Dutch “Disappointed” with EU Commission Order to Cut Port Tax Breaks
AMSTERDAM, Jan 21 (Reuters) – The Dutch Finance Ministry stated on Thursday it was “disappointed” with an EU Commission order to cast off company tax exemptions for six ports, together with Rotterdam, Europe’s largest.
The measure places the Netherlands at an obstacle, the federal government stated in a press release, calling on the Commission to make sure honest competitors.
European Union regulators informed Dutch authorities on Thursday to scrap a company tax exemption for the ports and in addition ordered Belgium and France to align their port taxation programs with the bloc’s state assist guidelines.
“The Commission’s decisions today regarding the Netherlands, Belgium and France make clear that if port operators generate profits from economic activities these should be taxed,” European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager stated.
The port corporations to be taxed from January 2017, are Groningen Seaports N.V., Havenbedrijf Amsterdam N.V., Havenbedrijf Rotterdam N.V., Havenschap Moerdijk, N.V. Port of Den Helder and Zeeland Seaports.
The Dutch case took place after the federal government handed a legislation in June that subjected public entities to company tax ranging from January 2016 aside from the ports.
A beneficiant Dutch company tax local weather helps dozens of the world’s largest enterprise decrease tax charges to a single digit. It has additionally been criticised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation in Europe (OECD).
The Netherlands has appealed one other Commission ruling, ordering it to claw again hundreds of thousands in tax from espresso big Starbucks. (Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Alison Williams)
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