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Taxation
Austrian Government Resolves Austerity Package
Speculation terms on real estate will be abolished, the tax privilege on 13th and 14th salary too. Inheritance taxes or enrollment fees will not be re-introduced.
February 9, 2012
Austerity Package Takes Form
Although negotiations over the austerity package are not finished, first details are already known.
February 7, 2012
Sorger „Focusing on Business Location“
The President of the Federation of Austrian Industries, Veit Sorger, reaffirmed the strengthen Austria´s economic competitiveness.
February 4, 2012
Constitutional Court: Bank Taxes in Line with Constitution
A complaint over bank taxes by Austrian banks was disapproved. According to the court, banks were primarily responsible for the economic crisis.
February 3, 2012
Central-Upper Austria Overtakes Vienna in GDP per Capita
The urban Upper Austrian region Linz-Wels has the highest GDP per capita in Austria. Vienna ranks second.
January 31, 2012
Austerity: ÖVP Becomes Impatient
Negotiations between the coalition partners SPÖ and ÖVP are going on. ÖVP´s chairman Spindelegger locates an “incredibly big need of consolidation”.
January 31, 2012
FPÖ Wants Cuts in Spendings
The biggest Austrian opposition party suggests reducing public expenditures in order to reduce the budget deficit. Chairman Strache calls for a “subsidy brake”.
January 30, 2012
Felderer Attacks Austrian Government
The head of the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies fiercely criticizes Austrian politicians. Felderer claims to put effort in the restructuring of public finance.
January 30, 2012
New Tax Burden for Telekom Austria
Telekom Austria has to pay tax on mobile network services in Croatia.
January 30, 2012
Budget Deficit Lower Than Forecasted
The Austrian budget deficit in 2011 reached 3.3%. Initially, the figure was expected to amount to 3.9%.
January 27, 2012
Strache Claims Cut in Subsidies
The chairman of the Austrian opposition party FPÖ criticized the government fiercely for its fiscal policy.
January 23, 2012
Austerity: Unions Versus Industrialists
The Austrian trade unions want to impose property taxes, the Federation of Austrian Industries seeks cuts in spending.
January 21, 2012
Government to Sharpen Austerity Measures
After the downgrade of Austrian sovereign bonds from „AAA“ to „AA+“ by S&P, the Austrian government aims to reach its austerity targets earlier.
January 17, 2012
Downgrade: Government Surprised and Criticized
For the Austrian government, the downgrade by the U.S. rating agency is „not comprehensible”. The domestic industry urgently claims structural reforms.
January 14, 2012
Telekom Austria Faces New Taxes in Croatia
Croatia re-introduces extraordinary taxes for telecommunication operators. The local government is criticized by Telekom Austria and the EU.
January 13, 2012
„Vienna Is One of the Most Undervalued Stock Exchange in the World“
According to the investment funds manager Alois Wögerbauer, Vienna has a huge upside potential.
January 12, 2012
Austrian Wage Tax Intake Grows
The Austrian wage tax volume totaled 21.6bn in 2010. Gross wages were up by 2.5%.
January 11, 2012
ÖVP Does Not Exclude New Taxes Anymore
Against previous statements, the head of the Austrian conservatives, Michael Spindelegger, considers to introduce new taxes.
January 9, 2012
„Not Talking Down Austerity Policy“
Bernhard Felderer, head of the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies (IHS), warns daily issued ideas for new taxes. First signs of a recovery are arising.
January 7, 2012
Austerity Package: Business Association Warns of New Taxes
New taxes would be an “attack against the economy”, general secretary Peter Haubner says.
January 4, 2012
Worsening Economic Outlook for 2012
Economists and analysts expect a massive fall in Austrian economic growth for 2012.
January 4, 2012
Government: Different Opinions on Taxation
The social democrats want to re-introduce the inheritance tax. The people´s party plans to raise tax quotas for the 13th and 14th salary.
January 3, 2012
Industry Wants to Suspend Banking Tax
The new capital requirements for banks are criticized by the Federation of Austrian Industries and the research institute WIFO.
December 29, 2011
Austrian Government Wants to Save € 10bn
The coalition partners agreed to cut expenses by € 2.0bn per year until 2016. Details were not published.
December 27, 2011
Felderer Expects Structural Changes
The head of the public debt committee, Bernhard Felderer says that new taxes are inevitable.
December 20, 2011
Tax Returns Take 170 Hours
In order to settle their tax duties, Austrian companies have to take much time compared to other EU members.
