Spain scraps value-added tax on staple foods in aid package

By CIARÁN GILES
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain has announced a new series of measures including scrapping Value Added Tax on staple food and has extended rent and eviction controls to help ease the economic crisis caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. It is the third aid package since the start of the war in February and was said to be worth 10 billion euros ($11billion). Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the measures in an end-of-year speech. The government said it would cut VAT on cooking oil and pasta from 10% to 5%. The government will maintain a cut in the tax on electricity and issue a new cheque of 200 euros for 4.2 million homes.