Germany saw an unexpected spike in tax revenue growth in the first quarter of 2011, caused by an immense jump in overall corporate tax collection throughout the country. According to preliminary government revenue estimates made available on April 18th, Germany’s overall tax collections jumped by EUR 12 billion during the first quarter of the year, when compared to revenues seen in the first quarter of the previous year. The extra collections are already higher than the total monetary increases that were forecasted for ... Read More

Germany is looking to recover millions of euros in previously evaded taxes, as charges are filed against directors of companies accused of carrying out carbon credit tax fraud. Germany’s investigations into carbon dioxide tax credit fraud are coming to fruition, with prosecutors filing charges against six individuals accused of being responsible for over EUR 230 million in evaded taxes. The legal actions were announced in a statement on March 30th by Guenter Wittig, prosecutor for the Office of the Attorney General of ... Read More

Germany has lost hundreds of millions of Euros in tax revenues to frauds involving carbon emissions trading. On March 7th Alexander Badle senior prosecutor for the Office of the Attorney General of Germany issued a statement, saying that tax fraud on carbon dioxide emission trading has cost the government an estimated total of EUR 850 million in lost revenues. The figure emerged throughout the course of the ongoing investigations into frauds allegedly committed by 120 companies operating in Germany and registered across Europe ... Read More

The German Government has bowed to industry pressure and decided to ease the tax burden faced by energy intensive and high-emissions companies, instead opting to hike taxes on tobacco products. On October 24th Germany’s government coalition agreed to revise its planned taxation measures on fuels and energy, easing the tax burdens faced by the energy industry. To offset the budgetary shortfalls, the move will be paired with an tax rate increase on cigarettes and tobacco products. Michael Fuchs, aleader in the Germany’s ruling ... Read More

The German Government is delaying its controversial nuclear power tax proposal, with Chancellor Angela Merkel indicating that a different option could be investigated to replace the levy. Debate has arisen over continued delays to a contentious plan by the German Government to instate a new tax on nuclear power plant operators, which is intended to raise an additional EUR 2.3 billion to ease the nation’s budget deficit. The Government had previously promised to finalize a proposal for the new tax by September, but ... Read More