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Austria’s tax revenue calculated according to the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 95)
Tax revenue is part of the European System of National and Regional Accounts and is the most important variable on the revenue side of the government’s distribution of income accounts. Under reporting obligations to EUROSTAT, the significance of tax revenue for economic policy is such that it is reported to EUROSTAT in September of each year in two ways: firstly as an element of the government’s accounts and secondly in the form of a more detailed breakdown (EU Regulation No. 2223/96).
2008 results
As calculated on 30th of September 2009
The “Main categories of tax revenue” table provides an overview of current Austrian tax revenue in the main categories of ESA 95 and its percentage change over the previous year.
The total tax revenue for 2008 shows an increase of 6.1% or around €4.6 bn. Actual social contributions in 2008 rose by 4.6% or around €1.8 bn. The tax and social contribution ratio (indicator 2) increased by 0.6 percentage points to 42.8% of gross domestic product in 2008 (GDP). According to the European System of National Accounts Indicator 2 is defined as “Total taxes and compulsory actual social contributions minus actual social contributions assessed but unlikely to be collected”.
Indicator 4 is used for the international comparison of the tax and social contribution ratios within the European Union, i.e. taxes and actual social contributions plus imputed social contributions minus actual social contributions assessed but unlikely to be collected as a percentage of GDP. Austria’s tax and social contribution ratio (indicator 4) of 43.8% in 2007 is clearly above the European Union averages (e.g. tax and social contribution ratio for the Eurozone in 2007: 41.5%). Only in Denmark (49.5%), Sweden (48.9%), Belgium (46.1%) and France (45.0%) were the 2007 tax burden higher than in Austria.
Comparability
Comparability of national tax revenue within the EU is guaranteed by the rules of accounting set forth in ESA 95.
- Time of recording tax revenue
While the ESA normally records flows on an accrual basis, “... that is, when economic value is created, transformed or extinguished, or when claims and obligations arise ..." (ESA 95), the cash basis applies to taxes and a number of other flows concerning general government. With value added tax, the standard fuel consumption charge and wage tax, the delays in the receipt of payments of 2 months and 1 month respectively are taken into account, i.e. time-adjusted. Treatment of the time of recording tax revenue is referred to as “time-adjusted cash” (EU Regulation No. 2516/2000).
- Assignment of individual national
taxes to European tax categories
Taxes on production and imports are divided into taxes on products, taxes and duties on imports, and other taxes on production. “Taxes on products are taxes that are payable per unit of some good or service produced or transacted.” Mineral oil tax and taxes on tobacco, beer or energy are typical of this category of taxes. Value added tax occupies a special position within this group. “Other taxes on production consist of all taxes that enterprises incur as a result of engaging in production, independently of the quantity or value of the goods and services produced or sold.” (ESA 95) (e.g. local tax, employers’ contributions to the Family Relief Fund)
“Current taxes on income, wealth, etc. cover all compulsory, unrequited payments … levied periodically by general government … on the income and wealth of institutional units, and some periodic taxes which are assessed neither on the income nor the wealth.” (ESA 95) (e.g. wage tax, income tax, corporation tax)
Actual social contributions include pension, health, unemployment and accident insurance contributions (compulsory and voluntary contributions) by employers and employees and by self-employed persons and non-employed persons (essentially the unemployed and pensioners) to the social insurance institutions, and also pension contributions by civil servants.
Please consult our German website for tables containing further information
| Taxes and Social Contributions in Austria, Receipts of General Government and the EU, Main categories |  |  |  |
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