem with the options that this exception leaves. Luis Martí, spokesman for the same, warns that “this condition will de facto leave many companies without aid, which will result in a deterioration of the economy of Castellón directly in the cluster and textile companies, such as Marie Claire, and indirectly to all the economic sectors of the province affected by this crisis”.
