The Union of Associations of Independent Workers and Entrepreneurs (UATAE) expressed its discomfort this Wednesday with the “unequal distribution” of the large subsidies granted in 2023 and “the concentration of aid in large companies”, according to elDiario.es. revealed, based on data from the Ministry of Finance, that 100 companies received more than half of the large subsidies last year.
The data, according to UATAE, “show an alarming lack of support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed workers, who represent the true economic engine of our country.” For its secretary general, María José Landaburu, “it is unacceptable that, in a year marked by economic challenges, most of the public aid has gone to large companies that, in many cases, already have considerable resources.”
Meanwhile, “the self-employed and SMEs, who are the ones who truly support the local productive fabric and generate employment, continue to opt for insignificant crumbs of these funds.”
The UATAE points out that this concentration of aid in large companies “not only perpetuates inequalities in the economic system, because as the analysis shows, the companies of the Ibex 35 received 10% of the largest subsidies, some 765 million, although they only concentrate 3% of the companies that obtained more than one million in aid in 2023.”
“This puts at risk the viability of thousands of small businesses that do not have access to the same resources and that face greater difficulties in dealing with the challenges posed by the economic uncertainty of recent periods.”
“We are facing a scenario where small business owners and the self-employed are struggling to stay afloat, facing rising costs and unequal competition, while large businesses are receiving disproportionate support,” Landaburu added.
The organization considers that this “imbalance” in the granting of aid reflects “a lack of vision and sensitivity towards the crucial role played by micro-SMEs and self-employed workers in the Spanish economy.”
“It is imperative to review aid allocation policies to ensure that public resources are distributed equitably, favouring sectors that really need them and are essential to economic recovery,” according to Landaburu.
The UATAE proposes, among other measures, the creation of a specific fund for small businesses and self-employed workers, as well as the simplification of the processes for accessing aid and subsidies for these groups. “We cannot allow large companies to continue accumulating resources while the self-employed and micro-SMEs, who are the pillars of our economy, continue to be ignored. It is time for a change that reflects a true commitment to equal opportunities and sustainable development.”
For his part, Sumar asked the government for explanations on the criteria it follows to grant public subsidies to large companies. The parliamentary group registered a battery of questions to obtain more clarification. He also wants to know if the Executive plans to exclude from this type of aid companies with aggressive tax practices or, for example, that have applied an ERE.
