Response of Kunsten '92 to outline agreement

Update June 3, 2024
The article below was written on May 22. Therefore, a small update here on the website: there is now a nationwide action against the VAT rate increase and several petitions you can sign:

Sign the petition here
Find information about nationwide action here

Below are the concerns published by Arts '92 on May 16:

- The low VAT rate of 9% for cultural goods and services (excluding cinemas and day recreation which includes museums) will be abolished and go to 21%. This measure will take effect from 2026 and would save the treasury € 953 million yield.

- A package of "task-setting cuts," or austerity measures that will be further developed by a coming administration. These include:

• • Cuts to Dutch Public Broadcasting. Starting in 2026, this € 100 million yield.
  • A general cut in ministries' grant items from € 1,000 million, such as abolishing initiatives around "healthy lifestyle, inclusiveness, participation and empowerment.
  • Limitation of the gift deduction, affecting private donations to culture.
  • Transferring funds from the state to municipalities with a cut of 638 million by 2026: the "SPUK scheme. This scheme funds initiatives for cultural participation, sports and exercise, health promotion and the social base.
  • The legal minimum wage is tóch not increased by 2025. In addition, the unemployment law (WW) reformed. This one will probably be shorter.
  • Specifically for self-employed people: the lowering of the SME profit exemption to 12.03% will be reversed (which is an investment of € 93 million) and the VBAR law (Deregulering Beoordeling Arbeidsrelaties) is being pushed through.
  • Increasing the gaming tax from 30.5% to 37.8%. This affects lotteries that give money to culture.

- Finally, the agreement announced cuts in sectors with which the cultural sector collaborates extensively, for example, science, internationalization, adjustments in education, programs such as school and environment (affecting cultural education in the classroom).

Read the full response from Kunsten '92 (dated May 16) here.