De Volkskrant: Rutte to make the Netherlands a tax haven after Brexit

16 November 2017

According to Prime Minister Rutte, a zero percent dividend withholding tax would be a competitive advantage and make it attractive for multinationals from the UK to move to the Netherlands.

The announced abolition of Dutch dividend tax has led to a heated discussion between the newly installed Dutch government and opposition parties. Currently at 15% in the Netherlands, the abolition of the tax is foreseen for 2020 and would move the country's tax rate even further away from France (30%) and Germany (26.4%). It would also mean €1.4 billion of lost income for the Dutch State. However, according to Prime Minister Rutte, a zero percent dividend withholding tax would be a competitive advantage and make it attractive for multinationals from the U.K. to move to the Netherlands. The tax abolition appeared rather unexpectedly in the coalition agreement, as none of the governing parties had included it in their electoral programmes. It is currently encountering a lot of resistance from opposition parties, who are not convinced of its necessity.

The article in Dutch: Brexit bracht afschaffing dividendbelasting op tafel, coalitie niet van plan dat terug te draaien

Sourcing and translation by European Movement International

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