Several journalists' associations are set to challenge the tax reform of copyright at the Constitutional Court, the organisations confirmed on Wednesday.
The French-speaking journalists’ association AJP, together with the Journalists’ Authors’ Society, is seeking the annulment of the abolition of the flat-rate expense allowance in the copyright system, as voted for in parliament in May.
The Flemish Journalists’ Association (VVJ) has also lodged a petition for annulment with the Constitutional Court, confirmed Charlotte Michils, general secretary of the VVJ.
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Royalties are taxed at a rate of 15%. Previously, a flat-rate expense deduction of 50% also applied. As a result of the reform, however, this flat-rate expense deduction is being abolished, meaning the 15% rate now applies to a larger amount of royalties.
"In practical terms, this means a doubling of the tax on that income," said the AJP.
An exception to the abolition of the flat-rate expense allowance applies to those who hold a certificate of artistic merit.
According to the French-speaking journalists’ association, this amounts to an "unacceptable and unlawful" difference in the treatment of authors.
The VVJ's petition, meanwhile, focuses specifically on self-employed journalists. These freelancers have already taken quite a few hits in the highly concentrated media landscape, according to Michils.
"The abolition of the flat-rate expense allowance is yet another blow for them. The distinction made between them and artists is unfounded," she argued. The French-speaking publishers intend to join the appeal lodged by the AJP.
