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Bouchez refuses a reform of the tax system of pro football

September 17, 2021

17:57

While Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) and Vincent Van Peteghem (CD&V) are still refining their project, the president of the MR, Georges-Louis Bouchez, is vetoing a reform of the favorable tax regime for professional football.

Currently, a professional football player pays less social contributions than a nurse or a construction worker. An aberration that Vivaldi has undertaken to modify in its government agreement.

200

millions of euros

Thanks to tax reductions and a very favorable ONSS ceiling, some 200 million euros are released every year to pro clubs.

Social Affairs Ministers Frank Vandenbroucke and Finance Ministers Vincent Van Peteghem are currently working on a new tax regime for our football “stars”. The game is worth the candle: thanks to tax reductions and a very favorable ONSS ceiling, some 200 million euros are released every year to pro clubs, especially the most prestigious.

They intend to keep their privileges, arguing that they operate in a highly competitive environment, that they must still be able to attract exceptional players and that they can thus finance the training of young talents. On this last point, they proceed by an exemption from the withholding tax, but the opponents of the regime believe that they also use it to pay their biggest salaries even more handsomely.

The PS also opposed to the reform

The federal coalition agreement intends to end this status. It is indicated that we will try to find a greater tax fairness with contributions more in line with the financial means of sport. The legislative translation of this principle has not yet been carried out.


“If the authorities cut the pennies on the clubs now, we’ll just help them pass the gun to the left.”

Georges-louis bouchez

President of the MR

According to several sources within the majority, Vincent Van Peteghem does not intend to remove the exemption from withholding tax, as this would hit small sports clubs with less big budgets, such as volleyball, very hard. His intention would be to define this benefit more strictly, so that it actually benefits young people. Frank Vandenbroucke and Vooruit would like to go even further.

However, the French-speaking parties do not hear it that way. Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the MR and of the amateur club of Francs Borains, has already signaled his refusal. “Our clubs have suffered significant loss of income due to the pandemic. Many are fighting for their survival. If the authorities touch their money now, we will just help them pass the gun to the left. We will soon have empty stadiums. throughout the country, as in my town of Mons. “

The principle is in the agreement, but it seems that the PS and its president Paul Magnette have also changed their minds, in particular because of the Mehdi Bayat at the lobbying, the CEO of Sporting de Charleroi.

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