226,000 entrepreneurs in the Netherlands still have unsettled Covid-19 debts

Approximately 226,000 entrepreneurs currently have outstanding Covid-19 debts with the Tax Authority. Since October 2022, they have been on a payment plan to settle these debts incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority are adhering to the payment terms, but at least 43,000 entrepreneurs have not paid anything yet.

State Secretary Marnix van Rij (Taxes) reported these figures on Thursday in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament.

The number of entrepreneurs with Covid-19-related debts has decreased 41,000 since October. These entrepreneurs have either settled their debts or gone bankrupt. Over the past ten months, the total debt has decreased from 19.6 billion euros to 14.8 billion euros.

About 91,000 entrepreneurs have not paid all the agreed-upon installment amounts. Of this group, around 43,000 have not paid a single installment. According to Van Rij, these entrepreneurs have not responded to requests for payment, even after receiving letters, targeted campaigns, and media attention.

Since early July, the Tax Authority has sent notices to 35,000 of these entrepreneurs, revoking their payment plans. They are now required to repay the debt as soon as possible. Other serious defaulters will also receive a letter from the Tax authority shortly.

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis in March 2020, approximately 400,000 entrepreneurs have been granted deferrals for tax payments, totaling 47 billion euros.