Newsletter 203 BNFIX PICH
People, principles, services
June 2025
Dear friends,
With the heat already upon us and fans at the ready, we have prepared our June newsletter, in which we remind you of some of the usual summer obligations, such as filing corporate income tax returns, and some new ones, such as updating the CNAE (National Classification of Economic Activities).
We also include a video interview with the president of Asepeyo, professor of economics and vice-president of the Association of Mutual Insurance Companies for Work-Related Accidents — who has also held positions such as director general of the Family Business Institute and the Business Council for Competitiveness — Fernando Casado, in which he reflects on a growing phenomenon that greatly concerns us: absenteeism.
Additionally, we explain — in both a video and a circular — the legal changes affecting large property owners in Catalonia, and we launch a new section titled “Fundamental Issues,” in which we explore strategic topics. This month, we share Jaume Menéndez’s insights on housing taxation.
Jordi Altafaja · jordi.altafaja@pich.bnfix.com
Partner in charge of the tax area BNFIX PICH TAX LEGAL
Highlights
▶ Video
Video Interview: Workplace Absenteeism
Causes and Proposals for Improvement with Fernando Casado, President of Asepeyo and Vice President of AMAT
Fernando Casado, President of Asepeyo and Vice President of the Association of Mutual Insurance Companies for Work-Related Accidents (AMAT), speaks with our managing partner, Valentín Pich, about the growing and “concerning” phenomenon of workplace absenteeism in Spain.
He discusses its possible causes, the economic impact, and some proposals to address the issue.
▶ Video
Housing
Large Property Owners and Tourist Tax in Catalonia: Current Situation and How to Respond
Víctor Bueno, lawyer and member of our Legal Department, discusses in this video the new legal obligations for large residential property owners and reviews other regulatory adjustments affecting the real estate sector, such as those related to the tourist tax in Catalonia.
/ Corporate Income Tax and Annual Accounts 2024: Deadlines and Updates
The filing period for the Corporate Income Tax return for the 2024 financial year runs from July 1 to July 25, 2025 (until July 22 if payment is made by direct debit), while the deadline for submitting annual accounts is July 30, provided they were approved by the deadline of June 30.
/ VAT One Stop Shop (OSS): What Companies Need to Know
The VAT One Stop Shop (OSS) is a European mechanism that simplifies the fulfillment of VAT obligations for cross-border transactions within the EU. In a comprehensive circular, we review the key aspects of this scheme and its different types, the advantages it offers, the taxpayers required to use it, economic thresholds, the currency in which the return must be filed, and more.
/ Campaigns to Update CNAE Codes and Resolve Issues in the Classification of Self-Employed Workers
If you run a business or are self-employed, you have until June 30 to update the CNAE code for your activity. However, in some cases, the Social Security authorities will make the change automatically.
We have prepared a circular on this topic, and we also explain the campaign aimed at resolving discrepancies detected during the process of regularizing self-employed workers’ contributions, particularly concerning collective enterprises and the classification of certain self-employed individuals.
Fundamental Issues 
/ Aspects of Taxation in Spain That May Affect Access to Housing
We launch our new section titled “Fundamental Issues” with the content of the presentation given by Jaume Menéndez, appointed as an expert by the European Parliament before the HOUS (Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union) and FISC (Subcommittee on Tax Matters) Committees, on “Aspects of Taxation in Spain That May Affect Access to Housing.”
Jaume Menéndez, a regular contributor to the firm, holds a PhD in Economics and has served as Head of Taxation at Gas Natural and Director of Corporate Tax Policy at the Government of Catalonia.
In his reflections, he highlights that while tax policies do not directly prevent access to housing, they do not facilitate it either. He calls for a comprehensive rethinking that would include certain reforms in Personal Income Tax (IRPF), Transfer Tax (ITP), Inheritance and Gift Tax (ISD), VAT, and Wealth Tax, as well as the elimination of the Municipal Tax on the Increase in Value of Urban Land. These changes would help rationalize the Spanish tax system and make it work as a stimulus to avoid overtaxation in the housing market.
Agenda and collaborations
/ PICH BNFIX, New Member of the ACCIÓ – Catalonia Trade & Investment Partner Network (Government of Catalonia)
BNFIX PICH TAX LEGAL has recently joined the ACCIÓ – Catalonia Trade & Investment Partner Network (Government of Catalonia), the public agency of the Generalitat specialized in attracting foreign investment and supporting the competitiveness of Catalan businesses.
This collaboration represents yet another recognition of our experience in providing professional, multidisciplinary, and specialized advisory services to both national and international companies.
Press & Publications
/ ‘Chamber of Commerce Report on the Rental Housing Market in Barcelona and Catalonia. Year 2024’
This report monitors the residential housing stock in Catalonia, with a particular focus on Barcelona. It highlights, among other findings, that rental prices moderated last year while the decline in rental activity intensified. The report also points out district-level differences. At the Catalan level—excluding Barcelona—the price of new rentals increased by 2.3 percent, reaching an average of 728 euros. The 15-page report also examines the situation in the 140 municipalities classified as stressed areas.
The report (in Spanish), HERE
/ ‘National Reference System for Rental Prices (SERPAVI). Report on the New Rental Regulation in Spain’ – Published by the Chamber of Urban Property of Barcelona
This report, authored by economist Josep Lladós, analyzes the methodological issues of this system (some of which have also been raised by the Bank of Spain) and contrasts them with the outcomes observed in rental market statistics in Catalonia. He concludes that the regulatory system “does not accurately reflect the real behavior of the market” as it is based solely on rental data from individual landlords, excluding legal entities.
The report (in Spanish), HERE
/ ‘The Problem of Tax Litigation in Spain. Proposals for Solutions and Improvements from a Business Perspective’ – Institute of Economic Studies (IEE)
The IEE estimates that tax litigation in Spain now exceeds 40 billion euros — a figure it considers excessive, both in terms of the number of claims and the amounts involved. Currently, the Spanish Tax Agency is facing 230,000 tax-related lawsuits. The IEE experts have prepared a report, presented on June 9, in which they analyze and reflect on this troubling phenomenon. They also propose several solutions, including those put forward by our partner Valentín Pich, who until recently served as President of the General Council of Economists (CGE). The report spans over 240 pages and includes comparative law analysis, an overview of tax disputes at the international level, and a discussion of best practices in this area.
The report (in Spanish), HERE
/ ‘Early Tax Disobedience’ – Article from La Vanguardia’s Dinero Supplement Featuring Comments by Valentí Pich
This June 15 article by journalist Eva Millet explores the phenomenon of young social media influencers and/or startup founders who, after realizing the amount of taxes they are required to pay, choose to establish their tax residence in countries with more “favorable” regimes and lower tax burdens. The piece includes remarks from our partner Valentí Pich on the shift in mindset and the changing perception among some young people regarding their contribution to the welfare state.
The report (in Spanish), HERE
/ ‘Understanding History to Reform the Future’ – Review of The Broken Promise in the Revista Econòmica de Catalunya
The latest issue of the Revista Econòmica de Catalunya, published by the Col·legi d’Economistes de Catalunya, features on page 116 a review by our managing partner, Valentí Pich, of the book The Broken Promise by Manuel Álvarez (Almuzara Publishing). The book outlines the technical and financial foundations of the Spanish model and proposes a structural reform based on several key pillars. One of its main strengths is that it helps readers understand the pension system as a whole, combining technical rigor with clear exposition. According to Pich, it is “a recommended read for professionals in the economic field, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of Social Security.”
Read the review (in Spanish), HERE
