topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2117.66 -0.08
DAX 6323.19 -0.26
IBEX 30 6401.2 -2.17
CAC 40 3042.97 -0.16
FTSE 100 5356.34 0.09
AEX 292.76 0.00
DJIA 12454.83 -0.60
Nasdaq 2837.53 -0.07
FTSE MIB 13057.26 -0.74
TSX Composite 11566.15 -0.09
ASX 4120.2 0.96
Hang seng 18800.99 0.47
Straits Times 2787.22 0.52
ISEQ 20 501.76 0.16
You are here: Home News Dutch News Dutch unions welcome cancellation of VAT increase

Dutch News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


25/08/2008Dutch unions welcome cancellation of VAT increase

Main trade union federations in the Netherlands say the government’s decision to cancel a planned increase in VAT is logical and sensible.

25 August 2008

THE NETHERLANDS - The Dutch unions have welcomed a government decision to cancel a planned increase in value-added tax (VAT). The two main trade union federations, CNV and FNV, say it is a logical and sensible step to help curb inflation and boost spending power. The cabinet had intended to raise VAT from 19 to 20 percent in 2009.

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said on Friday that the measure had been cancelled as an "opening move to prevent economic development taking an unnecessary turn for the worse".

The cabinet still hopes it will be able to go ahead with its plan to cancel unemployment insurance contributions. The prime minister said this would only be possible if unions and employers worked together with the cabinet to keep wage increases under control.

Socialist Party leader Agnes Kant said it was inappropriate for the government to call for wage restraint. She pointed to the loss of purchasing power in recent years, increasing corporate profits and the rising wages enjoyed by senior managers and justify unions’ claim for a larger share of national prosperity.

[Radio Netherlands / Expatica]


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Relocating to the Netherlands

Taxation on Rental Apartments!

Housing in the Netherlands

Taxation on Rental Appartments?

Discuss Dutch Culture

High-quality fake passports, driver's licenses, ID

English in the Netherlands

Moved to Hengelo

Travel & Transport in the Netherlands

Buy fake passports, driver's licenses, identity cards

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Setting up home in the Netherlands

Setting up home in the Netherlands

A guide to telephone, internet and television along with utility services water, electricity and gas in the Netherlands.

Dutch immigration and residency regulations

Dutch immigration and residency regulations

Lost in the Dutch immigration system? Look no further than this guide compiled for our Survival Guide 2012.

A brief introduction to the Netherlands

A brief introduction to the Netherlands

Expatica offers a whistle-stop tour of life in the modern Netherlands.

Giving birth in the Netherlands

Giving birth in the Netherlands

The challenges and benefits of the maternity system in the Netherlands and how it differs to other countries.