Thomas Dermine (PS), the Federal State Secretary for Economic Recovery and Strategic Investments, has stated his opposition to raising the VAT on energy while recognising the necessity for additional measures in light of the current crisis.
In a radio interview on La Première on RTBF, Dermine indicated that it was important for the Federal Government to re-evaluate policies as most households are still unsure over how they will pay their electricity bills.
However, he reaffirmed his belief that raising VAT on energy was not the way to do so. "If the liberals want to raise VAT to 21%, let them propose it and then we'll discuss it in the framework of the upcoming budget," he doubled down on.
Related News
- PS calls for the creation of an observatory on feminicides in Belgium
- Doel 3: Shutdown confirmed for Friday despite politicians' pleas
- Employment minister expresses frustration at lack of teleworking provision
Instead, the State Secretary regards public investment and tax reform as necessary measures, but admits that the latter is unlikely to be accomplished during the current legislative session.
In his view, "we need to progressively move towards the globalisation of income to reduce the tax burden and rebalance on other sources."
Furthermore, Dermine also called to change the way taxes are applied, as often "incentives were given to support the richest."
As a result, he expressed his belief that taxes should be "raised by a few points on the 2 to 3% of the population who are the most affluent."
