The equestrian centers, which currently benefit from a reduced VAT of 7%, will be subject to the full rate starting in January to comply with Brussels’ directives.
Other activities in the sector, such as racing and breeding, already switched to the full rate (currently 19.6%, and 20% from next January) at the beginning of 2013. The European Commission believes that the reduced VAT rate should only apply to the sale of horses intended for food or agricultural production and therefore cannot be applied for recreational purposes.
In just a few days, despair spread throughout the equestrian centers of France. Nice and its surrounding region did not hold back, quite the opposite. Yesterday morning, a few hundred protesters on foot or horseback marched along the Promenade des Anglais to express their anger.
At the front of the parade was Christian Estrosi, who is now present at all anti-government demonstrations. The mayor of Nice, who has begun his electoral campaign at full gallop, even mounted a horse to show his support for the protesters.
Historical reminders tell us that the “equites” were an elite corps (Order of the Knights) of the magistrature of the Roman Republic and during the Augustan Empire, they were assigned to the emperor’s guard. Should we see a certain analogy here?
Also present was the multifaceted Father Gilles Fiorini, who provided spiritual support to the protesters and their animals. Again, a small reminder: the Scriptures say “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It sets the human apart from the animal kingdom. So why this pastoral involvement? Besides, it’s usually the flock a priest must chase after, not the quadrupeds, right?
Finally, knights and horses on the Promenade des Anglais – we had never seen that before. Well, now we have!
