On 6 June, the Spanish government published the action plan for growth, competitiveness and efficiency. This communiqué was published in the same week that the government announced future reductions in both corporate and income taxes and an early repayment of the loan received for the FROB. This all sounds like good news for the Spanish economy, but what is the expected effect on SMEs?
Increasing financing for the productive economy
The main instrument used by the Spanish Government will be the granting of ICO credit lines for a total of €25 billion. This amount is 25% more than expected in 2014 and 80% more than in 2013. Also through the ICO, a programme of guarantees will be launched in favour of a large number of international financial institutions for a maximum annual amount of €900M. Spain will participate in the SME initiative with €800M with the aim of increasing SME lending by incorporating joint resources from European Funds and the EIB.
Boosting business R&D&I
He highlights the creation of the collateral fund for access to CDTI funding for SMEs with problems in providing guarantees. "Currently SMEs are very reluctant to present their R&D projects to the CDTI as they require very high levels of guarantees of almost 100%, the appearance of this type of fund can be a solution to unblock many projects," says Diego Gutierrez, an expert in financing for SMEs. ABRA INVEST.
From the point of view of public-private collaboration, the promotion of Funds specialised by specific technological sectors is noteworthy, following the positive experience of the FONDICO Global.
These initiatives are complemented by other instruments such as the financial instrument "ICO Innovation Technology Fund 2013-2015", the "CIEN" programme, the Global Innovation Line and the 2014 Action Plan of the State R&D&I Plan.
Boosting debt financing and restructuring.
It is proposed to reform the system of movable collateral in order to gain flexibility by extending the type of registrable assets, providing for a single form of collateral (the pledge) and improving the procedure for the recovery of movable assets given as collateral.
It is also intended to make creditors' agreements more flexible in order to guarantee the survival of SMEs with high debt but which are operationally viable, through the reform of the insolvency law and through the drafting of a Code of Good Practices.
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