FAQs REC
Not at the moment. We are studying that taxes and municipal public prices may be collected in the future.
It came from the 10 Besós neightbourhoods at the end of Maig 2018.
It is a citizen exchange system that allows transactions between people, entities and businesses that accept it.
- To buy and sell among them
- Only in a specific area, for production, for work and proximity shopping
- Complementary to the Euro
The rec is an exclusively digital currency, can be used with an app.
Rec, Social Currency. Inspired by the Comtal Irrigation Channel that is born from the Besòs aquifer. For more than a thousand years it has fertilized the Besòs neighborhoods, the plain and the city of Barcelona. He has provided the mills with strength, he has watered the orchards, given service to the craftsmen and the industries, driving the water to the inhabitants, to the laundries, fountains and gardens.
The history of the Comtal Irrigation is the history of Barcelona and what are now its neighborhoods.
The rec means “Real Economy Currency”, a currency at the service of the productive economy. In short, a social economic resource at the service of people and local business.
The social currency Rec symbols’ is a letter R with a left trace that allows the simultaneous reading of an R and a + symbol. For its daily use the character Ɍ can be used (Unicode Uno + 024C), is available in a wide variety of fonts.
The rec is part of the B-MINCOME social innovation pilot project through which a part of public spending on social money is channeled in the area of the Besòs Axis of Barcelona. Specifically, in the neighborhoods of Meridiana, Vallbona, Torre Baró, Roquetes, Trinitat Nova, Trinitat Vella, Baró de Viver, Bon Pastor, Verneda – La Pau and Besòs-Maresme.
In all those businesses, entities or business that accept it. To find out which entity accepts recs look for the map “Rec Barcelona” app or easily identify them through a badge with the rec symbol in the establishment.
The social currency is born from the merger between initiatives of the city’s organizations and Barcelona’s City Council’s commitments. It is materialized in the B-MINCOME urban innovation pilot project, the objective of which is to promote actions to combat poverty in the Besós Axis (Barcelona). The B-MINCOME is co-financed by the EU’s Urban Innovative Actions program and it is leaded by the Social Rights area of Barcelona City Council.
To develop the B-MINCOME, the City Council is collaborating with other collaborative organizations: Young Foundation, Novact (International Institute for Nonviolent Action), Ivalua (Catalan Institute for Public Policy Evaluation), IGOP-UAB (Institute of Government and Public Policies of the Universitat de Barcelona) and the UPC (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), which are responsible for the design and the monitoring of the various active policies. Specifically, Novact is the entity that promotes and manages the social currency.
The pilot project will finish in October 2019 when the B-MINCOME ends, at which time the rec is expected to continue.
The idea is that the currency expands throughout the city of Barcelona and that more users, more businesses and entities can enjoy their advantages. This decision will be taken by the “Taula de Canvi”, citizen governance of the currency.
The project is based on the values of a social currency, to be a means of digital payment complementary to the euro, with a social orientation and ethics at the service of the needs of the population (community currency) and the strengthening of the economy of proximity (local currency). It is, obviously, a currency complementary to the euro, which wants to avoid the risks and uncertainties that derive from globalization and financial speculation.
In the euro zone, only the euro is the legal currency. This means that no one can be forced to pay or collect in a currency other than the euro. Social currencies (social, local, etc.) are accepted voluntarily and serve to make transactions of goods and services.
The traders can accept another instrument of payment in free will, beyond the euro, provided that the taxes are duly collected in euros.
It is for all citizens who want to be part of the rec network.
To start, it will only be deployed to the Besòs Aix area. Therefore, it can only be spent on the registered establishments of the 10 neighborhoods. Then the pilot project, October 2019, is scheduled to extend throughout the city.
Shopping centers, large supermarkets and online sales (e-commerce) are affecting local businesses which are in decline.
The streets in the neighborhoods, without local businesses, get deserted. The feeling of insecurity increases and social relations decrease. Through the rec, the money stays at the area to promote the economy and the proximity relations, the neighborhoods are economically and socially vital.
