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Discriminatory 'tampon tax' alive and well in Belgium

12:30 14/03/2016

Women are the victims of fiscal discrimination in Belgium, where tampons and sanitary napkins are taxed at the highest rate (21%), in the same category as so-called luxury goods.

The value-added tax (VAT) on tampons and sanitary napkins in Belgium is 21%, while condoms, for example, fall under the lowest tax category (6%), De Morgen points out. Protest is growing worldwide against this type of tax discrimination, according to the newspaper, with protesters in countries like the US, Ireland and Canada taking their governments to court over the unfair 'luxury tax'.

The wave of protest has now reached Belgium, with feminist movement Belges et Culottées leading the way under the slogan: "Menstruation is not a luxury" with accompanying petition. The group refers to the fact that mainly luxury products fall into the category of 21% VAT. "Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that items such as chocolate and caviar are taxed at 6% VAT," say the protesters in De Morgen.

Finance minister Johan Van Overtveldt responded by admitting that "these tariffs and exceptions have grown historically during the previous governments." Yet there is a European directive that allows Member States to charge 6% tax on tampons and sanitary napkins, something that Belgium has yet to put into practice.

Written by Robyn Boyle

Comments

Mikek1300gt

Meanwhile, Belgium has turned over an unknown number of Belgians (and others) to the USA so their lives can be blighted by illegitimate US claims of having a right to tax those people and have the Belgian money sucked back to the USA.
These Belgian citizens are having to live with onerous and expensive reporting requirements, invasion of their privacy and of their family and business partners, illegitimate taxation of their Belgian income and that of their family and all the while they live with the terror of absolutely draconian US fines that will RUIN THEM if they make a mistake on the paperwork, or, god help them, have failed to file in the past, because the USA will want all that Belgian money and more.
And what the hell do we get a headline about? Ruddy tampon tax!!! ARGH!

Mar 13, 2016 20:00