The Spanish government has rejected the request to postpone the entry into force of the special tax on disposable plastic packaging. The law has been in force since January 1, but it's being contested by organizations from the main consumer sectors, including Fepex, as the tax will have a negative effect on the sales of fruit and vegetables.
Spain will be the only European country that will incorporate the tax, which is not mandatory for the EU Member States. With the tax, companies will have to incur additional costs in a complex international economic context, in which the fruit and vegetable sector faces multiple challenges to continue to be sustainable and competitive in an uncertain scenario due to the increase in production costs and the strong competition from third countries.
FEPEX, like the rest of the organizations from the main consumer sectors that signed a letter to the government requesting a moratorium on the tax, declared it was determined to reduce the use of single-use plastics but stated that the tax comes at a very bad time.
The petition was signed by ACES, ACOTEX, ADELMA, AECOC, AFEB, ANGED, ASAJA, ASEDAS, Cooperativas Agroalimentarias, FECE, FIAB, Foro Interalimentario, Marcas de Restauración, Stanpa, and FEPEX. According to these organizations, Spanish companies are ahead of the law in their care for the environment, especially in the use and management of plastic. They claim that the vast majority of companies have already taken measures, such as redesigning packaging, reducing its weight, or reusing packaging to try and minimize the presence of plastic in packaging.
FEPEX is particularly concerned about the doubts there are regarding the scope and formal obligations of applying this tax, such as the registration in the Territorial Registry and keeping accounts and inventory.
Source: fepex.es