Structure and development of tax revenues Table HU.1: Revenue (% of GDP) 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 I. Indirect taxes 16.2 15.6 15.1 16.0 15.8 16.6 17.7 17.5 18.8 18.7 VAT 8.8 8.3 7.5 7.9 7.7 8.4 8.6 8.5 9.2 9.0 II. Direct taxes 8.9 8.9 9.3 10.2 10.5 9.8 7.9 6.3 6.8 6.7 Personal income 6.5 6.5 6.7 7.1 7.5 7.2 6.4 4.9 5.3 5.0 Corporate income : : : : : : : : : : III. Social Contributions ( compulsory actual contributions) 12.1 12.4 12.4 13.5 13.5 13.0 11.9 13.0 13.0 13.0 Employers 9.3 9.6 9.4 9.6 9.6 9.1 7.7 7.8 7.6 7.5 Households 2.8 2.8 3.0 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.2 5.2 5.4 5.5 IV. Less: amounts assessed but unlikely to be collected : : : : : : : : : : V. Total (I + II + III IV) 37.2 36.9 36.8 39.7 39.7 39.3 37.6 36.9 38.6 38.4 VI. Social contributions (imputed + voluntary contributions) 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 VII. Total (incl. Imputed + voluntary contributions (V+VI) 37.3 37.0 36.9 39.8 39.8 39.4 37.7 37.0 38.7 38.5 Figure HU.1: Total receipts from taxes and compulsory social contributions, 2013 (% of GDP) 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Denmark France Belgium Finland Italy Sweden Austria EA-19 Luxembourg EU-28 Germany Netherlands Slovenia Croatia Czech Republic Greece Portugal United Kingdom Malta Spain Estonia Poland Cyprus Slovakia Ireland Bulgaria Latvia Romania Lithuania Iceland Norway Figure HU.2: Tax revenues by main taxes, compared to EU-28, 2013 (% of GDP) Social contributions Indirect taxes Compulsory households actual social contributions Compulsory employers actual social contributions Value added type taxes (VAT) 12 9 6 3 0 Other (mainly indirect) taxes Taxes on individual or household income incl. holding gains Direct taxes EU-28 HU Taxes on the income or profits of corporations 60
1 Latest tax reforms Table HU.2: Latest tax reforms Description of measure Change Date Personal income tax Tax relief for families with 2 children, increase from 2016 to 2019 by HUF 2 500/month (from HUF 10 000 to HUF 20 000). Tax relief for newly-weds: HUF 5 000/month for two years or up to entitlement to family benefit after child. PIT rate is reduced from 16 % to 15 %. Corporate income tax Loss generated from 2015 may only be carried forward until 2020. Modification of the tax credit scheme linked to supporting sport. Reduction of CIT obligations for banks in 2015 (or in the case of a remaining negative difference, also in following years) in view of recalculated interest income in years 2008 14. Value-added tax Start-up companies will be subject to monthly filing of VAT returns, yearly filing in excess of a certain turver. Detailed VAT reporting applies to invoice indicating at least HUF 1 million (reduced from HUF 2 million). VAT rate is reduced from 27 % to 5 % on sale of cattle, sheep and goat and the sale of their meat as intermediary products. Introduction of exemption for the supply of goods and services intended specifically for military. No exemption on portfolio management services for private clients. VAT rate is reduced from 27 % to 5 % on pork carcass meat. Alcohol excises Re-introduction of a 50 % reduced rate on production of fruit distillates by licenced distilleries (up to 50 litres/year intended for personal consumption in the household). Single standard rate (HUF 333 385) is re-instated instead of a dual standard rate. Introduction of flat rate tax of HUF 1 000/year on production of fruit distillates by a fruit grower (up to 50 litres/year intended for personal consumption in the household). Complying with minimum excise duty rates set in the EU Energy Tax Directive, due to changes in the HUF/EUR exchange rate, the refund on commercial diesel was decreased by HUF 6 per litre. Energy excises Raise in the excise duty rate on oils used for heating and gas used as motor fuel (about + 5 %). Energy tax is raised: electricity HUF 310.5/MWh (up from HUF 295), natural gas: HUF 93.5/GJ (up from HUF 88.5), coal: HUF 2 516/1 000 kg (up from HUF 2 390). Introduction of tax refund for uses energy products in mineralogical processes (brick, cement, ceramics). Tobacco excises Raise in the excise duty rate of cigarettes: cigarettes HUF 15 700/1 000 pieces + 25 % of retail price (from 31 %), but at least HUF 28 000/1 000 pieces (+ 12 %); fine cut and other tobacco: HUF 14 000/kg (+ 12 %) and abolition of retail price (52 %). Rate 1.11.2014 4.1.2015 61
Table HU.2: Latest tax reforms (continued) Description of measure Change Date Other, n-harmonised excises Increase of security deposit for authorised wholesalers: mineral oils: HUF 600 million, tobacco: HUF 22 million, other HUF 20 million. Other types of tax Public health tax on alcoholic beverages: indirect tax based on alcoholic content (HUF 20/l for 1.2 5 %, HUF 100/l for 5 15 %, HUF 300/l for 15 25 %, HUF 500/l for 25 35 %, HUF 700/l for 35 45 %, HUF 900/l for over 45 %). Fruit distillates and herbal bitters are exempt. Tax on tobacco companies: progressive tax on the turver of companies in the tobacco sector, tax base: 0.2 % up to HUF 30 billion, 2,5 % from HUF 30 billion to HUF 60 billion, 4.5 % in excess of HUF 60 billion. Food inspection fee: progressive levy on the turver of companies in the FMCG sector. Tax base: 0.1 % from HUF 500 million to HUF 50 billion, 1 % from HUF 50 billion to HUF 100 billion, 2 % from HUF 150 billion to HUF 200 billion, 3 % from HUF 200 billion to HUF 250 billion, 4 % from HUF 250 billion to HUF 300 billion, 6 % in excess of HUF 300 billion. Sectoral tax on financial institutions is extended to investment funds (tax is 0.05 %), and it is abolished for investment management. Introduction of an annual flat rate on bank card (HUF 800/year and HUF 500/year for card with contactless payment function) instead of the volume-based method. The environmental product charge is extended to paper and certain chemicals and plastics. Local