Public economy and taxation
Two lines of research are contemplated under this section: on the one hand Taxation and on the other, the Public Economy and Well-being.
Funcas’studies on Taxation are aimed at rigorous analysis and its impact on the economic environment in general, paying special attention to the Spanish tax reality. To achieve this, the unit develops and enhances the study, both theoretical and applied, of tax issues and their impact on economic reality. In this sense, it is a platform from where quick answers to the questions that are usually asked in the study of tax reforms, present or future – tax impact, distributive effects, efficiency costs, social welfare – are offered, with agility and rigor. On the other hand, it also offers comparative analyzes of the Spanish economic reality with respect tosurrounding countries in order to identify weaknesses, inefficiencies and proposals for improvement.
The research on Public Expenditure, Economic Regulation and Well-being aims to promote and develop the analysis of public sector intervention in market economies, with special attention to the set of actions that make up the social welfare system, taking as a main reference the Spanish and European reality. The work program therefore includes aspects related to the regulation of markets, the finances of public administrations and, in particular, the examination of the objectives and instruments of social policy, their consequences on economic growth and social cohesion, and the relations between the public, private and non-profit sectors.
Highlighted
Artículo
Housing supply and the limits of the market: Spain’s path to an investable social stock
Fecha:
July 2026
Spain faces a structural housing shortfall estimated at around 700,000 units, with social
housing accounting for just 3.3% of the residential stock, well below the EU average.
The EU’ s reclassification of affordable housing as a service of general economic
interest opens a legally secure path for combining public and private financing, but only if authorities rigorously model funding gaps and design compensation that is sufficient without generating windfall returns.
Artículo
Population ageing and public finances: Spain’s tax revenue gap by 2040
Fecha:
July 2026
A static simulation applying 2040 demographic projections to 2025 household tax data estimates that population ageing alone would reduce Spanish tax revenue by around 3.3% through its impact on personal income tax, social security contributions, and VAT. The decline reflects the shrinking weight of younger and prime working-age households in the population, while immigration can only partially offset the shortfall and depends heavily on household composition and income levels.
Ante la eventualidad de que en los alemanes vean en los próximos años reducida la cuantía de sus pensiones, el gobierno de coalición entre la CDU y los socialdemócratas encargó a un grupo de expertos un informe que analizara la situación del sistema. El documento, hecho público recientemente, propone medidas como la prolongación de la vida laboral, complementar la pensión actual con otra, de carácter público, capitalizada con aportaciones de trabajadores y empresas y el ensanchamiento de la base de cotizantes. Como explica Elisa Chuliá, de Funcas, la intención del ejecutivo es convertir estas propuestas en legislación este mismo año.
La mayoría de la sociedad española cree que el pago de las pensiones será un problema económico a corto plazo. Sin embargo, el necesario debate en torno a las medidas precisas para la reforma del sistema se topa con sombras en el conocimiento del mismo por parte de la población.