Author: newsmedia

Permanent disability pensions are the third most paid within the bouquet of contributory pensions in our country. According to Social Security data, each month more than 950,000 benefits of this type are paid, probably the most special of the contributory ones.

The reason is that, although Social Security follows a series of processes for its concession, the truth is that permanent disability is not as determinable a reality as retirement (a worker reaches that age and accumulates a level of contribution ) or widowhood (you can prove a death that entitles you to the pension if there is a marriage or common-law relationship).

Within the 135 business days that Social Security has to decide whether to grant the pension for permanent disability or not, the applicant will not only have to provide all the information regarding their physical condition, since they will also have to go through the medical court, that it will issue a non-binding opinion but it will be taken into account by the provincial Social Security department, which is in charge of deciding.

In this step of the process and in the long waiting times it is normal for the applicant to wonder how many options he has to obtain the permanent disability pension and if the illness or disease he suffers guarantees said benefit. Questions for which there is no sure answer.

In the first place, because Social Security does not have a list of diseases that ‘give’ a disability pension . Secondly, because that list cannot exist either. As the specialized law firm Campmany Abogados reports on its website , what really matters is the patient and not the disease . This means that what you have to know is the influence of the disease or illness on the applicant’s daily or working life, since the effects of this disease are not homogeneous and can be very different depending on the patient.

All in all, the experience accumulated in multiple application procedures allows the firm to draw up a list of illnesses and ailments that have traditionally resulted in a greater number of permanent disability pension grants. This list is not a bible, it is only an informative and approximate document that in no case ensures that the fact of having one of these diseases guarantees the collection of the pension.

This is the complete list of diseases prepared by Campmany Abogados (they are arranged by sections and in alphabetical order):

allergology
-Dermatitis

Digestive system
-ulcerative colitis

-Crohn’s disease

-Morbid obesity

-Chronic pancreatitis

Cardiology
-Arteriosclerosis

-Heart disease

-cardiomyopathies

Cardiovascular diseases
-Aneurysm

-Arteriopathies

-atrial fibrillation

-Pulmonary hypertension

-Acute myocardial infarctions

-Mitral regurgitation

-Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome.

-Tachycardia

-Tetralogy of Fallot

mental illnesses
-Drug addiction, gambling or alcoholism

-Agoraphobia

-Depression

-Schizophrenia

-Borderline personality or post-traumatic stress

-Burnout syndrome

-Anxiety disorders

-Bipolar disorder

-Obsessive compulsive disorder

Internal Medicine
-Fibromyalgia

-Systemic lupus erythematosus

-Chemical sensitivity

-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

nephrology
-Chronic renal insufficiency

-Kidney transplant

Pneumology
-Sleep apnea

-Professional or occupational asthma

-Respiratory diseases caused by asbestos

-emphysema

-COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

-Sarcoidosis

Neurology
-Alzheimer’s

-Charcot-Marie-Tooth

-Dementia

-Multiple sclerosis

-Ictus

-Myasthenia gravis

-Migraines

-peripheral neuropathy

-Parkinson’s

-Arnold Chiari, Lambert-Eaton and Post Polio Syndromes

-Cranioencephalic trauma

Ophthalmology
-Retinal detachment

-Glaucoma

-optic neuropathy

-Loss of vision

-Uveitis

Oncology
-Breast cancer

-Lung cancer

-rectal cancer

Otorhinolaryngology
-Hearing loss

-Meniere’s syndrome

Rheumatology
– Rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis

-Behcet’s disease

-Ankylosing spondylitis

-Chronic fatigue

-Fibromyalgia

traumatology
-Perthes disease

-Gonarthrosis

-Cervical hernia

-Low back pain

-Serious pathologies of the hand, hip, shoulder, elbows or feet

-Cauda equina syndrome.

In early November, Fairmont Tazi Palace opened its doors in the heart of Tangier, Morocco. Housed in a palace that was the residence of the King’s counselor in the 1920s, it offers a unique concept of luxury that celebrates the rich Moroccan history and culture.

