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  • Home >  What we do >  Platform for action >  Lobbying Projects >  Taxation for start-ups and international talent
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  • Taxation for start-ups and international talent

    Description
    One of the key decision factors for attracting international talent is taxation. The International Talent Monitor, the survey that Barcelona Global carries out every two years among the international community living in Barcelona, ​​is forceful regarding the fact that the taxation that this talent supports in Barcelona is much higher than the applied to professionals the countries around us, creating a barrier to attraction. Taxation is also key to strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

    With the support of the city's most prestigious law firms, Barcelona Global has carried out a comparative study to analyze Barcelona's existing fiscal proposal to attract international talent and strengthen entrepreneurship, comparing it with other cities such as New York, Zurich, Paris, London and Singapore, concluding with a series of proposals to place Barcelona on the same level as other countries around us (competitors) from a fiscal point of view to place it at a neutral level.

    All these activities have led to the approval of the Startups Law to attract and retain talent, as well as improve the competitiveness of Barcelona's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Law includes important achievements to continue working so that the economy of knowledge and talent has greater opportunities in Spain to grow and consolidate.

    Goals
    The aim of the project is to achieve changes in the Spanish tax system applicable to international talent so that it is neutral, in line with the countries around us, and does not pose a barrier to attraction.

    Achievements

    • Barcelona Global has developed a proposal for the necessary taxation to place it at the same level as other countries around us for the attraction and return of talent and the promotion of the entrepreneurial activity.
    • Barcelona Global has actively participated with proposals in the draft of the Spanish Government Startup Law, achieving the introduction of many important measures in the Law Project, and continuing to promote the important proposals that have been left out to introduce them into the law, working intensively with public administrations and political parties.
    • Barcelona Global has achieved that the Law for the Promotion of the Ecosystem of Emerging Companies includes the proposals aimed at attracting talent and promoting entrepreneurship promoted by Barcelona Global.
      • Facilitate the attraction of independent professionals and investors by making it possible for them to take advantage of the non-resident tax regime as the employees already did, thus correcting a discrepancy. 
      • Enable startups to compete with corporations to attract talent through stock option plans, without taxation deactivating the incentive.
      • Speed up the hiring of international talent by facilitating the access to the NIE, allowing a period of 6 months to obtain it.
      • Enable the incorporation of international students of higher education already in Barcelona as local talent, as upon finishing their studies they will be able to have a permit for up to two years to look for a job or create companies.
      • Encourage investments in startups by improving the taxation for venture capital fund managers and business angels. 
      • Attract digital nomads granting them residence permits for up to three years, renewable.
      • Streamline the process for an innovative emerging company to be certified.
      • Extend the consideration of emerging company to those with a turnover of up to 10 million euros within the consideration with a time limit of 5 or 7 years from their creation.

    Check the Law here. 

    More information

    Cristina H. Valiñani –Barcelona Global Projects Director

    Cristina.valinani@barcelonaglobal.org

    Attached files
    Barcelona Global contribution to the Startups Law
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    Members of this project:
    Aurora Catà Sala
    Catà Sala, Aurora
    AC37 Event
    Vice-President
    Aurora Catà Sala
    Catà Sala, Aurora Vice-President
    AC37 Event

    She started her professional career in the financial world, first in Bank of America and after as Chief Financial Officer in Nissan Motor Ibérica. She then took over the management of RTVE Catalunya. She then held the position of CEO of Planeta 2010, head of the audiovisual and media business of Grupo Planeta. Later on, she launched a startup in the digital content field. And in 2003, she joined Grupo Recoletos as General Manager of the audiovisual and non-daily press business. Between 2008 and 2020 she has been Partner at Seeliger y Conde. She is currently President of Barcelona Global an Independent Director of Banco Sabadell and Repsol. She is also member of the Trustee Board of Cellnex Foundation, member of the Advisory Committee of Adevinta (Schibsted Group) and member of the Executive Committee of IESE Alumni. She is an industrial engineer by the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, and MBA and a PADE from IESE. She has participated in the Mentoring Program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    Albert Collado Armengol
    Collado Armengol, Albert
    J&A Garrigues, S.L.P.
    Partner
    Coordinator
    Enric Girona Frisach
    Girona Frisach, Enric
    Osborne Clarke
    Senior Associate
    Enric Girona Frisach
    Girona Frisach, Enric Senior Associate
    Osborne Clarke

    Enric holds a law degree and an LLM in Business Law from Esade Law School. He specializes in tax law, where he has a broad experience in mergers and acquisitions, international tax, real estate transactions, venture capital and management incentives. Enric has lectured in ESADE Law School and ESADE Business School.

