ARAMÉS–Front Ampli has called for the removal of VAT on goods transport to the Balearic Islands, seeking to alleviate the additional costs associated with insularity and reduce the prices of essential products. Carme Gomila, the party's candidate for Congress, has advocated for this measure as a crucial step in addressing the high cost of living faced by families in Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa, and Formentera.
“In the Balearic Islands, we pay more for practically everything. We pay more for housing, for filling our tanks, and for stocking our fridges. A significant part of this extra cost has a clear explanation: we are islands, and most of the products we consume must arrive by sea. It is unacceptable that this territorial reality becomes a permanent penalty for our families,” Gomila stated.
Gomila explained that maritime transport of goods incurs additional costs that ultimately affect the final prices of products. Therefore, ARAMÉS–Front Ampli proposes the elimination of VAT on this transport, particularly for food and other essential items, to help reduce grocery costs.
“It makes no sense for a family in Mallorca to pay more for the same food as a family on the mainland simply because these products had to cross the sea. We demand that the State stop ignoring insularity and begin compensating for the extra costs we face every day,” Gomila asserted.
The party has warned that rising food prices add to the already challenging economic situation for families in the Balearic Islands, where housing costs consume an increasingly larger portion of incomes. A study by CCOO indicates that €2,830.31 is needed monthly for a decent living in the Balearics, while over 40% of workers struggle to make ends meet.
“Having a job is no longer enough to live decently in the Balearic Islands. Thousands of people work every day, receive a salary, and after paying for housing, have to budget carefully to fill their fridges. This situation is unacceptable, and we will not resign ourselves to it,” Gomila declared.
She emphasised that the removal of VAT on goods transport must be accompanied by mechanisms to ensure that savings actually reach consumers, rather than resulting in increased profit margins for distribution companies.
“We do not want a tax reduction that benefits large distributors. We want this reduction to be felt in people's pockets when they go to the supermarket, greengrocer, or local market,” she stressed.
This proposal aligns with ARAMÉS–Front Ampli's demand for a reduced VAT rate specifically for the Balearic Islands, tailored to the region's unique circumstances. Gomila noted that the Balearic Islands are the only non-peninsular territory in Spain where the general VAT regime is applied, a situation that the coalition believes exacerbates the economic disadvantages of insularity.
“We are not asking for privileges. We are asking to live on equal terms. If living in the Islands is more expensive for reasons beyond our control, fiscal policies should serve to correct this inequality, not perpetuate it,” Gomila argued.
Finally, Gomila assured that ARAMÉS–Front Ampli would take this demand to the Congress of Deputies, aiming to ensure that the costs of insularity do not continuously burden families.
“The Balearic Islands cannot continue to pay such a high price simply for living here. We want our people to be able to make ends meet, eat well, and build a life in their homeland. This also means ensuring that basic products are not more expensive due to the necessity of maritime transport,” she concluded.