Fabien Gastinel, general manager of Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier, tells elEconomista.es why this location is unique and offers his vision of the sector.

Fairmont Tazi Palace opened its doors at the beginning of November, why was Tangier chosen?

The choice was clear. Tangier is an important city in the north of Morocco. Currently, the city is undergoing rapid development and modernization. The projects include new tourism projects along the bay, a modern business district called Tangier City Center, a new airport terminal and a new soccer stadium. Tangier’s economy will also greatly benefit from the new Tangier-Med port and it is also the second most important industrial center after Casablanca. For these reasons we chose this location.

What can guests expect at this location?

Originally built in the 1920s for the King’s Counsel, our palace has been transformed into an iconic 5-star resort that invites guests to sit back and enjoy every moment in idyllic surroundings, offering a beguiling blend of style and serenity.

Our hotel is home to seven culinary venues, ensuring guests access to eclectic dining experiences and refreshing craft cocktails throughout their stay.

In addition, our exclusive Fairmont Spa occupies 26,000 m2 totally dedicated to well-being, and to highlight the authentic character of the destination and the connection with the Moroccan native environment.

Last but not least, the Fairmont Tazi Palace is in the heart of the destination, we are only 10 minutes from the city center.

In an industry where there are more and more fish in the sea, how do you make a difference?

Making our guests’ stay memorable is our main objective, and this is how we make a difference. With stunning views of Tangier and the forest that overlooks the hotel, no detail is overlooked. Offering 133 rooms, suites and penthouses, each of our accommodations provides the luxurious touches that will make our guests’ vacation or business trip relaxing and memorable.

What do you think tourists who choose the Fairmont Tazi Palace are looking for?

I think that first of all the main objective is to visit the city of Tangier and the destination: Northern Morocco attracts more and more people from all over the world, be it the magic of Tangier, the artistic side of Chefchaouen or the simplicity from the small town of Assilah.

People look for authentic and different travel experiences, and that is why tourists who travel to Tangier choose our hotel, because we complete the experience of discovering the city with everything we offer.

Globally, the economic situation is generating a lot of uncertainty. Are you noticing it in any way?

The priority for the majority in 2023 will be to minimize the resurgence of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, building the confidence of travelers in the main source markets. With this very promising vision comes the responsibility of our sector to adapt to the evolution of consumer needs.

I am very optimistic about the future, especially in Tangier and Morocco, where activity picked up last summer.

There are many sectors that suffer from a lack of personnel, what is the situation in your industry?

Hiring and retaining staff continues to be one of the biggest challenges in the hotel industry in general. For the opening of our hotel, we have focused on hiring passionate employees who contribute to making each guest’s stay a memorable one.

We have also invested in a lot of training to improve the performance of our employees, which will lead to greater customer satisfaction.

What aspects of the industry would you say need to change?

I believe that we have to personalize the service we offer to our customers and provide them with a unique experience, and I always insist on consistency, as customers expect the quality of products and services to always be the same. That is why we have to increasingly value customer service surveys.

I also believe that we have to prioritize technology, on a superficial level we can already see how technology is changing the guest experience, with direct reservations, room keys via mobile, QR requests from hotel rooms and restaurants and even contactless check-in / out …

Digitization has advanced by leaps and bounds globally, in a sector where presence is an added value, how can technology make a difference?

Today, technology makes it easy to connect and communicate across borders and continents. This allows a quick transfer of information that helps the hospitality industry to increase the number of reservations and facilitate communication with customers, among other things. In addition, the impact of social networks is increasing.

Social media can support the decision-making and booking process, as customers start planning their trips using a search engine, searching Instagram for travel inspiration, and also reading online reviews. Therefore, we are making social networks an indispensable tool for our marketing strategy, working with content creators throughout the year.

The Starlink company aims to create a ‘constellation’ of Internet satellites orbiting planet Earth, which will provide broadband Internet service, global coverage and low latency at a low cost . Initially it was a project of the great American company Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX.

