The Cabinet wants to show some leniency towards “essentially sound companies” which are still struggling to repay a tax debt they have accumulated during the coronavirus pandemic. The existing payment regime is therefore relaxed, reports State Secretary Marnix van Rij (Taxation).

Entrepreneurs get more flexibility, for example to pay quarterly instead of monthly. It will also be possible to take an “occasional payment break”. This does not mean that the government wants to allow further tax deferrals. He had previously announced that he wanted to get rid of generic support for companies affected by the measures against the coronavirus.

The last general support packages expired in April. Companies must start repaying their tax debt no later than October and have five years to do so. Some 279,000 entrepreneurs still have an outstanding amount of 21 billion euros. The government also takes into account the fact that 6 to 7 billion will no longer be reimbursed.

In order to be able to invoke flexible repayment terms, entrepreneurs must submit a written request which shows that they cannot do otherwise. Another condition is that they comply with new tax obligations. This is to prevent unviable businesses from being kept afloat.