Valencia urges expansion of energy relief to more industries under Ukraine War measures

Rafa Climent, who serves as the Minister of Sustainable Economy, sent a formal note to Nadia Calviño, the First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Economy and Digital Transformation, along with Reyes Maroto, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism. The message highlights a gap in the appendix to Royal Decree Law No. 20/2022, dated 27 December, which concerns interventions aimed at mitigating the economic and social fallout of the Ukrainian conflict. Specifically, the note points out that certain industrial activities are not covered by the annex, including CNAE 1330 for textile finishing, CNAE 2030 which encompasses paints, varnishes and related coatings, CNAE 2012 for paint and pigment production, and all activities falling under CNAE group 234 tied to the ceramics sector. This omission, according to Climent, warrants reconsideration so the affected sectors can access the same policy tools as other included activities. The request argues that the annex can be amended through a Council of Ministers agreement, as permitted by article 59, paragraph 3, and notes that a substantial share of the companies engaged in these activities rely on gas as their primary energy source. It underscores that many of these businesses are concentrated in the Valencia region, making timely inclusions in the policy framework particularly pertinent for this area.