Inventor and billionaire Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, thinking of a potential human colonization of Mars . Among the company’s many achievements is having developed the Dragon and Dragon 2 reusable cargo ships, having carried the second to astronauts to the International Space Station.

In addition, SpaceX has obtained various contracts with different companies and even institutions. For example, it has entered into commercial cargo agreements with NASA , but also to transport human crews . It has also closed deals with the United States Department of Defense , as well as with the United States Air Force. Also noteworthy is the commercial contract with the company Space Adventures , to take up to four citizens on a private flight for a maximum of four days in low Earth orbit.

Starlink in Ukraine
The tycoon, founder of the Starlink system, decided to send thousands of antennas to Ukrainian citizens, so that those who have seen their lives affected by the war can communicate with the rest of the world. This has caused that the Starlink antennas are currently an important piece to maintain a certain stability in Ukraine .

Even the army of the country invaded by Russia uses its wireless networks to plan counterattacks against Russian troops . In an interview with the US magazine Wired, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that ” The Starlink system is very, very effective .” When the country’s cities lost their terrestrial Internet networks due to Russian bombing, disinformation increased the social instability of its inhabitants, but Starlink has been helping to improve their situation.

Zelensky added that: “To lose contact with these people is to totally lose control, lose reality. Believe me, the people who came out of the occupied cities, where there was no Starlink assistance, said that the Russians had explained to them that Ukraine already did not exist , and some even believed it. We are very grateful for the support of Starlink.

Public and private donations
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Zelensky government asked Elon Musk for support , as the country was experiencing major outages in its Internet network. The tycoon agreed, sending a total of 15,000 receiving antennas and moving 50 of Starlink’s satellites to eastern Europe. Of those 15,000, the United States government donated 1,300, and the vast majority were provided by the company. In addition, the same company decided not to charge its Internet services to Ukrainian users, the cost of which is 110 dollars per month.

Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov also hailed the success of the Starlink system in support of his country. Back in May, he claimed that around 150,000 people were benefiting from Starlink’s internet services . Shortly after, in June, this minister made public the company’s license as an Internet operator in Ukraine. Thus, shortly before the summer began, Starlink had already become the main provider of these services in the European country.

A dilemma for Musk
A week ago, Elon Musk announced that the help of the Starlink system to Ukraine could not be financed indefinitely , so the tycoon asked the US government for help to continue the work. He was even about to stop operating the company in the Eastern European country. However, he recently posted a tweet announcing his determination to continue helping Ukrainians: “To hell with that. Although Starlink continues to lose money and other companies receive billions of dollars from taxpayers, we will continue to fund the Government of Ukraine for free” .

The billionaire, who assures that he can suffer losses of up to 100 million dollars, has therefore corrected his course and will continue with the aid. It should be added that most of the terminals have been provided by Poland, the European Union and private companies from the old continent, including some from Ukraine.

Ukrainian businessman Dimko Zhluktenko says that: “I have not seen any Starlink that has been bought by governments or by SpaceX. All the ones I have seen and used were bought by volunteers like me, or even soldiers put their own money.” This has already launched several crowdfunding campaigns to finance Starlink terminals , among other aid to Ukraine.

As of this Monday, and until November 16, the telephones of the Spaniards could begin to beep as a form of alert due to a nationwide test by the Ministry of the Interior to test the rapid warning system for catastrophes . The alarm will sound during different weeks in the different autonomous communities, we will tell you when it will sound in yours.

Promoted by the General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies, the mobile telephones of all Spaniards will be able to receive notice that will form part of the drill to test the alert system for catastrophes, ES-Alert, developed by a subsidiary of Indra.

The main objective of these tests is to verify that the system works and that in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruptions, users are quickly notified in order to be able to save themselves.

