In the area of VAT, too, this could change. Decreasing, but also increasing. The Minister of Finance would favor an increase in VAT on basic necessities. Like bread and milk, for example. To justify such a measure, the Minister specifies that Belgium taxes consumption very little compared to other states. It would therefore be necessary to make a shift from taxation on labor to taxation on consumption and wealth. Harmonization is therefore necessary. Namely a reduction in VAT from 6 to 0% for fruits, vegetables, medicines, public transport (we will come back to this), intimate hygiene products…
We fought to lower VAT from 21 to 6% on gas, water and electricity, we will keep it at 6%
On the other hand, many products now taxed at 6 or 12% will be harmonized at… 9%. Meat, fish, bread, dairy products, a whole series of things currently taxed at 6% would therefore increase to 9%. But on the contrary, according to our guest, the restaurant or the margarine would make the opposite path from 12 to 9%.
The taxation of water, gas and electricity, it would remain at 6% according to Vincent Van Peteghem. “We fought to lower the VAT from 21 to 6% on gas, water and electricity, we will keep it at 6%” he assures.
The ticket for public transport would henceforth not be taxed. A particularly virtuous measure for the federal minister, as taxation can give some people a boost “to move towards a healthier and more sustainable society”. Small downside however, this “boost” to the use of the train or other public transport which could just compensate for the price increase announced by the SNCB, underlines Thomas Gadisseux mischievously.