taxes: authorisation granted to local municipalities to levy local tax on natural persons on any taxable event (save those that are taxed ot national level). Modification of treasury taxation in financial transaction levy (exemption for certain transactions). A temporary tax credit linked to Ukranian crisis introduced within sectoral tax on financial institutions tax. Local taxes: buyer-seller cooperatives are exempt from local business tax. The rate of financial organisations tax on banks is reduced from 0.53 % to 0.31 % from 2016 and to 0.21 % from 2017. Employers social contributions Phase-out of Job protection Act in public sector. Modification of the Job protection Act for mothers (returning from child care leave). Administrative, compliance related measures Introduction of a system monitoring the movement of goods for the purpose of risk analysis (EKAER). Rate neutral Base neutral 3.11.2015 1.2.2015 Source: DG Taxation and Customs Union. Further information on national tax reforms, including anuncements of forthcoming measures, can be found in the tax reforms database. 62
1 Main features of the tax system Table HU.3: Individual taxation (PIT) General Base and jurisdiction resident: worldwide income (subject to double-tax relief) n-resident: domestic income Tax unit/ taxation of couples and families separate taxation there are 4 categories of income with specific taxation rules: System and Applicable rates income from employment and pensions, income from business activities, capital income and capital gains income Global / Labour income scheme children: The basis of income tax can be reduced by HUF 750 000 per year/each dependent for families having one or two children), or HUF 2 475 000 per year/each dependent for families Basic allowance having at least three children) (child allowances can also offset SSC liabilities). first marriage: The tax base can be reduced by HUF 375 000 per year per marriage, provided at least one of the couple is getting married for the first time. The allowance can be used for maximum 2 years. Rate schedule flat rate 16 % Surtaxes Regional and local surcharges Top statutory PIT rate (including surcharges) 16 % Owner-occupied dwelling included Capital income included Income from renting movable property 16 % Income from renting immovable property 16 % Capital gains (immovable property) 16 % Capital gains (movable property) 16 % Dividends 16 % creditable withholding Interests on deposits and special savings accounts 16 % final withholding; interests from LT accounts: 0 %, 10 %, 16 % Interests on corporate and government bonds 16 % final withholding Other specific features and alternative regimes benefits in kind & other n-monetary income (games) 16 % on 1.19 times the value pension income exempted small-scale agricultural producers exempted if revenues < HUF 600 000 Other tax provisions Main tax credits & deductions Professional expenses 10 % of income OR based on real expenses (only for self-employed) Pension savings (20 %, capped, tax refunds) Health savings (20 %, capped, tax refund) Disabled persons (capped, tax credit) Small-scale agricultural producers (capped, tax credit) Mortgage Others (t exhaustive) union membership fees Treatment of losses (business/self-employed income) (limited) 5-year carry forward, (limited) 2-year carry backward Source: DG Taxation and Customs Union, on the basis of information provided by the national Ministries of Finance. For more detail, the TEDB database contains an extensive inventory of the main taxes in force in the EU Member States, including their legal basis, assessment base, main exemptions, applicable rate(s), ecomic and statistical classification. 63
Table HU.4: VAT Tax rates Standard 27 % Reduced rate(s) 5 % and 18 % Table HU.5: Corporate taxation (CIT) Tax rates 19 % (over HUF 500 million of the positive tax base)/10 % (below Nominal corporate income tax rate HUF 500 million of the positive tax base) Central government surcharge Regional government surcharge Local government surcharge Top CIT statutory rate (incl. surcharges) (¹) 20.6 % small business tax 16 % (special conditions e.g. 25 employees or Special tax rate for SMEs (all-in rate) less and revenue and balance sheet below HUF 500 million) (²) Tax base worldwide income Anti-avoidance Limits to interest deductions (thin cap rule of 3:1 debt to equity) Transfer pricing rules, arm's length principle Controlled foreign company (CFC) Controlled foreign company (CFC) for passive income only Allowance for Corporate Equity (¹) Including the local business tax of maximum 2 % that applies on the gross operating profit. (²) Taxpayers taxed under the small business tax scheme shall be exempted from the declaration and payment of: corporate tax, social contribution tax and vocational training contribution. Table HU.6: Social contributions employment income, income from business and self-employed Base activities, income from sports/entertainment, income from occasional activities Employers contributions Total rate 27 % (¹) of which: Capped contributions Employees contributions Total rate 18.5 % of which: pensions 10 %, healthcare 7 %, unemployment 1.5 % Capped contributions (¹) There is an additional + 1.5 % vocational training contribution, t paid by all employers. Table HU.7: Wealth and transaction taxes Inheritance and gift tax Real estate taxation Recurrent real estate tax Regional differentiation Tax discount for primary dwelling (¹) Real estate transfer tax Net wealth tax (¹) Exemption is available for handicapped and retired people. Source: DG Taxation and Customs Union, on the basis of information provided by the national Ministries of Finance. For more detail, the TEDB database contains an extensive inventory of the main taxes in force in the EU Member States, including their legal basis, assessment base, main exemptions, applicable rate(s), ecomic and statistical classification. 64