This initiative aims to promote the empowerment of citizens in a topic of general interest, how is money created and the impact on our neighborhoods. Promote that the neighborhoods are economically and socially vital, favoring that the money stays in the area to facilitate the economy and proximity links. Betting on social, technological innovation and offering an alternative to the globalized economic and monetary system.
Every time we pay with recs we are supporting, we are voting, the economy of proximity, and therefore a real economy, more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. In addition, we are helping to consolidate the recs network.
The more money circulates, the more the collective local wealth increases. It allows the citizens to recover a certain control of the currency through participation in the “Taula de Canvi” generating the public capacity, the citizenship, monetary creation. In short, the Social Currency seeks the benefits of people and the environment, and not only the profit of big capital.
The social currency has several advantages for each type of user:
Individuals:
- It is a safe, instant and cost-free form of payment: payments to businesses, organizations or other people have no cost and are made easily, safely and quickly.
- Allows access to offer: the map of the rec (Ɍ) app shows the shops in the neighborhood that have exclusive offers.
- Revitalizes the neighborhood: money circulates in the neighborhood, fosters local occupation and economically and socially supports trade, organizations and projects of proximity.
- It promotes the real and responsible economy: a sustainable economy at a social, economic and environmental level. The recs do not go to tax evasions countries.
Business:
- Multiply billing: the recs only circulate among the traders of the territory attached to the network.
- Make your business known through the rec app and attract more customers.
- Customer loyalty with offers: the rec mobile app allows to publish offers that users can view and approach the establishment.
- It is easy to spend: it allows you to buy goods and services from any company that accepts it.
- It’s free: during the pilot phase, using recs has no cost, its benefits add up.
- It is an innovative system: it places the business as a pioneer in social innovation and increases its notoriety.
Organizations:
- It favors the social life of the neighborhood: it generates social cohesion in the neighborhood through the relations that are born with the rec network.
- Reduce costs: fees or activities are free of charge and are easy, safe and fast.
- Allows for the compensation of trainers or professionals: to pay professional services or training in an agile, safe and without costs.
- It is a new channel of communication: it allows the organization and activities to be made known through the rec app.
- Loyalty of the member: it favors the loyalty of the partners through the publication of promotions in the app. It is an innovative system: it situates the entity as a pioneer in social innovation in neighborhoods.
In the pilot phase of the project, the rec is issued by Novact through a monetary authority that guards the euros and guarantees the process. After this initial phase, the currency will be governed by a citizen entity “Taula de Canvi” that will manage the recs with the support of Novact and the Barcelona City Council.
It is a social currency; therefore, it is governed by the citizenship. Initially the currency is governed by Novact with the aim of constituting a governance space, the Lead Group of the “Taula de Canvi”, an organization formed by citizens committed with social and commercial organizations of the neighborhoods, group of experts, with municipal support.
Novact will promote an organization, with a solid base of citizenship and experts, to launch the citizen currency in the pilot project of the Besòs Aix and finish the B-MINCOME, having the ability to extend the management of the currency to the entire city.
It is formed by three sectors:
Economic sector:
- Groupings of market standes
- Traders associations
- Organizations of the cooperative, social and solidarity economy
Social sector:
- Neighborhood Associations
- Social and cultural organizations
Municipal sector:
- Service addresses to the people of the 3 districts
- Social rights
- Services Management of cooperative, social and solidarity economy and consumption
- Barcelona Activa – Proximity development
- Trade services/ markets management
- Presidency and Economy
The main functions of the Lead Group of the “Taula de Canvi” are:
- Encourage the launch of the social currency in the pilot project of the Besòs Aix area and do the follow-up and continuous evaluation
- Prepare its own operating regulations as a lead group
- To become an entity with the most appropriate legal personality (association, cooperative, foundation, etc.) that can assume the management of the social currency in its extension to the city
- Provide for self-financing modalities
The model of organization that is proposed for the rec as a social coin of the Besòs Aix area is to promote collective intelligence integrating horizontality (legitimacy) and verticality (effectiveness), in a framework of total transparency. The decisions in each area always seek the maximum consent (agreement with the minimum of objections).
