They are a German institution: about 900 community colleges. In many cities, they offer computer courses for seniors or training courses for volunteers. However, many VHS courses could soon become significantly more expensive, warns the umbrella organization, the German Adult Education Association.
Reason is a bill of the Ministry of Finance, which regulates the sales tax exemption for educational offers again, as the newspapers of the "editorial network Germany" report. The previous extensive exemption of training courses should therefore be omitted for many courses. This could lead to "additional tax burdens for the participants across the board", according to a joint letter from the VHS umbrella association with other training providers.
The draft, which was approved by the Federal Cabinet on 31 July, initially provides for a longer period of support for electric cars - but also new rules for educational offers. Accordingly, the tax exemption should only apply to offers with which educational qualifications can be made up or which directly serve career advancement. The plans are justified by an adaptation to European law.
The training providers fear disadvantages especially for "educationally disadvantaged and low-income groups" who are particularly dependent on courses such as the VHS.
