Companies, MPs angry about commercial ‘eherkenning’ tax return system

Photo: Joep Poulssen
Photo: Joep Poulssen

Questions have been asked in parliament about the tax office’s decision to force companies to apply for a special digital identity to file their tax return.

The ‘eHerkenning’ certificate can be obtained from six private companies and costs €45 to €50 a year for level 3 security.

But parliament has not yet approved of the new rules, and tax experts say it may be abuse of power to force companies to file their tax returns via a commercial third party.

CDA parliamentarian Pieter Omtzigt and the VVD’s Helma Lodders filed a series of questions to the finance ministry at the end of last year, asking ministers to explain the legal basis for the new policy.

However, the ministry said it was unable to answer the questions within the official deadline. ‘Strange that questions cannot be answered but that businessmen and woman are expect to pay to be in contact with the tax office,’ Lodders said on Twitter on Monday.

The tax office is currently in the process of shifting company taxpayers to a new online portal called Mijn Belastingdiest Zakelijk (my business tax affairs).

The self-employed will be able to continue to use their Digid identification codes to log in, but BVs will have to use the new system, starting with January income tax payments and in March with corporation tax. No date has yet been set for the transfer of btw payments.

Privacy

The tax office says the new system will better guarantee users privacy.

But tax law professor Jap Zwemmer told broadcaster NOS that the tax office maybe abusing its powers. Not only has the system not yet been approved by parliament, but companies are being forced to work with a commercial company to file their taxes. ‘It is wrong in principle to be forced to make costs in order to meet your tax obligations,’ he said.

The four coalition parties are also angry about the tax office move, NOS said, and have called for a delay to the introduction.

Earlier this month finance minister Wopke Hoekstra announced plans to break up the tax office into three separate units – tax, benefits and customs issues – following the recent child benefit scandal.

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