For the years before the start of the pilot project, the funding comes from the European project B-Mincome (EU). But it will be supported by the contribution of citizens participating and with the resources generated by the same use of the social currency.
It is a digital currency, therefore, it only works through the “Rec Barcelona” mobile app or the rec card with a QR code. To be able to use it, you need to download and register in the app.
To become a person or user of the rec you must download the app “Rec Barcelona” in the Play Store, register and accept the conditions of use.
Private user: To get recs you have to be registered to the Rec Barcelona mobile app, press the button with the rec (R) symbol that appears on the main screen, to the right of the balance. Then write the amount of recs you want to change, select a trade from the list, press the bank card where you want to withdraw the euros that will be converted to recs and enter the PIN code to confirm the operation.
Shops: shops can receive recs for goods or services and, in addition, can request to be exchange point of euros to recs. If they are exchange points, they will receive an advance in recs from the managing entity because private users can exchange euros for recs. In addition, traders can also purchase recs.
Circuit of creation and recs creation: The businesses that adhere to the recs network and that are activated as an exchange point, each month will receive a few advances of recs facilitated by the managing entity (Novact). The individuals that request it will exchange with these shops of euros to recs.
Once individuals have recs, they can spend them buying goods and services at local businesses that accept them. In turn, as businesses have the recs that individuals spend, may use them to purchase goods and services between them to expand the use and circulation of recs.
You can transfer them to your personal account and use them for personal purchases. Ultimately, the pilot project guarantees that you can return the recs received in advance and access the corresponding amount in euros to the same extent. For which you have to be an exchange point.
NOVACT has hired a Payment Service Provider (PSP) authorized and certified at an European level, a new figure that provides for the “European Directive 2015/2366 of the European Parliament and the Council of November 25, 2015 on payment services in the internal market “and that allows non-banking entities to act as payment service providers in a regulated manner, ensuring the funds deposited. The Social Currency is a payment instrument accepted voluntarily by producers, distributors and traders as payment for their products or services. As such, it is similar to a voucher or a gift card. A transaction with recs is subject to the same taxes as a transaction in euros. In addition, a transaction using recs is subject to the same consumer protection laws as a transaction in euros. The operation of rec is framed in a system of citizen exchange supported by this PSP for payment services.
It depends on what the traders and the customer decide. In general, if the customer has a balance, it is easier for everyone to pay 100% in recs.
In any case, we must remember that the payment of the price of the product or service is the sum of the euros and the recs.
Yes, the idea is a part of your sales income can be in recs.
If 100% of your sales are in euros, you are not part of the rec network and you do not enjoy your benefits, and if 100% of your sales are in recs, it may be that it hinders your obligations to pay taxes in euros.
The rec can be used in businesses, companies and organization that accept it. Initially to be a pilot project, it will be limited in the 10 neighborhoods of the Besòs Aix.
At the moment, not from the traders, it will be necessary to make sure that they can pay the taxes in euros.
We are studying the possibility for the future where you might pay taxes, fees and municipal public prices in recs.
As for accounting, the account in recs acts as a normal treasury account (570/572 cash or banks). When I buy recs, I make an entry to the Treasury account in recs and an exit to the account of the corresponding bank. When I collect or pay in recs I do entries or exits from the Treasury account recs as I would from any bank.
The recs do not affect the taxation of the company or the tax declaration. Sales, purchases and expenses are always made in euros, regardless of whether they are charged or paid in euros or recs. Therefore, the invoices are all in euros and you do not have to make any registration or special tax declaration.
The change of recs to euros is guaranteed, but only for establishments, small businesses and self-employed workers. Individuals have the responsibility to not change more recs than they can use. Even so, the conversion of recs to euros is not a desirable act, since it reduces the potential for local wealth creation. Some types of businesses, such as wholesalers, with their characteristics, can make this conversion without any restriction.
