Despite previous failed negotiations, Belgian Deputy PM and Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open VLD) does not rule out tax reform after all – if the governing parties are "willing to abandon taboos."
After Federal Economy Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne (PS) made it clear there could still be a tax reform as far as his party is concerned, Van Quickenborne said that the additional income from assets could still be talked about.
"Of course you can do something on assets, we are ready to talk about that," he said on VRT's 'De Zevende Dag' television programme on Sunday. "But something must also be done on consumption. I cannot explain that VAT on newspapers is 0%."
"If people are not prepared to abandon taboos, it is very difficult to arrive at a system where the burden on labour would be fundamentally reduced," Van Quickenborne added.
