On November 28, 2009, the Dutch Revenue is launching an information campaign to offer new businesses help with their taxes. At the annual meeting of the Dutch Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Association (“SME”) in The Hague, Deputy Minister of Finance De Jager noted that enterprises are the backbone of the Dutch economy. For this reason, the Dutch Revenue is offering support to start-up enterprises through this information campaign.
The Dutch Revenue will create a separate Web site with questions and answers specifically geared toward assisting start-ups. The campaign is also using banners, advertisements, and radio commercials, and the Dutch Revenue will arrange company visits during which start-ups can gain a better understanding of their tax obligations.
Provisions for start-ups
There are various tax provisions available for start-up enterprises. For example, start-ups qualify for a higher self-employment deduction and can utilize depreciation at will. They also have the right to a higher deduction for research and development work (“R&D”), provided that at least 500 hours are spent on work for which an R&D certificate has been issued. Furthermore, they can apply for a higher remittance reduction for payroll tax and national insurance contributions for R&D work, if they employ staff who have engaged in work for which an R&D certificate has been issued.