The issuing entity, Novact, has emergency mechanisms in place so that the user can warn of any issue, loss or theft, and can block and replace the stolen card or identify any possible issue of the app. Call this phone number: 651 34 14 06.
The rec only exists as a digital currency, either as a payment card or as a mobile app. The risks and consequences of fraud on cards are of the same nature as credit or debit cards, with an advantage for rec cards, they are worthless outside of the network of establishments that accept them.
The same goes for the computer server. The technological infrastructure of the rec has the most advanced security systems thanks to the “block chain” (blokchain). Because of this, the servers – which replicate all data – are more secure than those of commercial banks, with an advantage for rec servers, which are exclusively dedicated to the network of establishments that accept it. In addition, with the digital currency all transactions are traceable and are subject to the legal systems of data protection, fraud prevention and money laundering.
Yes, the offer of recs automatically adjusts to the demand to maintain parity with the euro. It is necessary to maintain the same prices of goods and services in euros as in recs on the part of businesses.
In the case of the rec, it partly uses the same blockchain technology as Bitcoin, but is opposed to it because it is a speculative and opaque currency of the world economy and therefore does not question the functioning unbalance of the current economy. The rec only serves the local and real economy.
We invite you to participate in the project, according to your availability, to accelerate the process of implantation and growth of the rec. You can communicate your interest to info@rec.barcelona.
Soon you will be able to get involved in one of the circles of the rec or contributing in the forums of the collaborative platform in which the citizens are invited to participate to contribute in the development of the currency. At the moment the main communication channels are the website www.rec.barcelonay and social networks.
Barcelona is a great city and as such, attracts capital. This will not change, Barcelona does not need to protect itself. Rather, we expect consumption to be rationalized, to allow idle factors to be reactivated, that is, resources that are not fully or partially used (for example, empty market stops) and to finance economic circuits that generally have little funding, to increase this way the wealth of businesses and the city.
The monetary creation of the rec is directed to emerging or depressed economic circuits and that have little funding. That is, no demand is generated either by the real estate market or by any other overheated sector.
The implementation of the rec in a specific geographical area can be seen as a tool to face the dangers of the globalized system, in that it increases the sustainable wealth of the community and its environment and promotes circuits of local exchange. When someone buys vegetables with recs, with his gesture he wants to favor that the production line (including the farmer, the wholesaler, the driver, the grocer, etc.) of these vegetables is of proximity.
On the contrary, if the same transaction (purchase of vegetables) is made in euros, the citizen has no guarantee that the supply line is local: long distance production, transnational transport, etc. From a macroeconomic point of view, we can agree that, if the population of the rec territory wants to promote local products and services, with its use it stimulates desirable economic activity, which respects people and the planet more.
No, recs do not expire, they work just like euros, but with the difference that they are digital and that only those who want will accept them.
TO INDIVIDUALS
You can do the recs to euros exchange just through the app. You should press the button with the rec symbol and be able to charge recs to your account. You can select whichever exchange point on the list, as they are the business that accepts recs and offer the exchange to euros.
You should use an Android mobile phone with 4.4 version or higher to be able to find the application in PlayStore.
We are currently working to offer the app in iOs. We’ll communicate it when available.
AS A FREELANCE
- Membership document as a freelance/self-employer. In Spain is the RETA (Régimen Especial de trabajadores por cuenta propia o Autónomos)
- Modelo 036 – Declaración Censal de la Agencia Tributaria
- Justification of the IBAN number – bank receipt in which they appear: all the digits of the IBAN number, the DNI/ NIE and the full name of the person holding the account
AS A BUSINESS
- The Status of the Society
- The Certificate of Ownership of the company (2 years old maxim) or Model 200 of the Declaration of the Income of Companies
- DNI(s) / NIE(s) shareholder (s) with 25% of the capital or more
- DNI/ NIE/ passport of the person as administrator
- The CIF number
- Justification of the IBAN number – bank receipt in which they appear: all the digits of the IBAN number, the DNI/ NIE and the full name of the person holding the account
Send it by email to info@rec.barcelona
