Indoor sports and fitness activities such as climbing, fitness or yoga demand this Monday from the Government the same fiscal support as that granted to horse riding and electronic sports, which should benefit from a reduced VAT rate of 5.5 % from 2024.
The tax adjustments granted to the activities of equestrian centers and electronic sports competitions within the framework of the draft budget for 2024 create “a fiscal injustice” that must be “put to an end”, considers the Union Sport et Cycle, which presents itself as the first professional organization in the sports and leisure sector.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, confirmed on October 26 the restoration of the 5.5% VAT rate on the activities of equestrian centers and announced a similar reduction in VAT for tickets to electronic sports events ” starting January 1.” 2024″.
“Two weights, two measures”
In fact, the Government maintained modifications in this regard in the first part of the finance bill for 2024, adopted without a vote in first reading in the National Assembly at the end of October. However, the text must still be examined in the Senate. “For their part, sports activities such as climbing, tennis and paddle tennis and physical activities such as fitness and yoga continue to be subject to full VAT (20%, ed.),” laments the Union Sport et Cycle (USC). in press release.
This situation “reinforces the injustice of a double standard”, underlines the USC, recalling that commercial activities called sports leisure had “suffered the longest administrative closures during the health crisis, then the consequences of the energy crisis”, with the Closure of swimming pools and ice rinks in the face of rising energy bills.
“It is time to put an end to this tax injustice and support the athletes that we are,” write in a column the representatives of the sector, which brings together “around 7,000 establishments”, frequented every year by “17 million French people”, according to the USC.
Source: BFM TV
