Mahrer wants to reduce Chamber of Commerce contributions by 12 percent

2023-09-07 16:07:00

“Specifically, we will reduce the chamber levies by twelve percent as of January 1, 2024. That corresponds to around 35 million euros. A tidy chunk, but it is possible,” Mahrer told the business magazine “trend”. With his announcement, Mahrer is reacting to the fact that the fees have risen sharply due to high inflation. However, the financial leeway was also created by “increasing efficiency”.

Mahrer – he is also President of the ÖVP-Wirtschaftsbund – connects the step of employer representation with the call for fee reductions in other areas as well. “If we can do it, every other public institution should be able to do it too. I also see our position as a signal that something like this should be possible throughout the country,” said Mahrer.

The former economics minister addresses the non-wage labor costs: “If these were to fall by a total of ten percent, for example, that would be 4.2 to 4.5 billion euros, with which companies could be relieved in the current difficult situation in the long term. Best connected with further tax and fee reductions that public authorities could opt for.” This can be compensated for on the expenditure side: “The question has to be asked: Does everything that is done have to be done? In a brutally competitive situation for companies, everyone has to do their homework.”