Construction materials manufacturers in the Netherlands demand fair competitive conditions
In 2014, domestic sales for the brick industry in the Netherlands were somewhat higher than anticipated at the end of 2013 (4 %). Exports of facing bricks, especially to Great Britain, were the most important factor contribu-ting to the total sales growth (29 %). A historically unprecedented number of bricks was exported (+76 %). This masks the fact that domestic sales are growing only slowly, that they are recovering from an unprecedented poor level and that the sales growth is not consistent with increase in revenue.
A level playing field
Both at home and in Europe, KNB has stressed the importance of a fair competitive position time and time again. The lack of a tax exemption for gas usage in the mineralogical transformation process, which exists in all the neighbouring countries, has been the No. 1 issue for years. The general increase of the 2nd and 3rd energy tax band in 2015 (by no less than 50 %) was therefore not understood by the sector at all. A strong lobby regarding the Tax Plan 2014 could not avert this substantial increase in the tax burden for the sector. This development is an example of the...
