Barcelona City Council has approved a measure commonly called the Amazon tax. The city will levy a 1.25% rate on the activity of postal operators whose yearly billing surpasses one million euros. The new charge is set to take effect next week and will apply to those operators that meet the threshold.
In a vote that included Barcelona en Comú, PSC, ERC, and Citizens, the tax received support from Ernest Maragall’s group. The plan originated in 2019 as a condition for cross-party agreement on the 2020 budgets. Its aim is to push delivery companies toward using collection points for shipments above the home delivery transfer, which the city publicly argues congests streets when vans stop to hand off packages.
Leading measure
The formal implementation arrives three and a half years after the process began. The consultation and expert advice describe it as a pioneering rate in both Spain and Europe, reflecting a new approach to urban logistics and public space management.
Overall, the municipality anticipates a maximum annual collection of 2.6 million euros for home deliveries. This figure stems from calculations tied to the use of public space and corporate billing. The policy targets those postal operators whose invoices exceed one million euros annually, with a 1.25% levy on their activity above that threshold.
If the trend of vans stopping in the street to rush deliveries declines, the collected amount would likely fall. However, the government argues that reduced disruption would indicate a positive change in delivery habits. The policy, they say, will not alter the practice of routing packages to collection points, and another goal is to safeguard traditional commerce against online shopping dynamics.
Five operators, 62% of billing
In Barcelona, the number of postal operators required to pay the tax includes several major players, with Amazon among those earning over one million euros in turnover and thus subject to the levy. Other recognized operators include DHL and UPS, among others. Taken together, the five largest operators account for about 62% of the total turnover that might be affected by the new charge.