This system consists of an alarm in the form of a beep accompanied by a text message , sent via radio broadcast, which will be displayed on the smartphone screen until the user confirms having received the notification . This alarm will reach all the terminals that are connected to the antennas of the area from where the alarm is issued.

In the case of the alert that will begin testing on Monday, the message will clearly show that it is only a drill (so as not to panic). This new system will be a complement to traditional disaster warning systems, such as television and radio.

The tests will be carried out during different weeks in each territory, starting this Monday , October 24, in the territories of Cantabria, Andalusia and Asturias. The following week, that is, from October 27, the drill will be held in E xtremadura, the Valencian Community and Galicia.

Later, during the week of November 2, Murcia, the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Aragon, Navarra and Catalonia will be the communities where this alert will sound so that the tests can then be carried out in the Basque Country, Castilla y León, the Canary Islands and Ceuta from November 10. november. Finally, during the week of November 16, Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja and Melilla will complete the tests of the so-called ES-Alert system.

The new Iberian gauge railway highway that covers the section between Valencia and Madrid will be operational in the last quarter of 2023. This was announced by the executive director of ADIF Logistics Services, Luis Vicente Moreno Espí, at the round table of the II Conference business Rail Transport: The present and future of rail freight transport in Spain organized by elEconomista.es in collaboration with IE.

Several representatives of different companies related to logistics and transport were present at the colloquium, who shared their concerns about the intermodality of freight transport that combines road or maritime transport with rail.

In this sense, Diego Ruigómez García-Valenzuela, general director of Containerships at CMA CGM, assured that “many companies have been betting on this for many years, although the market share is very low, we must be optimistic. All the actors are aligned in a final objective l”

In the same line, he spoke, the general director of Marcotran, David Raposo, who assured that his company’s commitment to this model is clear: “The alignment of all the agents makes the convictions that we have had for many years come together . It is very important because in the end, a company like ours has been investing in railway material for 30 years,” he stressed.

The railway operators are also aligned with this change in the combined land freight transport model. Joaquín del Moral Salcedo, general director of Renfe Mercancías, reiterated that “it is a very sweet moment” for this change and assured that it is accelerating “due to the pressure to reduce the carbon footprint in transport, which is necessary”.

For his part, Juan Fernández, president of Rail and Truck, highlighted the collaborative environment between the public administration and transport companies. He also exemplified the business model of his company: “It is a model that provides a new way of understanding the more collaborative transport of goods by rail.”

The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá, has advanced the affiliation forecast at the end of October, for which he expects to add 15,000 new affiliates to Social Security seasonally and 102,000 in the seasonal series . The data for the tenth month of the year of this 2023 is lower on average than that of other exercises, a fact that the minister argues for a shift in hiring from October to September in the Education sector.

The head of Social Security recognizes a month “a little below” the 30,000-35,000 jobs that are being created monthly in seasonally adjusted values.

“The fact that employment continues to grow, even if only a little, in an environment like this, must have a positive assessment. If we add the element of education, it leads us to think that in terms of employment we still do not see a slowdown in the pace of job creation”, pointed out Escrivá, who has insisted that, for now, “no cooling” of employment is detected, which is growing at “trend” rates close to 2% or 2.5% since the end of the effect pandemic.

The minister explained that between August and October of the 2017-2019 period, years that he considers more comparable because they were not affected by the pandemic restrictions that did impact 2020 and 2021, around 40,000 jobs were created per month. The current figure is 42,000, slightly above . “What we see is that we have indicators and signals that operate at a high activity rate and October is part of that dynamic,” he pointed out.

Despite the fact that affiliation in the education sector ‘weakened’ in October, other sectors are proving to be “very strong”, such as commerce, and employment continues to grow in technological and high value-added sectors, which, in turn, , due to their higher salaries, is helping to boost income from social contributions, which are growing at rates of 8.5%. In fact, Escrivá has indicated that income from installments is already equivalent to 11% of GDP, an unprecedented figure in the Social Security system.

