Ituna Center for Basque Economic Agreement and Fiscal Federalism Studies
History and current status of the Basque Economic Agreement in images
Consult the image archive related to the history and current status of the Basque Economic Agreement and the Navarrese Arrangement, as well as the Foral Treasuries, made available by the Center for students and teachers of all levels.
Approval of the Quota and the Economic Agreement in the Congress of Deputies
Commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the Basque Economic Agreement
Event commemorating the 140th anniversary of the Basque Economic Agreement, held at the Arriaga Theatre on February 28, 2018, organized by the Basque Government and the Provincial Councils of Álava, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa.
1978 Manifestation for the Recovery of the Basque Economic Agreement
A demonstration called by the EAJ (Basque Nationalist Party) under the slogan “Without an Economic Agreement, there is no autonomy” (which was joined by EIA, ESEU, ORT, PTE, and EEk) took place on June 10, 1978, in Bilbao, to claim the recovery of the Economic Agreements of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. Photographs provided by Miren Alcedo and José Rubí.
The Negotiators of the Basque Economic Agreement
The modification of 2017
In the spring of 2017, an agreement was reached with the Basque Nationalist Party (Eusko Alderdi Jeltzale) for the Basque Parliament to support the State’s General Budgets. As a result, several reforms were made to the Economic Agreement, and a new Quota Law was approved. Changes were made to the Economic Agreement to adapt it to legislative modifications, including updates on tax groups, the electricity tax, and the options for non-residents to pay Personal Income Tax. Additionally, adjustments were made to the regulation of tax offenses in accordance with the new provisions established in the Criminal Code. Improvements were also made in tax management and coordination among administrations.
The modification of 2014
On January 16, 2014, the Basque Government and the Spanish Government signed a reform of the Economic Agreement, which incorporated seven new taxes that the Spanish State had approved in recent years by the provincial treasuries. The Joint Committee of the Economic Agreement officially ratified the agreement between the two parties.
Renewal of 2002
The agreement was reflected in Law 12/2002 of 23. This law also has a single article and introduced significant innovations compared to previous texts; the most notable was establishing the Agreement as indefinite. Thus, the agreement is indefinite, but it has mechanisms for amendment agreed upon in the Economic Agreement’s Mixed Committee. Another structural innovation of the Agreement is that whereas in 1981 it had two parts—taxes and the quota—now it distinguishes three: taxes, financial relationships (not just the quota), and the Committees and the Arbitration Committee
The Basque Economic Agreement of 1981
Images provided by Pedro Luis Uriarte and José Ramón López Larrinaga.
Renewal of 1925
This renewal began with the Royal Decree of June 9, 1925, issued by the president of the Military Directory. This decree appointed a Mixed Commission (State-Provincial Councils) to draft the Economic Agreement. Complex negotiations commenced, but ultimately the agreement was formalized in the Royal Decree of December 24, 1926.
The institution then recognized a regulatory extension that affected the agreed figures, alongside improvements in technical aspects and adjustments to the current tax system. The regulation established the mechanisms for implementing the Agreement and created the Mixed Committee for Uses. This last figure would set tax bases concerning movable assets, and companies operating within and outside the agreed provinces would have to pay taxes directly to the State.
Renewal of 1906
The Basque Commission responsible for negotiating the renewal of the Economic Agreement of 1906. Standing from left to right: Eliodoro Ramírez Olano (Secretary of the Provincial Council of Álava), Joaquin Carrión (Provincial Deputy of Guipúzcoa), Isidoro León (Provincial Deputy of Bizkaia), Pedro Chalbaud (Provincial Deputy of Bizkaia), and Benito de Guinea (Vice President of the Provincial Commission of Álava). Seated from left to right: Francisco Gascue (Vice President of the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa), Braulio Montejo (Provincial Deputy of Álava), Ramón María Lili (President of the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa), and Adolfo G. de Urquijo (President of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia). Image provided by María Jesús Ramírez de Olano.
In the last image, the Bizkaian commissioners who participated in the renewal of the Economic Agreement of 1906. Number 1: Adolfo G. de Urquijo (President of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia). Number 2: Pedro Chalbaud (Provincial Deputy of Bizkaia). Number 3: José Joaquín Ampuero. Number 4: Isidoro León (Provincial Deputy of Bizkaia). Image provided by Mikel Erkoreka.
Renewal of 1894
The Basque Commission responsible for negotiating the renewal of the Economic Agreement of 1894. This is the oldest photograph located to date of the negotiators of the Economic Agreement. Standing from left to right: Eliodoro Ramírez Olano (Secretary of the Provincial Council of Álava), José F. Epalza (Provincial Deputy of Bizkaia), Justino Iradier (Provincial Deputy of Álava), José Machimbarrena (Provincial Deputy of Guipúzcoa), Leonardo Moyua (Provincial Deputy of Guipúzcoa), Fernando Olascoaga (Provincial Deputy of Bizkaia), and Bernardo Unda (Accountant of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia). Seated from left to right: Juan José Elorza (Vice President of the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa), Cosme Palacio (Vice President of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia), Juan Cano (President of the Provincial Council of Álava), José María Arteche (President of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia), Ramón María Lilí (President of the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa), and Benito de Guinea (Vice President of the Provincial Commission of Álava). Image provided by María Jesús Ramírez de Olano.
