Non-profits warn of impact of cutting tax relief on donations
More than 450 organisations have issued an open letter warning of the consequences of the federal government’s plan to reduce the tax deductibility of charitable donations from 45 to 30 percent.
The coalition of groups including Amnesty International, the King Baudouin Foundation, 11.11.11 and Kom op tegen Kanker calls the measure “an attack on generosity” that threatens thousands of initiatives.
More than 1 million households donate an average of more than 350 euros a year to at least one of the 2,500 associations and foundations that are recognised to collect donations with tax benefits.
Social cohesion
Currently, donations of at least 40 euros a year to a recognised institution are subject to a tax reduction of 45 per cent.
“What seems to the government to be a technical saving has real consequences for human life and social cohesion,” they say in their letter.
"What we risk losing is not an abstract system, but an ecosystem of solidarity"
According to the 473 signatories, donations of at least 40 euros yield 362 million euros a year for 2,500 recognised associations and foundations, an amount that has doubled in 10 years.
The change affects hundreds of charities, including large organisations such as Oxfam, as well as small local non-profit organisations. Universities, hospitals, certain museums and the Red Cross are also on the list of recognised institutions.
The organisations say the 40.26 million euros that would be saved each year by the treasury is in stark contrast to the social damage that would be caused.
“What we risk losing is not an abstract system, but an ecosystem of solidarity,” they say. The letter calls on the government to reconsider its decision, saying: “Solidarity is not a luxury, but a sustainable investment in society.”
Red Cross workers at the new Red Cross winter reception centre in Schaerbeek, Brussels, January 2025 © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
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