Spain remains without music

USPA NEWS - Spain Wednesday May 20 remains without music. Singers, songwriters and record companies have called for a day of silence across the country in protest against the VAT applies to music and, in his opinion, is contributing to the death of the sector.

"After more than two years suffering an unjustified tax abuse in the form of a VAT of 21%, and historical government neglect have kept on live music, sub-culture the least subsidized in our country, is the time reaffirm what we value and what we work,“ says the manifesto of this musical strike. What value is "the universal nature of music as one of the forms of expression and understanding -possibly the oldest- of humanity, able to unite and excite people, regardless of their origin, and cultural status / or social.“

Also they measured "music, particularly popular live music is cultural heritage of all citizens; social and cultural contributions of all live concerts and the importance of having a competitive market for the largest; with established entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in crucial sectors for the creation of own cultural imaginary, such as world music, and theaters and premises where commitment to program music and the importance that they can offer affordable prices to all social strata.“

The organizers of the protest believe that live music is in serious danger of disappearing in Spain, due to the deterioration experienced by the sector, which is exacerbated by excessive taxes that apply to live music. "We demand the government an immediate and significant reduction in the tax rate currently levied on final consumption of live music in our country, and that puts us in a position of extreme weakness against the other major countries in the Euro Zone, apply to the music a reduced value added tax, to encourage the consumption and reinvestment in talent,“ say the organizers.

The objective pursued is to leave Wednesday "local concert halls and silent, as shown in vacuum leads to where the country with the highest VAT on music across the European Union", but this is to press the government to reduce the tax burden on the music. A requirement that until now has not been addressed by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and should probably wait for the next legislative elections for an answer.