Up to 40 million refund from Norwegian tax authorities

Photo: The European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Surveillance Authority believes Norwegian tax authorities have imposed enterprises with up to 40 million in illegal fees, and the body requires the money to be repaid.

The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) believes the Central Office for Foreign Affairs has violated the principles of free movement of workers, and freedom, to provide services in the EU internal market, reported Finansavisen newspaper.

Central Office has levied charges for lack of reporting on contracts signed between Norwegian and foreign companies for contracts in Norway, and on the Norwegian shelf, with foreign employees.

Senior Lawyer, Cecilie Wikborg Bue, of Deloitte Advocates, said foreign companies the law firm represents, which had previously been imposed fees, only to a small extent undertook new projects in Norway.

The newspaper’s investigation showed that it had been issued with 218 decisions on such fees since 2009.

The Tax Administration have changed the practice of levying until further notice, and are now more reticent about imposing fees, said communications consultant Thomas Aleksander Ege, of the Tax Directorate.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today