AK boss warns government of upping car fuel tax

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Politics

Labour Chamber (AK) chief Herbert Tumpel has appealed to the government not to raise taxes on car fuel.”Higher petrol taxes are out of the question,” Tumpel said today (Weds).The AK boss further argued: “An increase of taxes on car fuel would burden those with little income and workers who need to use their cars to […]

‘Green’ Austria red-faced over EU emissions study

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Politics

The Austrian government’s attempts to label Austria as an “eco-friendly country” with the know-how for “green technologies” of the future have suffered a throwback as Austria has been revealed as doing badly in reducing its emissions.The European Commission’s (EC) environmental experts announced today (Weds) there were 9.6 per cent more carbon dioxide emissions in Austria […]

ÖVAG back in the black as search for partner continues

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Finance

Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) reports good business figures for the first quarter of this year after suffering dramatic losses in 2009.ÖVAG chief Gerald Wenzel said today (Fri) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) soared to 21.6 million Euros after the bank had losses of 93.4 million Euros in the first three months of last year.He added […]

Cold winter serves up hot figures for EVN

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Business

Increasing demand for warm water and energy in the long extended winter helped energy provider ENV’s earnings soar.The Lower Austrian company said today (Thurs) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) rose by 5.7 per cent to 194.4 million Euros in the first half of the 2009/2010 business year compared to the first half of the […]

VCÖ makes €350mn kerosene tax call

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Politics

Austrian Traffic Club (VCÖ) officials have claimed Austria was losing out on around 350 million Euros of annual revenues by not charging taxes on kerosene.VCÖ expert Martin Blum branded the situation an “indirect subsidisation of the aviation industry.”Blum said today (Weds) the government would garner around 355 million Euros per year if it decided to […]

Tolls not car fuel tax, says IV

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Business

The Austrian Industrial Association (IV) is calling for car tolls rather than for an increase in taxes on car fuel, according to today’s edition (Fri) of news magazine Format.IV General Secretary Markus Beyrer is quoted as calling tolls based on the number of kilometres driven “a more intelligent alternative.”He said tolls could be staggered in […]

BTV back on track after ‘difficult’ 2008

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Finance

Bosses at the Bank für Tirol und Vorarlberg (BTV) said today (Fri) the institution’s profit had soared year on year in 2009 after what they described as “a very difficult 2008”.The provincial bank’s annual profit before taxes jumped by 2.3 per cent last year compared to 2008 figures to 51.3 million Euros.BVT increased its equity […]

Immofinanz on road to recovery

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Business

Vienna-based real estate firm Immofinanz managed to keep its turnover stable in the first three quarters of its 2009/2010 business year (1 May to 30 April).Company officials said today (Weds) it had had turnover of 552.8 million Euros, down by just 0.47 per cent compared to its turnover during the same period of its previous […]

ECJ rules against minimum cigarette prices

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Politics

The minimum price for a pack of cigarettes in Austria is a violation of EU guidelines, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled today (Thurs).The ECJ said minimum prices were an inappropriate way to try and safeguard public health and suggested higher taxes on tobacco products would be more effective.The Austrian government had imposed a […]