Emmanuel Didion (Horeca Wallonia): "Our businesses cannot afford this uncertainty"

Faced with the government's admission of unpreparedness regarding its own tax shift, the president of the Walloon Horeca Federation insists that the VAT "shock" is as worrying as "the lack of structure, clarity and dialogue".

“The VAT increase to 12% is a decision made without instructions.” The heated parliamentary debates on the budget measures , at the end of which the government nevertheless obtained its vote of confidence, confirmed Emmanuel Didion’s fears: the VAT increase was decided before its implementation details were even defined. The federal government is thus keeping an entire industry in an intolerable state of legal and economic uncertainty.

"No clarity regarding school catering, no visibility for nursing homes and group meals, total uncertainty for hotels, takeaway and delivery services," lamented the director of the Martin's Agora hotel and president of the Horeca Wallonia Federation.

In a context marked by inflation, rising operating costs and prolonged instability for several years, this surtax could cause perverse effects: a mechanical increase in prices, a loss of competitiveness, an increased risk to employment, and a deterioration of the visibility essential for investments.

“And, above all, what businesses cannot afford is uncertainty. The concern isn’t just about the tax increase. It’s about the lack of structure. The lack of predictability,” says Emmanuel Didion. The unpreparedness of policymakers is disrupting all commercial and logistical planning, at a time when industry players are already having to adapt their offerings to a strained economic environment.

The president of the Walloon Horeca Federation is calling for swift and consistent communication from the authorities: "How can businesses adapt if no one knows how the measure will actually be implemented?"

He calls for a clear, coordinated, and applicable framework, arguing that a tax decision can only be effective if its implementation is anticipated and technically sound. Emmanuel Didion's constructive criticism highlights a recurring issue in Belgian economic policy: the inconsistency, the gap between decision-making and its translation into operational mechanisms.

“Deciding is one thing. Implementing a measure in a structured and realistic way is another,” he says, just a few months after clearly explaining that the hospitality industry did not need privileges but a coherent framework .

A less hospitable Belgium?

While uncertainty reigns regarding the implementation of the new tax on delivered and takeaway food, Emmanuel Didion also warns of "a risk that Belgium cannot ignore": the increase in VAT on accommodation. Here too, doubling the VAT rate from 6% to 12% would constitute a strategic error, putting the country at odds with its European neighbors. "France, Germany, and Italy use reduced taxes as a lever to attract tourists," points out the general manager of Martin's Agora.

The De Wever government is therefore preparing to inflict a price shock, estimated at +5.7%, on an economic fabric with already eroded margins and "composed mainly of small businesses and family-run hotels, deeply rooted in their regions and essentially family-owned SMEs." Studies on the matter seem unequivocal: in a market where price sensitivity is crucial, this increase will inevitably push customers towards informal accommodation such as Airbnb or towards more competitive destinations, directly threatening the vitality of local ecosystems.

The impact will not be limited to a drop in visitor numbers, but will trigger a destructive chain reaction for investment and employment. "These are not isolated cases, but a well-documented European trend. Other countries have already experienced similar consequences: in Croatia, demand for leisure activities fell twice as fast as the European average; in Portugal, inland regions recorded more than 12% fewer overnight stays; in the Netherlands, small hotels closed or stopped investing after successive tax increases," explains Emmanuel Didion.

Projections based on European precedents indicate that each additional VAT point weighs heavily on investment, significantly hindering the renovation, digitalization, and sustainable transition efforts essential to the sector. Even more concerning, at the critical threshold of +6 points, this tax shock threatens between 5,000 and 8,000 direct jobs, emphasizes the president of the Walloon Horeca Federation. He adds: "This VAT increase is not a simple technical adjustment; it constitutes a strategic decision whose effects will have a lasting impact on employment, investment, and the economic vitality of Belgian regions."