The mayor of Mogán, Onalia Bueno, announced this Thursday that if she has to go to the Constitutional Court to push through the municipal eco-tax, she will not hesitate. The FEHT, with advice from the KPMG firm, has won the first round against the Mogán City Council, which in this procedure followed the same legal theory as EU municipalities that have similar revenue collection vehicles to promote sustainability.
The relationship between FEHT and KPMG has been formally established since 2022. This was due to the fact that the Association of Bar, Cafeteria, Restaurant and Leisure Owners of Las Palmas granted two million euros in aid to stimulate consumption in commercial and tourist areas in leisure, culture, and catering after Covid-19. The capital was delivered during the PSOE's mandate. The list of activities and impact achieved, as well as the recipients and suppliers, is not listed online. The website sponsorships.feht.es is disabled.
The money would be used for an awareness campaign that would cover 100% of the investment made by companies in Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and La Graciosa. The money came from the Canary Islands Government's Tourism Department, part of the Gomera ASG minority. At the time, the FEHT stated that it was being done "with the technical support of the consulting firm KPMG, which will help interested parties present their proposals and secure the necessary investment to carry out their events."
In 2022, it was announced that events based on four pillars would be funded, including "parades, acrobatics, clowns, juggling, humor, comedy, and monologues," which "would fall under the first pillar of the call focused on the performing arts." In the case of music and visual arts, which make up the second pillar of the grant, it allowed for live performances, DJs, and concerts, among others, to "bring the public closer to open shopping areas and tourist centers. It will also improve the Canary Islands' position as a benchmark for cultural tourism, diversifying the traditional sun and beach offerings and extending the positive impact of the islands' main industry to other, less touristy municipalities."
Since October 2024, KPMG has appointed Agustín Marrero as the new partner in charge of the firm in the Canary Islands, providing audit, legal, and tax services to companies and institutions. Enrique Núñez, partner in charge of the Legal practice, and Jaime Sanz, partner in charge of the Tax practice, work at KPMG Abogados in the Canary Islands. Both joined the firm in 2024 when the law firm (NGR Abogados) merged with a team of 19 professionals.
