Belgian Tax Advisors Put Government on Notice Over Failing IT Platforms

Belgium's Institute for Tax Advisors and Accountants (ITAA) has officially put the federal government on notice over its persistent IT platform failures. The federation, representing 13,500 recognized accountants and tax advisors, declared it will no longer tolerate the ongoing issues plaguing the digital services of the Federal Public Service of Finance.

Recent disruptions, including a failure over the weekend affecting MyMinfin and Tax-on-web, forced the Finance Ministry to extend the tax filing deadline. However, the ITAA highlights that these are not isolated incidents but part of a long-standing pattern of problems. "The sector will no longer put up with the government's IT errors," stated ITAA president Emmanuel Degrève in an interview with L'Echo.

The formal notice cites significant consequences for its members, including "lost hours, reduced productivity, excessive stress, a deterioration of the mental health of professionals, and extreme tension in the accounting and fiscal production chains." The ITAA emphasizes that the profession has borne the cost of these state-imposed system deficiencies for over 20 years without adequate recognition.

Finance Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) has acknowledged receipt of the notice and expressed a desire to "extend a hand to the sector to work together on solutions." The ITAA welcomed this step but stressed the need for sustained pressure, noting that repeatedly extending deadlines does not resolve the underlying issues. The government now has 30 days to outline its proposed actions.