DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

21 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Ministers finalise 2019 spending plans, dividend tax will be scrapped

August 31, 2018
Photo: DutchNews.nl
The Dutch parliamentary complex in The Hague. Photo: DutchNews.nl

The Dutch cabinet and coalition parties have finalised the spending plans for 2019, which will be presented in parliament on Tuesday, September 18, finance minister Wopke Hoekstra told reporters on Thursday evening.

Hoekstra was speaking after final touches were made to the plans by parliamentary party leaders in a meeting at the finance ministry. ‘We are happy, it is very good for the CDA,’ Christian Democrat leader Sybrand Buma said after the meeting.

The impact of the plans on household spending still needs to be finalised but party leaders say everyone will have more cash next year. ‘It is looking good,’ said Alexander Pechtold, leader of the liberal democratic party D66.

The biggest problem facing ministers has been finding an extra €600m to pay for the decision to scrap the tax on dividends. Originally the cost was €1.4bn a year, but that has since gone up to nearly €2bn.

That will be now be paid for by reducing corporation tax to 22% rather than 21%, as proposed earlier, broadcaster NOS said.

The main plans in the budget – an extra €1.2bn for the police, defence, justice ministry, education and healthcare – were agreed before the summer, website Nu.nl said.

As yet it is unclear if any changes are planned to the government’s decision to reduce the 30% ruling from eight to five years, without a transition period for current beneficiaries.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Politics
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
The big election issues: immigration, racism and discrimination
Napoli fans arrested in Eindhoven ahead of Champions League game
Far right leads the pack with election plans that break the law
Fright night: 13 ways to celebrate Halloween in the Netherlands
Fewer Brits are moving to NL, and fewer are going home as well
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now