The new Austrian government will face the challenge of ensuring the sustainable competitiveness of Austria as a business location. Tax policy requirements are comprehensive. Austria has one of the highest tax ratios worldwide; the same is true for labor related costs that must be significantly reduced. But also, in the field of international tax law there is a need for action to maintain economic competitiveness to protect export-oriented Austrian enterprises from double and multiple taxation. Although Austrian tax laws in general provide an attractive framework for cross-border business activities in certain areas, there is an urgent need for legislative action. The Austrian Chamber of Tax Consultants and Auditors recently published a Tax Reform Paper including suggestions with proposals concerning the Austrian international tax law framework. Stefan Bendlinger who was a member of the Chamber’s Expert Committee summarizes and comments the Chamber’s suggestions supplemented with further proposals in the field of international taxation.
