Chamber of Commerce probe of sole tradership

The Dutch Chamber of Commerce has carried out a survey aimed at identifying the specific trials and tribulations experienced by sole traders, the outcome of which has shown the position of this segment of the working population to be dissimilar to how it is customarily presented by the media. The survey was held among a total of 580 sole traders, virtually all of whom confirmed that they regarded themselves as having entrepreneurial status and were au fait with the Tax and Customs Administration’s “entrepreneurship” requirements.

One of the Chamber of Commerce’s questions dealt with the relative reluctance on the part of principals to engage sole traders: had this been greater in 2016 than in 2015? Although 18% of respondents were shown to have experienced stronger year-on-year reluctance, 22% had had the opposite experience. The percentage of respondents who confirmed that they had found it easier in 2016 to win contracts turned out at 30%, compared with 16% who stated that they had found it harder.

The survey has prompted the State Secretary for Finance to conclude that the number of sole traders who are finding it easier to secure work is greater than that of those according to whom it has become more problematic. No data are (yet) available on how well sole traders have performed in 2016. The Tax and Customs Administration is currently looking into whether use can be made of the value-added tax returns filed by this business segment to warrant conclusions being drawn in this respect, and will report the outcome to Parliament if this turns out to be the case.

Dutch version: Onderzoek KvK onder zzp’ers