The Tax Agency has collected 2,908 million as a result of the two payments of extraordinary taxes on banks and energy companies approved at the end of last year. The income for the current year is almost 600 million from the initial estimates, since the Ministry of Finance calculated that the collection expectations would be 3.5 billion annually.
The Treasury reported that the second payment of temporary taxes, made in September, reached 1,453 million. The energy companies paid 827 million and the banks had to settle 626 million. It is a figure almost identical to the first payment in February, the anticipated one, when the Tax Agency entered 1,454 million.
Between the two payments of the energy tax, which affects large companies such as Iberdrola, Repsol, Naturgy and Endesa, among others, the Treasury collected 1,644 million. Revenue estimates were 2 billion. In the case of banks, between both settlements, entities such as CaixaBank, Santander, BBVA, Sabadell or Bankinter have paid 1,263 million. The collection expectations were 1,500 million.
2023 has been the first year of settlement of this tax and there is still 2024. The coalition agreement between PSOE and Sumar presented yesterday includes an extension of extraordinary taxes on banks and energy companies. They cannot become permanent from a legal point of view, so the future Government, if Pedro Sánchez’s investiture goes ahead, will have to reform both tax figures, adapt them and achieve a parliamentary majority that validates their extension beyond 2024.
The publication of the collection of levies on banks and energy companies coincides with the first presentations of quarterly results from financial entities. Today it was the turn of Santander bank, which in the first nine months of the year has earned 8,143 million, 13% more than in the same period of the previous year and a record figure.
Both the banks and the energy companies have appealed both levies and are awaiting a positive response to their claim. The acting Minister of Finance and Public Function, María Jesús Montero, stated this morning in an interview on Cadena SER in this regard: “I hope that Justice agrees with us. We legislate from legal certainty. We always said that it is reasonable for those who have the most to contribute more. It is contributing to the common good. It seems that we have got it right.” The Treasury maintains in the Budget Plan sent to Brussels the same collection forecast as the one achieved this year: 3.5 billion by 2024.
These almost 3,000 million in income contributed by banks and energy companies will be part of the record collection that the Tax Agency hopes to achieve this year. According to the same Budget Plan, estimates for taxes indicate that they will reach 356,052 million euros in 2023, reflecting a dynamic growth of 7.6%. It will be more moderate growth compared to the 11.6% increase recorded in 2022.
