The presentation was led by Juan Antonio Gómez-Pintado, President of APCE; José Mª Ortíz Ybarz, Dean of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria and by Victor Mendoza Díaz-Aguado, President of the Fundación Impuestos y Competitividad.
After the inauguration, the author of the book, Sofía Borgia Sorrosal, Director of the Grado in Law and Criminology at the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, analysed the main arguments in her work.
In the opinion of Sofía Borgia Sorrosal, in Spain the real estate sector has not only met a residential need, but also has built a true engine for the economy for many years to come. It is a sector which creates jobs directly, but also creates, at the same time, a large number of related collateral related activities, of which the effects will reflect on the whole economy whether in good times or in crisis.
This vision, fully shared by analysts of the current Spanish economy, and the conviction this tributary system must be compatible with the competivity of our businesses, a maxim in these relevant sectors, have led the Fundación Impuestos y Competitividad to promote this latest work from Profesora Borgia Sorrosal (UFV).
New in respect to other Foundation projects, this study tackles the object of the study not only from the point of view of taxation, but also a wider vision of public policies to stimulate the sector. Looking at recent experiences in six European countries –Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal and the United Kingdom– for solutions which could guide public policy in Spain, in relation to the housing sector.
Besides this international panorama, a series of economic data are analysed and tax collection in this sector in Spain in recent years, looking at records over 20 years; there is also an extensive review of taxation in the real estate activity in Spain, essentially based on housing, checking the very slow suppression of tax incentives which used to exist.
This conclusion, together with the importance of the real estate sector, serve as a basis for a series of ambitious proposals for public support for the sector, in three main ways, parallel to the European experiences analysed, which are house renovation, and urban regeneration, contributing to energy efficiency; support for and, the acquisition and tenure of the family home, and stimulation of the rental market.