Belgium/Council of State gives green light to Zelzate's fair tax shift

The Council of State has given the green light to the "fair tax shift" that Zelzate, in East Flanders, has put in place, announced Friday the alderman for the Environment Steven De Vuyts, member of the PVDA (PTB) in power with Vooruit.

This tax shift, which provides for a reduction in taxes for households and the self-employed, financed by an increase in the contributions of large companies present on the territory of the entity, was contested in particular by the employers' organization Voka.

Since 2020, this system has cost 30 large companies some 487,000 euros more per year. Of this amount, 100,000 euros are used to prevent waste collection from becoming more expensive. At the same time, the municipal taxes of 600 small and medium-sized businesses were reduced by 100 euros two years ago. And since this year, the environmental tax has been halved for all families before it disappears completely in 2024.

"This tax shift costs companies barely 0.09% of their profits," the municipal authorities assure us. "We are talking about amounts that companies barely feel, but it is already too much for the Voka and for multinationals like ArcelorMittal, Jan De Nul and Rain Carbon. They went to the Council of State to cancel our tax shift, but without success. As alocal council, we do a good job for our residents and small independents," said Steven De Vuyts, who believes that the system does not drive away companies.

Source: www.rtbf.be