A guest on the programme “QR le débat” broadcast on RTBF this Wednesday, the Federal Minister for the Middle Classes, Self-Employed and SMEs, Eléonore Simonet, discussed the budgetary options for finding 10 billion.
The Minister recalled that Belgium does not have a problem with revenue (which remains stable) but with spending (which is skyrocketing).
As for the tax on high wealth wanted by some, the Minister pointed out:
“We are world champions when it comes to taxing labour and among the European countries that tax capital the most.
The same euro gets taxed throughout your whole life. When you receive it, you pay taxes. If you can save: withholding tax, securities account, capital gains. And then, if you buy a small flat, you get taxed again: registration duties, property tax. And even at the end, upon your death, inheritance tax.
Taxing wealth is more of an election leaflet than a one-off budgetary solution. You might feel you'll get something small out of it, but the medium- and long-term risks for our economy could be dramatic. Look at the signal being sent to our investors, to our entrepreneurs who take risks here in Belgium, to our savers. The signal being sent is “leave!”