The Canarian government decides to eliminate the pink tax

Just a few days ago, the Canarian Government won the applause of the archipelago's population, especially the female population, by notifying the disappearance of the so-called pink tax in the Canary Islands. Or what is the same, that as of January 1, 2018, no woman residing in the Canary Islands will have to pay any tax for the purchase of pads or tampons.

The proposal arose from the representation of Podemos as the claim eternally ignored but supported for 50% of the world's population: stop penalizing with a tax what is an essential item for the women. Finally, the Minister of Finance of the Government of the Canary Islands presented the application of this measure that It will be a historic advance in the fight for gender equality.

With this measure, the Canary Islands will be equated with Canada, which is the only country in the world that does not levy taxes on feminine hygiene products.

What will this saving mean?

The question will vary its answer depending on who answers it; For the Treasury, it will obviously have a different connotation than the one it will have for buyers of

this essential item.

It's funny how the proposal has been presented in relation to how it will affect budgets, almost like a excuse me to reassure the detractors, because it will only mean a decrease of € 220,000 per year in Tax authorities.

In an elegantly progressive way it is emphasized that this insignificance for the coffers it will be a great advance for the female population, who will stop paying between € 8 and € 10 a year in a matter of taxes for having the rule.

Why in the Canary Islands yes and in the rest of Spain not?

Until the entry into force of this measure at the beginning of next year, purchase a box of tampons or compresses in the Canary Islands represented an increase of 3% in the price due to the IGIC (General Indirect Canarian Tax) While in the rest of Spain the increase was 10% in VAT, something that already marked a difference in favor of the Canarian consumer compared to the Spanish peninsular.

It is time to remember that 10% is the so-called reduced VAT, while the super-reduced 4% would be intended exclusively for basic necessities, that is, those that are essential for the daily life. You should ask those who assign the 10% VAT to feminine hygiene items how many women have the ability to choose each month whether or not to use pads and tampons when they have the rule.

With the disappearance of the IGIC, the distances in terms of rights between women from the same country but from a different autonomous community have increased even more, leading to the natural question of the aggrieved (and uncomfortable for some others): Why the Canary Islands yes and in the rest of Spain not? And once again, the answer neither satisfies nor solves.

The shield answer

Regarding the Canary Islands, its ability to implement the measure of the disappearance of the pink rate is independent, since it is the the only community in Spain with fiscal autonomy to set indirect tax rates.

The Spanish State shields itself by throwing balls out with the argument that this measure cannot be applied as it is governed by a European Community directive. In other words, without their approval, nothing could be done.

The question is whether the rest of the Europeans are happy to pay month by month, during the 30 years on average that covers the childbearing age of every woman, a tax that seems to penalize them for being born female.

Perhaps in the European Parliament, talking about an issue that affects 50% of the population it represents is not so important.

Equality... ?

Probably, as we are already used to pay more for the same products just by offering us the female version of the same items, perhaps they expect us to back down once more.

Perhaps the Ministry of Equality that was created 10 years ago in our country should consider moving a file in this regard to start moving the rusty gears of the equality that he defends, not only in terms of gender but also Come in people equal in rights of the same country regardless of the autonomous community in which you reside.

In the meantime, maybe we will add a new look at the airports of the flights coming from the Canarian archipelago, that of the exhaustive search in female suitcases in search of boxes and boxes of tampons.