After the budget memorandum was presented, it seems that the matter has been decided: VAT on sports activities will increase from 9 to 21 percent. This means that your fitness subscription will become much more expensive, just like swimming lessons. For Klaas Koster from the Dutch Association of Biologists (NGvV), this does not bode well and threatens the health of millions of Dutch people.
The cabinet decided not to cut back on sports activities and to make train tickets slightly cheaper. But the 21 percent VAT on sports subscriptions, swimming lessons and tickets to sports competitions? That is still planned for now.
“High VAT on sports threatens health”
According to Koster, we live in “a time of increasing obesity, stress and tension.” He describes it as a worrying development that people with smaller wallets are being hit particularly hard by this trend. “Exercise helps prevent stress and obesity, but this measure makes it less accessible, especially for people on a budget. There is a risk that exercise is seen as a luxury, leading to an increase in health problems such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. The Diabetes Trust recently warned of a real “diabetes wave.” Recognizing diabetes? This is how you do it.
But sports (lessons) aren’t the only thing the government wants to increase VAT on. Books are also affected by the rate hike. “Reading is essential for personal development and mental health, but it’s already becoming less popular, especially among young people. An increase in book prices could further this trend,” says Köster. “The government should instead look at alternative tax measures, such as unhealthy products or superficial content on social media, which reduce attention spans and don’t contribute to personal growth.”
“Investing in measures that encourage sports and reading”
Overall, this does not seem to be a healthy choice by the cabinet, both for the physical and mental health of the Dutch people. Koster therefore calls on the government to invest in measures that encourage sport and reading rather than making them less accessible.
For example, the vitality expert cites “subsidies to gyms that promote weight loss and health or make books more affordable.” “In the long run, this will not only ensure a healthier and more resilient society, but will also lead to lower healthcare costs. The proposed VAT increases appear to generate revenue in the short term, but the long-term effects on public health and well-being could be disastrous.”
There is a lot of disruption on the track due to a fault with the Schiphol aerial line, even now that it has been fixed.
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