Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgium’s new finance minister, Jan Jambon, has rejected the presence of a separate agreement regarding the introduction of the capital gains tax.
Jan Jambon was reacting to remarks by MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez, who argued over the weekend that he has a handwritten agreement with Prime Minister Bart De Wever determining that those holding shares for ten years will be exempt from the capital gains tax.
That’s not correct,
said Minister Jambon.
The only document is the coalition agreement, which everyone can read. The agreement is what is stated in that document.
Jambon admitted that many questions remain to be addressed.
He did verify that the capital gains tax will apply to a whole range of financial products, so “in principle also to investment funds”. “The entire restructuring exercise will require an effort from everyone. It is a programme of 23 billion euros”, it was said.
Moreover, As reported, Minister Jambon abstained from making further statements but mentioned that the particulars would become apparent in a few months. The reform is predicted to acquire parliament’s support this year. By 2029, the capital gains tax is cast to render €500 million. “It wasn’t our primary objective, but within the overall agreement, we realized it had to be included.”
What role does Georges-Louis Bouchez play in the debate?
Georges-Louis Bouchez posted a message on X in which he called on the PS and Vlaams Belang to stop their “sketch”. “All matters in the coalition agreement are the subject of bills and drafts containing all details and modalities on all subjects”, it said.
De PS en het Belang mogen stoppen met hun sketch. Voor alle elementen in het regeerakkoord zullen er wetsontwerpen of -voorstellen komen met de details en modaliteiten van alle onderwerpen. En aangezien ze de regering niet het vertrouwen hebben gegeven, kunnen ze zelfs niet…
— Georges-L BOUCHEZ (@GLBouchez) February 8, 2025
Earlier, MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez stated, “The agreement on the added value tax was only reached in the last hours of a marathon of negotiations.” “The employees had to work in very difficult circumstances. But it is not a drama. In a government agreement, you set out objectives, principles and strategies. The modalities are the work of the Minister of Finance. When Jambon has finished his bill, we will discuss it again,” he added.
