Taxation

Romania Faces Upgrade

Next year, Romanian sovereign bonds may be upgraded by Standard & Poor´s.

November 23, 2013

Austria: High Tax Country

According to the new tax report of PrinceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the tax burden in Austria is ten percent higher than the average tax rate in the European Union and even beats Sweden.

November 19, 2013

RBI Approves Participation in Bad Bank for Hypo

CEO of RBI Sevelda expects Austrian government to set a time limit for bank levies until the end of 2016.

November 18, 2013

Hungary: Level of Credit Defaults Declining Significantly

According to OTP Bank, the level of credit defaults from borrowers has started to drop to the lowest level since the beginning of the financial and economic crisis.

November 15, 2013

Slovenian Government Wins Vote of Confidence

As expected, on Friday the Slovenian center-left government of Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek has won a vote of confidence.

November 15, 2013

Hypo Bad Bank Not to be Established Before 2014

Insiders do not expect the downsizing unit for state-owned Hypo Group Alpe Adria to be established before 2014.

November 15, 2013

Austria: Budget Gap Smaller than Expected

The budget gap will, according to the latest reports, comes at an amount between € 21bn and 25bn until the year 2018. Earlier there had been talk of a shortfall amounting up to € 30bn to € 40bn.

November 13, 2013

Controversy Over Special Taxes in Romania

The Romanian government plans to impose new taxes in 2014. Foreign investors may leave the country.

November 12, 2013

Romanian Inflation Forecast Adjusted by NBR

The National Bank of Romania (NBR) has adjusted the inflation forecast downward for 2013 and 2014.

November 11, 2013

Leitl Rejects Further Bank Taxes

Christoph Leitl, president of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), rejects the Finance Ministry’s plan to impose further taxes on Austrian banks in order to decrease public debts.

November 6, 2013

Slovenia: Banking Act Rejected by Parliament

The Slovenian parliament has disapproved of the banking act which planned to introduce bail-in rules throughout the European Union.

November 6, 2013

Austria: Compulsory Levy on Assets Simply “Out of Question“

Top bankers and economists in Austria consider the compulsory levy of ten percent on household assets “out of question” and “ludicrous”.

November 5, 2013

Hypo Group: Restraining Effect on Budget Consolidation

According to the EU’s autumn prognosis, nationalized Hypo Group and its liabilities running in the billions still have a restraining effect on the Austrian budget consolidation.

November 5, 2013

Slovenia: Petition Against Real Estate Tax Initiated

On Monday, a petition against the planned real estate tax was initiated. In an attempt to reduce the massive fiscal shortfall, Slovenia is looking for new revenues. The property tax is supposed to bring about more than € 400m.

November 5, 2013

Austrian Banks Demand Cut in Bank Levy

Major banks in Austria demand tax reliefs in return for a participation in Hypo Group Alpe Adria’s bad bank.

November 5, 2013

Slovakia Imposes Tax on Tax Evasion

In order to reduce the capital outflow, Slovakia imposes a 35% tax rate on transactions to tax havens.

November 4, 2013

Croatia: Excessive Deficit Procedure Ahead

Neither in 2013 nor in 2014, Croatia will achieve a budget deficit below 3.0% of GDP.

November 4, 2013

IMF Wants to Introduce Compulsory Tax

IMF’s idea of introducing a compulsory tax on household assets could decrease state debt earns harsh criticism. Economists reject the idea.

November 4, 2013

Czech Budget Deficit to Remain Below Approved Mark

The budget deficit in the Czech Republic increased to CZK 47.7bn in October from CZK 38.2bn in September.

November 4, 2013

“Property Tax Cannot Finance Wage Tax Cut”

Bernhard Felderer, head of the Austrian public debt committee, stresses that the Austrian government must reduce the public debt level as soon as possible.

October 31, 2013

Czech Banking Industry Is “Healthy”

According to the Czech banking association (CBA), the Czech banks are well equipped with capital.

October 31, 2013

Romania: Taxes Expected to Be Raised

The local press reports that numerous anonymous sources from the larger ruling party say that the executive is considering a hike in profit and income tax.

October 28, 2013

Czech Republic: Social Democrats Ahead

Although the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) rank first, the party is below expectations.

October 26, 2013

S&P Warns of Further Downgrade

The rating agency has kept the “AA+” rating. However, Austria has to put more effort into austerity measures, the rating agency stresses.

October 26, 2013

Czech Republic: Social Democrats to Win

Tomorrow, the Czech Republic will hold early elections. All polls are indicating a clear change in power. Bohuslav Sobotka is expected to become the next head of government.