December 13, 2011
Austerity Measures or New Taxes?
The Austrian government has to reduce its deficits, after having announced the “debt break”. The social democrats call for property taxes.
November 19, 2011
„Debt Brake“ for Austrian Government
As the Austrian government fears a downgrade of its rating, the coalition partners agreed to install a „debt break“. Reactions are ambiguous.
November 15, 2011
Austria’s Tax Revenues 7.6% Higher than in 2010
The state’s total revenue was up by 8.2%, while expenditures increased by only 1.08% in the period January to September.
November 11, 2011
Orban Attacks Austrian Banks
The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to release his country from the “debt slavery” and criticizes Austria´s reactions.
October 29, 2011
Croatian Parliament Abolishes 6% Mobile Service Tax
The local subsidiary of Telekom Austria benefits from the abolition of the special tax which caused expenses of € 15.2m in 2010.
October 28, 2011
WIFO Alarms: Petrol Price Has to Increase
The petrol price should be increased annually by six percent. Tobacco should be more expensive as well, claims WIFO’s (Austrian Institute of Economic Research) head Karl Aiginger. However, taxes on labor should fall.
October 24, 2011
WIFO Claims Property Tax
Karl Aiginger, CEO of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research calls for a significant increase in taxation of real estate and fuel.
October 24, 2011
€ 2.7bn Profits Due to Rededications
According to a new study by Kreutzer, Fischer & Partner, 280km2 of agricultural area were rededicated into building area from 2007-2011. Yearly profits therefrom amount to € 2.7bn.
October 10, 2011
Austrian Government: Sharp Critics from Industrialists
The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) attacks the government massively. For the industrialists, the new taxation plans are not acceptable.
October 8, 2011
Ranking: Austria Among the Most Non-Transparent Financial Centers Worldwide
Today, the Financial Secrecy Index (FSI) of the Tax Justice Network (TJN) has been published. 73 countries have been analyzed.
October 4, 2011
Mitterlehner: „Settlement of Headquarters Key Question for Austria“
The Austrian Minister of Economics, Reinhold Mitterlehner, wants to push the development of the domestic location through improving framework requirements steadily.
October 4, 2011
Austrian Competitiveness Shrinks Further
According to a market survey of the consulting group Ernst & Young, Austria´s international competitiveness has still worsened and fell from rank 18 to 19.
September 7, 2011
Federation of Austrian Industries: “No New Taxes!”
The debate about the introduction of property taxes in continues. The Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) approves such taxes.
September 6, 2011
Property Tax : € 25.000 for Every Rich Person?
The Austrian Socialist Party (SPÖ) claims to introduce property taxes. About 80.000 people in Austria would be concerned.
September 5, 2011
Significant Decline in Stock Exchange Turnover
Trading volume at the Vienna Stock Exchange has fallen dramatically in the first half of the year. The negative development is blamed on the capital gains tax on securities.
July 5, 2011
Profit Situation of Austrian Banks Improved Significantly
The banks recorded a positive development in the first quarter. However, net profits of the full year will fall as a result of the newly introduced bank tax.
June 27, 2011
Constitutional Court Cancels Starting Date of New Capital Gains Tax
The Court has no objections to the new capital gains tax itself. Only the starting date for automatic collection by the banks was declared unconstitutional.
June 24, 2011
Almost One Million Shareholders in Austria
Compared internationally, the Austrian population has a very low interest in the stock market. Only 13% invest in shares or funds.
June 21, 2011
Massive Drop in Trading at the Vienna Stock Exchange
Trading volume slumped by 42% to € 4.4bn as a result of the new capital gains tax on securities. The proportion of Austrian investors fell to 26%.
June 9, 2011
Austria's Labor Costs above EU Average
An hour of work costs an Austrian employer an average € 28.00 - six euro more than the EU average.
April 13, 2011
Saving in Austria Decreases
According to Statistics Austria, Household saving rate down to 9.1% in 2010.
April 7, 2011
Manufacturing Industry Sharply Criticizes the Union
Employees' proposals are not very productive, the Austrian Industrial Association says. There is no shift from wages toward corporate profits.
March 22, 2011
WKÖ: No EU Interference in Tariff Negotiations
The President of the Austrian Economic Chamber expects no interference from Brussels in domestic collective agreement negotiations.
March 22, 2011
Ikrath: "Bank Tax Should Fall in 2012"
Once the proposed bank rescue fund is set up, there should be no more national bank tax, says Michael Ikrath from the Sparkassenverband (Savings Banks Association).
March 19, 2011