Austerity talks: it’s now down to financial matters

The three parties currently involved in talks on cutting spending by at least €9bn have sent their initial calculations to independent economists for their assessment, the Volkskrant said on Wednesday.


The macro-economic think-tank CPB is now calculating if the plans which have already been agreed will reduce the budget deficit to below the 3% eurozone limit, the paper says.
The paper bases its claims on ‘various sources’. The austerity talks between the minority cabinet and anti-immigration PVV are now in their seventh week.
Kilometre benefit
Meanwhile, the AD claims the three parties are considering reducing the 19 cents a kilometre tax-free allowance for employees who use their own vehicles for company-related activities.
The new payment could be as low as 14 cents and would raise €500m for the treasury, the paper says.
Earlier this week, the FNV trade union federation and MHP white collar union called for the payment to be increased to cope with the rising cost of petrol.
Pensions
The FNV has also warned the cabinet not to try to change the pension reform plan, thrashed out between ministers, unions and employers, in order to raise extra cash.
Prime minister Mark Rutte will be ‘untrustworthy’ if he agrees to raise the state pension age to 66 earlier than 2020, as agreed, FNV leader Agnes Jongerius said.

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