This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/16/french-government-wealth-tax-art
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| French government backtracks on plans to impose wealth tax on art | French government backtracks on plans to impose wealth tax on art |
| (25 days later) | |
| The French government will not impose a wealth tax on works of art after facing an angry reaction against the planned levy from the country's leading museums, including the Louvre. | The French government will not impose a wealth tax on works of art after facing an angry reaction against the planned levy from the country's leading museums, including the Louvre. |
| The prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, was forced to backtrack on Tuesday, saying: "The position of the government is very clear. There will be no inclusion of works of art in the calculation of taxes on wealth." | The prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, was forced to backtrack on Tuesday, saying: "The position of the government is very clear. There will be no inclusion of works of art in the calculation of taxes on wealth." |
| The move would have involved taxing works of art worth more than €50,000. It was one of many changes proposed by President François Hollande's Socialist administration in its 2013 budget, including a "supertax" band for those earning over €1m, in an attempt to reduce France's budget deficit. | The move would have involved taxing works of art worth more than €50,000. It was one of many changes proposed by President François Hollande's Socialist administration in its 2013 budget, including a "supertax" band for those earning over €1m, in an attempt to reduce France's budget deficit. |
| The measure, championed by the budget minister, Jérôme Cahuzac, provoked fury among museum chiefs. The heads of France's seven largest museums sent an angry letter to the culture ministry saying the tax would harm their collections. "We fear that a tax on works of art will lead to their owners not wanting to loan them [to us] for fear that if they are put on display they [the owners] will be identified," they wrote. "The international recognition and the work of our establishments will be weakened." | The measure, championed by the budget minister, Jérôme Cahuzac, provoked fury among museum chiefs. The heads of France's seven largest museums sent an angry letter to the culture ministry saying the tax would harm their collections. "We fear that a tax on works of art will lead to their owners not wanting to loan them [to us] for fear that if they are put on display they [the owners] will be identified," they wrote. "The international recognition and the work of our establishments will be weakened." |
| The left-leaning Libération newspaper described the proposed tax as an "intellectual and political regression" and said the measure would scare off potential art collectors. | The left-leaning Libération newspaper described the proposed tax as an "intellectual and political regression" and said the measure would scare off potential art collectors. |
| "This measure is grotesque, first of all because even those who defend it say it will bring nothing or almost nothing to the state's budget," said an editorial column in the paper. "It will, however, disorganise the fragile ecosystem that allows exhibitions to come together, art historians to work, and our cultural institutions to draw in visitors." | "This measure is grotesque, first of all because even those who defend it say it will bring nothing or almost nothing to the state's budget," said an editorial column in the paper. "It will, however, disorganise the fragile ecosystem that allows exhibitions to come together, art historians to work, and our cultural institutions to draw in visitors." |
| The debate on the 2013 budget began in the Assemblée Nationale on Tuesday. Ayrault said the amendment relating to the taxation of works of art, which has been passed by the Assembleé's finance committee, would not be approved. | The debate on the 2013 budget began in the Assemblée Nationale on Tuesday. Ayrault said the amendment relating to the taxation of works of art, which has been passed by the Assembleé's finance committee, would not be approved. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |