Madrid, May 12 (EFE) .- The Government will allocate more than 25,000 million euros to finance projects aimed at the sustainable economy as well as new environmental, technological and social plans through the creation of two new funds, one for the Sustainable Economy and another for Local Investment.
This was announced by the President of the Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, during his speech at the twentieth debate on the state of the nation.
Zapatero explained that the Executive will create a Fund for the Sustainable Economy endowed with 20,000 million euros and managed by the Official Credit Institute (ICO) during this year and 2010, as well as another Local Investment Fund of 5,000 million euros in charge of the General State Budgets for 2010.
According to Zapatero, the creation of these two new funds seeks to promote works related to a new productive model of the economy, "to decisively support a renewed growth model."
The new Local Investment Fund will finance new projects of environmental sustainability, technology and social care for dependent or disabled people.
The head of the Executive has indicated the desire of the Government that this initiative "prolongs the good behavior" of the other Investment Fund aimed at the City Councils and endowed with 8,000 euros.
Zapatero has announced that both initiatives will be included in the draft Law for the Sustainable Economy (LES) that the Government will soon send to Parliament to be processed by the urgent procedure in order to "guarantee its immediate effectiveness".
Regarding the elaboration of this general law, Zapatero has stressed that he hopes to find a broad "social, institutional and political" agreement.
In this sense, he has indicated that they will propose an agreement on the content of the Sustainable Economy Law at the Social Dialogue Table, to adapt the new growth model to the company, collective bargaining, social protection and training for employment.
In addition, he has announced that the socialist group of the Congress will propose the creation of a Permanent Commission to supervise compliance with said law.
Thus, in the field of political dialogue, he has shown his desire to "move forward as quickly as possible" in a new stage of "renewed" consensus with the Popular Party and with the rest of the parliamentary political groups on the development of the Toledo Pact.
The head of the Executive has announced that once the new Law for the Sustainable Economy is approved he will convene the Conference of Presidents to seek the "cooperation" of all the autonomous communities in its development.
Other proposals
The purchase of housing will not deduct income from more than 24,000 euros from 2011
From this date, January 1, 2011, there will only be deductions for housing for incomes below 17,000 euros. "50% of employees will be able to benefit from this measure." For higher incomes, the deduction will disappear linearly. "With this measure the market can be reactivated to free up the real estate stock," he said.
Homes purchased in the past and purchased through 2011 will remain under the current plan.
Reduction of Corporate Income Tax
Zapatero also announced a five-point cut in Corporate Income Tax for three years for those SMEs with less than 25 workers and a sales volume of less than 5 million euros and that, as of December 31, 2009, maintain or improve their average workforce of 2008.
During the debate on the state of the nation, Zapatero indicated that this measure will have its equivalent reflection in the Personal Income Tax with respect to the self-employed who maintain the employment of their employees.
Plan Prever for the purchase of cars
The Government, in coordination with the Autonomous Communities, will propose a plan to directly support the purchase of cars. The Government will contribute 500 euros, the Autonomous Communities another 500 and industry, another 1,000. There will be a VIVE plan for the renovation of buses over 10 years old. The workers' food check will be extended to a transport voucher that will involve tax deductions for companies
New cut in public spending
In his speech, Zapatero has also announced a new cut in public spending of 1,000 million euros, after ensuring that the government is "consistent with the principles of budgetary stability."
Renewal plan of 600 million for Tourism
The Renove Tourism Plan will have an additional allocation of 600 million euros. Zapatero explained that the initial endowment of the plan, of 400 million euros, has been exhausted in a single month.
This program, framed in Plan E to stimulate the economy, seeks to facilitate the transition of the tourism sector, which represents 11% of GDP and about 2.6 million jobs, towards a more sustainable model.
Free computers for early childhood education students
The classrooms, from the next course, will have digital whiteboards and each student will have a laptop. The initiative will begin to be implemented in September. The 420,000 primary school pupils will receive a personal computer. The measure will soon be extended to Secondary.
On the other hand, the president announced that he will allocate 70 million euros so that Public Universities can, through an agreement, facilitate "free tuition" for unemployed graduates between 25 and 40 years old.
25,000 million for sustainable projects
The Government will allocate more than 25,000 million euros to finance projects aimed at the sustainable economy, as well as new environmental, technological and social plans through the creation of two new funds, one for the Sustainable Economy, with 20,000 million euros and managed by the ICO, and another Local Investment Fund of 5,000 million in charge of the State Budget.
He also assured that the Government intends to send to Parliament a draft Law for the Sustainable Economy (LES), which will include the rules that regulate the measures that contribute to implement in the most "fast, most viable and consolidated" way a new productive model for Spain.
In this way, it will propose an agreement on the content of the Law at the social dialogue table to address the new growth model and its adaptation to the company, collective bargaining, social protection and training for employment.
Meeting before summer to agree on new regional financing
On regional financing, Zapatero has announced that the Government will convene the Council of Fiscal and Financial Policy before July 15 to agree on the new model. The president has said that this agreement will "clear the obstacles" to address local financing, combining the efforts of the State and autonomous communities.
Rodríguez Zapatero has described as "structural" the reform of regional financing and has said that all the autonomies "have seen how the system approved in 2001 does not allow, for a long time, to meet the consequences of the increase in the population and the demand for public services".
Sources:
Authors: TECNOSOSTENIBLE - Engineering of comfort and energy efficiency
