Belgium: the government starts shifting the tax burden from employment revenue towards a broader spectrum of revenue sources

“An engine for growth and employment,” is how Prime Minister Charles Michel presented the agreement on the 2015 budget adjustment and the 2016 draft budget that was concluded on the night of 22/23 July. The agreement provides for a lowering in salary based social contributions from 33% to 25%. Unions however see the government as having missed out an opportunity to embark upon a real reorientation of taxes that fairly taxes all revenue sources.
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The government agreement intends to lower pay based social contributions from 33% to 25% as quickly as possible so as to improve business competitiveness and to close the pay gap with its neighboring countries. Government figures estimate that this will lower business charges by 900 million euros. In addition the government is committed to raising low and average worker pay by 100 euros a month starting next year via a pay scale reform used in tax calculations, job bonuses etc. The lowering of

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