With the main business of last week’s EGCOA Conference in London concluded, the Association’s VAT Working Group held one of its regular meetings to establish a new action plan.
As the official representatives of the European Golf Course Owners, EGCOA has always had the inequities of the VAT system high on its agenda. That the issue is regarded as highly important can be judged by the fact that, despite many delegates facing an uncertain journey home due to the adverse weather, the meeting was attended by representatives from nine different countries as well as the English Golf Union.
Lodewijk Klootwijk, CEO of the Association, sums up the meeting thus: “The various owners associations from 9 countries plus the English Golf Union gathered for another VAT meeting during last week’s conference in London. According to the general consensus amongst the group, VAT on golf is not implemented in the correct manner in various European countries.
“In many countries, the VAT-situation is a clear case of distortion of competition. In Denmark, for instance, member-owned courses are VAT exempt (0%) but commercial courses are required to pay 25% on their memberships and green fees. The working group has set in place a new action plan to challenge the situation on a national and EU level.”
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