In May, the Spanish Treasury rejected the measure of lowering VAT from 10% to 4% of the tampons, pads or menstrual cups that wanted to be included in the reform of the Abortion Law. Equality Minister Irene Montero recalled that 22 per cent of women said they could not pay for these commodities and said they would continue to argue to reduce or eliminate VAT. Already in 2019 the government coalition committed to implementing this measure, but in the end it will have to wait until 2023.

The General Budget of the State of 2023 will include the reduction of VAT on menstrual products, condoms and non-medicinal contraceptives. They will not lower the VAT on diapers for both children and adults, although we can also ask for it.

Free menstruation products

With very low VAT, but half of the population of Hego Euskal Herria must continue to pay basic products for the monthly payment. Elsewhere, however, they have free access. Among other things, the universities of the continental Basque Country and student residences began to distribute tampons and compresses free of charge in 2021, as a result of an agreement by the French Government with student associations.

The Scottish Parliament also decided in 2020 that monthly hygiene products should be free of charge, being the first country in the world to donate them free of charge in schools and universities, according to the Berria newspaper. In New Zealand they also started donating menstrual products free of charge in schools in 2021.