In a gallery anywhere in Spain, or at the ARCO art fair, a painting by Miquel Barceló can cost up to 16% more than in other parts of Europe. While in Spain the VAT applied to galleries is 21%, some countries adopted European Union Directive 2022/542 and reduced it to 5.5% (France), 5% (Italy), 7% (Germany), 6% (Belgium), and 6% (Portugal). Spanish gallery owners have been demanding a similar reduction ever since, but without success, and this Monday they began a week-long strike "in response to the paralysis and lack of action from the Spanish government." Ernest Urtasun promised in 2024 that he would lower this tax on art, but the measure never materialized. According to sources at the Consortium of Contemporary Art Galleries, some 200 galleries, almost all those in the country, are supporting the strike. The work stoppage not only means that the galleries will close their doors to the public, but also "a three-month cessation of all free collaboration with public and private institutions." This includes the loans of artworks that galleries often make to museums, taking charge of all the management and prior documentation related to the works' state of conservation. However, sources at the Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for the tax cut, explain that they are not considering modifying it because "it is not a priority." At the Ministry of Culture, on the other hand, they continue to express the same good intentions that Minister Ernest Urtasun has stated on several occasions. "We are aware of and share the sector's demands, with whom we maintain an open dialogue," ministry sources told ARA. "This situation puts them at a disadvantage in the market, and we believe it's a fair demand. That's why we've raised it with the Ministry of Finance on more than one occasion," the same sources indicate.