“A flat tax disguised as a climate measure”

EUR 30 million. That is how much the aviation tax, which is an additional tax on short-haul flights, is supposed to yield for the state treasury in 2022. This is clear from the budget submitted by the federal government on Wednesday. For MP Theo Francken, the aviation tax is nothing more than a flat tax disguised as a climate measure.

It was stated earlier that this would be in the context of a climate shift to encourage the use of trains over aircraft for short distances. But it is now very clear from the document that this measure was created to finance the Tax shift There is a tax shift when a new tax is implemented or an existing tax is increased in order to reduce or get rid of another tax. The N-VA is a proponent of a shift of the burden on labour to that on consumption or environmental pollution, for example, but not of a tax that increases the total burden of taxation. tax shift . To “raise low and middle incomes”, it reads. “As if they never get on a plane,” responds MP Theo Francken. “It is time the government just admitted that this is a flat tax hike disguised as a climate measure.”

Playing with the country’s second-largest economic driver

In addition, it is still unclear how much extra will be charged on an airline ticket. “That’s not only disgraceful to the paying citizen, but also to the airport community. It is experiencing its toughest years ever. This is playing with our country’s second-largest economic driver. They deserve clarity, and as soon as possible,” Theo Francken concludes.