Live sex shows viewed from a private booth must be taxed at the 19% rate of value added tax, according to a European court ruling, quoted in Friday’s Volkskrant.

In 2008, the Dutch high court ruled so-called peep shows, in which women are paid by the minute to perform sex shows behind glass, are cultural and should be taxed at 6%.
The European court ruling was made in a Belgian case but has implications for the Netherlands.
A Dutch finance ministry spokesman told the paper sex industry bosses who operate private booths must now start paying higher taxes.
The court ruling shows that the lower tax rate of 6% only applies to ‘forms of art’ which people watch or participate in together, not on an individual basis, he said.