Dilip Kuner
SPAIN’S proposed Google tax has cleared its first hurdle despite opposition from right-wing parties.
It is part of a finance bill in the process of going through parliament.The conservative PP, centre right Cs and far right VOX had backed a series of amendments that would have seen the tax dropped.
But Congress rejected the amendments. Although this is a victory for PM Pedro Sanchez’s socialist coalition government, the Google tax is a long way from being approved.
The entire finance bill still has to be passed by Congress. It also includes other new taxes, including environmental ones, as well as a reform of corporate tax.
Minister of Finance, Maria Jesus Montero, said the Google tax would not affect small and medium businesses or retail e-commerce sites.
It would apply to tech giants with a global revenue higher than €750 million a year and more than €3 million income from Spain. They would be faced with a bill of 3% of earnings from online ads, deals brokered on digital platforms and sales of user data.
The government estimates it would rake in about €1 billion a year.