October 25, 2013

Hypo Group: Worst Expectations May be Exceeded

For the Austrian state, the ailing nationalized banking group may become a financial GSA. The legal dispute with the former owner BayernLB bears enormous dangers for Austria´s public finance.

October 25, 2013

Slovenia: Real Estate Tax Wobbles

The ruling parties could not agree on a common standpoint yet. The controversial real estate tax may fail.

October 22, 2013

Slovakia: New Burden for Insurance Industry

The Slovak government extends special taxes for companies operating regulated sectors. The bank tax will be abolished in the course of the next years.

October 21, 2013

Slovenia: Massive Concerns Against Real Estate Tax

The Slovenian government plans to introduce property taxes in order to reduce the budget deficit. The opposition warns that the tax may be “highly counterproductive”.

October 18, 2013

Slovenia Introduces Property Tax

In order to reduce the massive fiscal shortfall, Slovenia is looking for new revenues. The property tax may bring more than € 400m.

October 17, 2013

Eurozone: Banking Union Approved

From autumn 2014 on, the European Central Bank (ECB) will directly supervise 130 major banks within the Eurozone.

October 16, 2013

Poland to Keep VAT Rates The Same Until 2015

In order to cut debts, the Polish government decided not to lower the level of VAT.

October 15, 2013

Albania: Economic Growth below Potential

Structural reforms are needed to boost productivity and competitiveness and avoid weaknesses, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

October 15, 2013

Experts Urge Serbia to Accelerate Austerity Measures

It is still questionable whether the austerity measures announced by the Serbian government are sufficient.

October 15, 2013

IMF: Serbia´s Reforms are Not Sufficient

On the occasion of a visit in Serbia, the IMF commented the efforts of the Serbian government to cut the budget gap. The austerity cuts are right, but the country needs further reforms, IMF´s team said.

October 10, 2013

Slovenia Cannot Escape the Vicious Circle

Slovenia still aims to manage its banking crisis on its own. After the new economic forecast issued by Slovenia´s National Bank, this aim suffers another setback.

October 10, 2013

Bratusek: “We Are Paying for Your Debts”

On Tuesday Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek presented the budget draft for 2014 and 2015 to the members of parliament.

October 9, 2013

Austria: President Prefers Grand Coalition

President Heinz Fischer has confirmed his wish for the formation of a grand coalition as this would be “the most reasonable solution”, according to him. Other possibilities were afflicted with too many uncertainties.

October 7, 2013

Porr: Capital Increase and Rise in Profits Expected

CEO of listed Austrian construction company Porr Karl-Heinz Strauss is still in favor of a capital increase in 2014 or 2015 and calls upon the government to create “projects for the future”.

October 7, 2013

Economic Recovery and Interest Rate Turnaround Also in Austria?

Not only Germany but also the peripheral areas of the European Union see economic recovery supported by an increasing export activity.

October 3, 2013

Austria: Pussyfooting around Forming Government Coalition

The Austrian People’s Party is picky in regard to choosing a coalition partner. So far the ÖVP has shown no interest in starting coalition talks with former partner SPÖ. However, there are not many options left.

October 2, 2013

Slovenian Government to Approve Adjusted Budget

The Slovenian government today plans on implementing the revised budget for next year and the draft for the 2015 budget.

September 30, 2013

Austria: Public Debt Increased to 74.0 Percent of GDP

Public finances 2012: public deficit at 2.5 percent, public debt at 74.0 percent of GDP.

September 30, 2013

Croatia Plans on Increasing VAT by Three Percent

Croatia eyes increased intermediate VAT from 10 to 13%.

September 27, 2013

Austria: Kapsch Demands Reform Agenda From New Government

Georg Kapsch, President of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) demands the next federal government to introduce a comprehensive reform agenda.

September 27, 2013

Leitl: “Grand Coalition Did Not Fulfill Expectations“

Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), favors a change in the governing parties as the grand coalition has not realized the necessary reforms.

September 24, 2013

RBI: Sevelda to Remain CEO unil 2017

Karl Sevelda, who was appointed new CEO of listed Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) at the beginning of June, does not regard himself as interim head of the bank.

September 23, 2013

Poland: Budget for 2014 Realistic

According to Witold Kozinski, Deputy Govenor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), the budget plan for 2014 is “realistic” and the risk of amendmends to the budget minimal.

September 23, 2013

Austria: Tax Burden Grows

The Austrian public revenue ratio is significantly above the average tax quota in the Eurozone. The upward trend goes on.

September 21, 2013

Faymann: Austria as Role Model for Investments and Employment Programs

The Austrian Chancellor calls for a fair distribution of wealth and lower taxes on wages.

September 20, 2013
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