Not only was Junts’ proposal to sanction Catalan companies that have their headquarters outside the community not liked, but the proposed formula was also not understood. In the large business associations such as Foment del Treball or the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, ??they pointed out that what Catalonia must do is achieve institutional normality and create a favorable economic climate so that companies that wish to do so settle in the territory, according to the statement from the Catalan employers’ association. From Madrid, the CEOE described the plan as “communism” and defended that the “magic recipe is to provide stability” and “predictability.”
One of the ways would be with a reduction in tax pressure in line with what other communities have done, the businessmen explain privately. They also point out that during the years that the corporate headquarters have been away, taxation of the group has been toughened in Catalonia compared to that in other territories. The main differences are in the inheritance tax, which has almost been eliminated in the PP communities, and the estate tax, which is lower than what is paid in Catalonia.
In a press conference on the problems of access to housing in Catalonia, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, ??Josep Santacreu, acknowledged that “it is difficult for me to understand that there is a position of being able to penalize.” The former director of the DKV insurance company acknowledged that he did not know what the proposal consisted of. “We have to do everything we can, and the more positive, the better,” he added when asked about Junts’ position in the negotiation with the Government of the omnibus decree.
In 2017, coinciding with the crisis derived from the independence referendum, thousands of Catalan companies chose to move their headquarters outside of Catalonia, although the bulk of their activity was maintained in the community. The two banks, CaixaBank and Sabadell, were the spearhead of this process by being the first to take the headquarters in October 2017. Yesterday both entities declined to comment.
Five years later, none of the large companies have chosen to return and some have even taken advantage of the situation to reinforce their presence in Madrid to the detriment of Barcelona with more staff and services.
Foment is also against the proposals of Junts per Catalunya to give “tax incentives” to companies that return. The employers’ association has always defended that the tax reduction should be for everyone and not as a reward.
Garamendi, at an informative lunch organized by the Club Siglo XXI in Madrid, insisted that “a company settles where it wants.” Furthermore, he maintained that “no one left Catalonia because it seemed like a great idea,” but rather they did so because “they were forced” by the situation.
On the other hand, for weeks now the employers’ association Pimec has been proposing that companies be encouraged to locate their headquarters where they carry out their business activity, with the aim of ending fiscal dumping and promoting the return to Catalonia.