The Government approves a shock plan of 309 million for Ceuta and Melilla with aid to companies, reinforcement of security and humanitarian assistance

EVERYTHING APPROVED

The Government approved on Tuesday in the Council of Ministers a Royal Decree-Law with a shock plan of 309 million euros for Ceuta, in response to the migratory crisis unleashed after the entry of more than 70,000 migrants on 30 and 31 July, an episode that has altered the daily life of the nearly 80,000 inhabitants of the autonomous city. The aim of the package, according to the Executive, is to recover normality, strengthen the affected public services and boost the economic recovery of the hardest hit sectors.

The First Vice-President and Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, Carlos Cuerpo, was in charge of detailing the measures at the press conference after the Council. "The objective of this Royal Decree-Law is to give confidence and peace of mind to both companies and workers in the city of Ceuta. We want to arrive with sufficient quantities to alleviate the shock that the economy is suffering," he stressed.

Four major axes

The plan is structured in four large blocks. The largest is the humanitarian reception and care for minors, endowed with some 118 million euros, which includes 53.4 million for accommodation and basic care for migrants and 63.6 million in specific reinforcement for the 1,500 unaccompanied minors, in addition to direct subsidies to Save the Children (550,000 euros) and UNHCR (160,000 euros).

Security receives 90 million euros in performance incentives for operational deployment: 74 million for Defence and the Armed Forces, 8 million for the Civil Guard and 7.1 million for the National Police. The third axis, support for economic activity, totals 80 million, while the reinforcement of essential services amounts to some 21 million, divided between Justice (4.5 million to speed up immigration files and strengthen courts), Health (3.5 million to incorporate 100 INGESA professionals), Education (3.2 million for school security and psychosocial support) and water and desalination (2 million additional).

Direct aid to the self-employed and companies

In the economic chapter, the Government foresees an injection of 80 million euros into the Ceuta economy over the next four months. The bulk is a direct aid fund of 36.6 million euros, managed by the Tax Agency, which will reach some 2,500 self-employed workers and 1,500 companies: 5,000 euros per self-employed person and between 10,000 and 150,000 euros per company, depending on their turnover.

In addition to this, some 14 million euros are being paid to revitalise small businesses and tourism. A consumer voucher stands out for which any citizen who spends 100 euros will receive a refund of 25 euros – "the citizen spends 75, but the company receives 100", illustrated Cuerpo – along with tourist vouchers, discounts on public transport for non-residents, an ICEX Ceuta Exporta Plan (1 million) and an international campaign by Turespaña (1 million). On the financial level, an ICO guarantee line of 50 million and 2 million for the Reciprocal Guarantee Society is enabled.

Permanent fiscal and labour measures

The Royal Decree-Law also incorporates permanent tax improvements: the rebate on Corporation Tax rises from 50% to 60% for resident entities (12 million euros), and the rebate on the employer's contribution to Social Security goes from 50% to 75%, expanding the benefited sectors – a measure that will also favour Melilla.

In the field of employment, the exemption of up to 100% of the contributions for companies that have had to resort to an ERTE, the increase in the extraordinary benefit for cessation of activity of the self-employed, deferrals of payment to Social Security with a minimum interest of 0.5% and 650,000 euros for worker training are contemplated.

As announced by the minister, the aid can be requested from September 14 through the Tax Agency, and the first payments are expected at the beginning of October. The budget support will last until 2031, with a total of 507.5 million euros, and includes an ordinary item for Ceuta of 9.2 million, compared to the 14.3 million allocated to Melilla.