THE HAGUE – On Thursday, the Dutch House of Representatives requested the government to revise the BES Tax Plan 2025 to prevent negative income effects on the islands. An earlier amendment by MP Grinwis and others postponed several planned tax increases by one year to allow for a better assessment of the income effects.

According to the Thodé Commission, these measures risk pushing certain groups below the social minimum. The House now notes that the policy-based indexation of the tax-free threshold, as stipulated in the amendment, is technically unfeasible for 2025.

As a result, the government has been asked to introduce a new proposal reversing the postponement of the measures and ensuring that the tax-free threshold in 2025 aligns at least with the minimum wage.

Thorough Analysis

The House also calls for a comprehensive analysis of the purchasing power effects of the proposed tax increases, in close collaboration with the islands.

Should it become evident that incomes fall below the social minimum, the House expects the government to present concrete solutions in the BES Tax Plan 2026 to rectify this.

The request was submitted by MPs Ceder (CU), Grinwis (CU), and Bamenga (D66).