    Agnès Granés Casellas
    Granés Casellas, Agnès
    KPMG Abogados
    Corporate Tax Services Director
    Pau Guardans Cambo
    Guardans Cambo, Pau
    Único Hotels
    Chairman & CEO
    Pau Guardans Cambo
    Guardans Cambo, Pau Chairman & CEO
    Único Hotels

    Hotelier. After a period in politics and a broad experience in business, in 2003 he founds his own business, Unico Hotels; a collection of luxury lifestyle hotels. He is compromised in strengthening civil society, he participates in numerous organizations such as BG and foundations. He is passionate about travelling, reading and talking.

    Mateu Hernandez Maluquer
    Hernandez Maluquer, Mateu
    Mateu Hernandez Maluquer
    Hernandez Maluquer, Mateu

    CEO of Barcelona Global from 2011 to 2022. He is and has been an advisor of several cities like NY, Oslo, Torino or London. Secretary of the International Advisory Board of the Smart City World Expo and Congress. He has also been the CEO of economic development for the city of Barcelona and CEO of its local development agency, Barcelona Activa.

    Eduardo Martínez Matosas
    Martínez Matosas, Eduardo
    Gómez-Acebo & Pombo
    Partner
    Promotor
    Alex Martínez-Comín
    Martínez-Comín, Alex
    MARTINEZ COMIN
    PARTNER
    Albert Mestres Llort
    Mestres Llort, Albert
    TODA NEL-LO
    Tax Lawyer
    Fran Montiel
    Montiel, Fran
    Deloitte
    Antoni Murt
    Murt, Antoni
    EY
    Partner
    Promotor
    Heribert Padrol Munté
    Padrol Munté, Heribert
    IPLUSF
    Chairman and Main Shareholder
    Norma Peña i Bagés
    Peña i Bagés, Norma
    Perez-Llorca
    Partner
    Norma Peña i Bagés
    Peña i Bagés, Norma Partner
    Perez-Llorca

    Norma leads the Tax practice at the firm’s Barcelona office. She is an expert in tax structuring in M&A and real estate transactions, financing of acquisitions and corporate and financial restructurings. In addition, she has extensive experience in international tax advice and tax proceedings and litigation.

    Ramon Portela
    Portela, Ramon
    MERCER
    Director de Movilidad Internacional y Fiscalidad
    Patricia Punsoda
    Punsoda, Patricia
    PwC
    Tax Director
    Gonzalo Rodés
    Rodés, Gonzalo
    Aldea Ventures
    Chairman
    Coordinator
    Gonzalo Rodés
    Rodés, Gonzalo Chairman
    Aldea Ventures

    Founder Partner of Barcelona Global and its chairman during July 2016-July 2018. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Barcelona and started his career at Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves, Pereira. In 1994 he founded his own law firm, Rodés & Sala Abogados, which was integrated into Gómez-Acebo & Pombo in 2009. He then became president of the investment bank GBS Finanzas in Catalonia. In 2020 Gonzalo co-founded Aldea Ventures, a European VC investment platform with HQ in Barcelona. He remains linked to his family's media group, being a member of the executive committee. Also, he devotes part of his time to non-profit activities such as Fundació Princesa de Girona and Fundació VHIO for cancer research, promoted by the Hospital de la Vall d'Hebron.

    Blanca Usón Vegas
    Usón Vegas, Blanca
    ROCAJUNYENT
    Partner
    Promotor
    Cristina H. Valiñani
    Valiñani, Cristina H.
    Barcelona Global
    Projects Director
    Sonia Velasco Menal
    Velasco Menal, Sonia
    Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira SLP
    Partner
    Coordinator
    Sonia Velasco Menal
    Velasco Menal, Sonia Partner
    Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira SLP

    Partner at Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, advises international clients on acquisitions, disinvestments and restructurings.

    Luis Viñuales Sebastián
    Viñuales Sebastián, Luis
    Uría Menéndez Abogados
    Partner
    Luis Viñuales Sebastián
    Viñuales Sebastián, Luis Partner
    Uría Menéndez Abogados

    Luis is partner responsible for the Tax Practice Area in Barcelona. He joined the firm in 1997, having worked for a leading firm based in Barcelona since 1991 and was named a partner in 2003. Luis has more than 25 years of experience advising to resident and non-resident entities in different areas (finance, energy, industry, consulting and services, sports and entertainment, public administrations). He frequently advises on tax planning of large patrimony, family-offices and taxation of artists and sports players. In recent years he has provided advice to regulated entities on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. Participates regularly as a legal expert before MONEYVAL (Council of Europe) since 2007.

    With the collaboration of:
    Cuatrecasas Deloitte EY Garrigues Gómez-Acebo & Pombo KPMG MARTINEZ COMIN MERCER OPTIO Next Law Osborne Clarke Perez-Llorca PwC RocaJunyent Toda & Nel-lo Uría Menéndez Abogados
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