VAT increase for the sports sector is definitively off the table

The government's plan to raise VAT (value added tax, in Dutch: btw) on gym memberships and entrance tickets for sports events will not go ahead. There was widespread protest against the proposal, which would have pushed prices up by 12%, including from the VA, the NVB (Nederlandse Vechtsportbond, the Dutch martial arts federation), POS (the platform for commercial sports providers) and NOC*NSF (the Dutch Olympic Committee and Sports Federation).

Athletes and sports entrepreneurs from all over the Netherlands made their voices heard. The higher costs would have led to less participation in sport, while young people in particular already get far too little exercise. In the long term, less sport means higher healthcare costs. The measure therefore appeared ill considered. Enjoying sport, whether actively or as a spectator, must remain affordable and accessible for everyone.

The protest by athletes, sports providers and federations prompted a political response. The governing parties promised to look for an alternative so that the VAT increase could be withdrawn. New agreements made this week state that the VAT increase will indeed not go ahead. That is good news for gym owners and promoters, who now do not have to raise their prices by an additional 12%, and for the sports enthusiasts who would otherwise have had to pay for it.