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# Barcelona Mayor Defends 'Amazon Tax' After Appeal Move
- URL: https://barna.news/barcelona-mayor-defends-amazon-tax/
- Published: 2026-10-28T14:12:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-28T14:12:53.000Z
- Description: Mayor Jaume Collboni reaffirms support for the city's digital delivery tax following Supreme Court action.
- Author: Barna.News
- Tags: Economy & Finance, Catalonia

## Supreme Court Admits Appeal, Tax Still Suspended

The future of Barcelona City Council's so-called 'Amazon tax' now rests with Spain's Supreme Court, after it admitted the council's appeal for processing on Wednesday 28th October 2026\. The tax, formally aimed at large e-commerce delivery operators using public space, remains suspended following a July 2024 ruling by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) that annulled it on grounds of infringing the free movement of goods. Mayor Jaume Collboni confirmed the development during a commerce-focused event in the city, stating, "This tax is alive." His remarks came before news broke of a fatal train collision in Toledo. The council had challenged the TSJC's decision, and the Supreme Court's move allows the legal process to continue, though it has not yet ruled on the substance of the case.

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## Tax Designed to Support Local Shops

The measure, first introduced in March 2023, was designed to level the playing field between physical retailers and large online platforms. It targets companies with fiscal headquarters outside Spain that use city streets for deliveries via vans and couriers. Under the proposal, these firms would be required to pay for the use of public space, similar to how local businesses cover rent, wages, and municipal taxes. According to the City Council, the tax could raise around three million euros annually, with revenues earmarked for local, brick-and-mortar businesses. Collboni stressed the city spent approximately 18 months developing the pioneering initiative, framing it as a matter of fair competition rather than mere revenue generation.

- The tax applies to large postal and delivery operators distributing e-commerce purchases.
- It was challenged by transport sector groups and competition authorities.
- The TSJC ruled in July 2024 that it violated free movement of goods principles.

> "There are merchants who have a business in the city and pay their taxes, while others have their tax headquarters outside the State and do not contribute," said Mayor Collboni.

## Business Groups Want Stronger Action

While welcoming the tax, local commerce representatives argue it does not go far enough. Joan Carles Calbet of Electro Calbet said the issue is not online sales per se, but the uneven regulatory treatment, noting that some platforms exploit loopholes. Oriol Soler, general director of Abacus, highlighted that his company faces inspections from the Catalan Consumer Agency, yet platforms like Amazon do not face equivalent oversight despite dominating book sales in Catalonia. The Comertia retail association has identified large digital platforms as "the biggest threat" to small retailers. Collboni has aligned the council with these concerns, positioning the tax as part of a broader effort to protect Barcelona's neighbourhood commercial fabric.

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*Reported by 20minutos.es, en.ara.cat, CGPJ, 20 Minutos Barcelona.*