Judge reverses increase in Amsterdam canal tax

A Dutch court has overturned a tax increase on boat tours in Amsterdam, reverting the fee from €2.70 to €1.50 per passenger. The court found that the municipality failed to justify the additional tax and noted that some revenue was allocated to unrelated expenses, such as free public transport for children. Since 2020, Amsterdam has imposed a tax on water-based events, initially set at €1.50, which was raised over the years. The court criticized the lack of transparency regarding the necessity of the increased funds and ordered the city to refund the excess payments to the tour operator Stromma. Other tour operators may also benefit from this ruling.