Employment and hiring
In the comparison with the levels prior to the pandemic and taking into account the current price crisis and the conflict in Ukraine, Spain already exceeds the pre-Covid levels by 750,000 affiliates, with a job creation of 400,000 throughout the current year . The average variation since February 2020 at the national level represents an increase in affiliates of 4.5%.

Escrivá has highlighted that, in addition to continuing to create jobs, their quality is being boosted “overwhelmingly” by the labor reform. Thus, 84% of contracts are now indefinite, fourteen points more than before the reform. In young people, the proportion of them with indefinite contracts is 7 out of 10, compared to 4 out of 10 before the pandemic.

Luxembourg tax order to the European Commission. Since Brussels demanded the Grand Duchy in 2017 to claim 250 million euros from Amazon in supposedly unpaid taxes , the Luxembourg Treasury has not only demanded nothing from the company but has returned 1,617 million euros from 2018 to date. In the last financial year, Amazon declared revenues of 51,322 million euros in Luxembourg, but it has been accumulating losses year after year until adding red numbers of 4,189 million euros in the last five years.

After the presentation of two appeals by the Government of Luxembourg and Amazon itself, last year the General Court of the European Union (TGUE), which has its headquarters precisely in Luxembourg, annulled the decision of the Commission to claim the taxes earrings to the e-commerce giant. Brussels, however, has not given up and has filed an appeal, which is still pending resolution . In the report of its latest annual accounts, Amazon, which denies tax avoidance, is willing to fight and ensures that “we will continue to defend ourselves vigorously in this matter.”

Losses since 2017
The company, which invoices its operations in different European countries, including Spain, through Luxembourg, has registered dizzying growth in recent years, doubling its turnover since 2017. Specifically, the company has increased its sales by 106% from 2017 to 2021. The last year has also been the year in which the tax refund by Luxembourg has been greater, since it amounted to a total of 1,026 million , after having registered a negative result of 1,163 million euros , the second largest in its history, after the losses of 1,187 million that it declared in 2020.

Amazon’s is not, however, the first setback suffered by Brussels in the open battle to prevent large multinationals from avoiding paying the taxes that correspond to them. In 2020, the Court of Justice also agreed with Ireland and annulled the decision of the European Commission in which it demanded that Dublin demand taxes of 13,000 million euros from Apple . The Commission had determined that Ireland had acted against European regulations by equating the tax exemption for the apple giant with State aid, which distorted competition and the internal market in favor of the North American multinational. Brussels considered that Ireland would have granted illegal tax aid to the company, without having tax residence in the country.

The origin of the dispute
In the case of Amazon, the European Commission opened a formal investigation in October 2014 to assess the decisions of the Luxembourg Treasury regarding corporate income tax. Four years later, in 2017, Brussels announced its decision. The Luxembourg tax authorities did not comply with the European Union rules on state aid . Given this statement, the country’s authorities had to calculate and recover the additional taxes corresponding to the period between May 2006 and June 2014. Luxembourg, however, in 2017 appealed the decision taken from Brussels.

Amazon explained that “Luxembourg calculated an initial recovery amount, consistent with the decision of the European Commission, which we deposited in escrow in March 2018, pending the conclusion of all appeals.” However, the company put up a fight and showed that it was not satisfied with the decision of Brussels and in May of the same year it appealed, considering that ” the decision of the European Commission is unfounded “.

The sanctioning file opened by Brussels is not, however, the only one that Amazon has faced. The e-commerce company was investigated as early as 2012 by the French Tax Administration (FTA) for tax avoidance . “We received a proposed tax settlement notice for calendar years 2006 through 2010 regarding the allocation of income between foreign jurisdictions,” Amazon acknowledged in the 2017 accounts.

Last year, the French Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, already insisted that Amazon had to pay for the future international tax device for large digital groups, and that a solution would be to differentiate in their businesses those that will be taxed and those that will be taxed. no. ” Amazon must be in the field of taxation “, stressed Le Maire, in response to the debate on whether the US company could get rid of this tax.