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The main points of the budget
Tuesday 21 September 2010
The government plans to cut spending by €3.2bnvy 2015 and has not introduced any new policy initiatives because of its caretaker status. Finance minister Jan Kees de Jager will debate the budget with MPs next week.
The main points of the budget:
General finances
Budget deficit to reach 3.9% in 2011, down from 5.8% this year
National debt to reach €350bn in 2011
Economic growth up 1.5% in 2011
Inflation to reach 1.5% in 2011
Unemployment to hit 5.5% end 2010
Spending power to go down by an average 0.25% next year, pensioners hardest hit
Taxes and premiums
No changes to mortgage tax relief
Top corporate tax rate to be cut to 25%
Value added tax (btw) unchanged at 19%
No change on tax breaks on energy-efficient cars
Basic health insurance own-risk contribution to rise €5 in 2011 and €40 in 2012
25 cents on the cost of a packet of cigarettes
Spending cuts
Total cuts in 2011 €3.2bn
€510 to be cut from integration budget over three years, new immigrants to pay more for compulsory courses
Up to €1bn from civil service wage moderation and other cuts
€700 from innovation budget
€440m from spending on childcare subsidies for parents by 2015
€120m from work schemes for the handicapped
€190m from workplace reintegration schemes in 2012
Walking aids for the elderly no longer covered by health insurance
Contraceptive pill for over 21s and dental care for 18 to 21s no longer insured
Teachers salaries to rise by no more than inflation to 2015
Extra spending
Crisis-related loan guarantee schemes for industry to continue to end 2011
€130m on help for the poorest families with young children
€24m to reduce the perinatal death rate
€230m in subsidies to stimulate small firms
€200m more for development aid, maintaining 8% of GDP standard
New initiatives
The sale of lightbulbs over 45 Watt to be banned
Anti-cartel body NMa to get more powers
500 new neighbourhood police officers and 500 forensic lab assistants to be appointed
200 km of new roads to be built
Fines to go up 15% in 2011 and a further 20% in 2012
Collated from the Volkskrant, ANP, Telegraaf and Financieele Dagblad
© DutchNews.nl
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