AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Dutch government plans to spend around 16 billion euros next year to help households pay their high inflation energy and food bills, Dutch media reported on Wednesday.
According to the RTL television channel, which cites government sources, these additional expenses will be largely offset by an increase in wealth and corporation tax, with a special levy on the profits of oil and gas companies.
The government coalition agreed, during negotiations which lasted late into the night, on the means to fight against record inflation, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday.
He declined to comment on details of the plan, which will be presented with the government’s 2023 budget on September 20.
According to RTL, the measures will mainly benefit people on low incomes, thanks to a 10% increase in the minimum wage and an increase in income-related aid for health care and rent.
The tax rate for income up to around 37,000 euros per year will be lowered, while the energy and fuel tax cuts introduced this year have been extended until 2023.
Inflation in the Netherlands hit 13.6% in August, a record since the measurement of price inflation in the European Union was standardized in 1996.
(Bart Meijer report; French version Elitsa Gadeva, edited by Tangi Salaün)
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