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Tax minister to revise tax control procedures
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March 11th, 2014
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Østergaard calls for a complete modernisation
The tax minister, Morten Østergaard (R), has announced that he plans to revise the current tax control procedures used by the tax authorities, SKAT.
Østergaard said that a number of undesirable cases involving SKAT have shown him the need for a modernisation of tax control legislation that will induce more balance between tax control and the legal rights of citizens.
“I am aware that these cases have led to a trust issue concerning the tax authorities and righting that is my number one priority,” Østergaard told Jyllands-Posten newspaper. “For a country like Denmark to remain intact, people must be willing to pay the tax that they are obliged to and that requires a high degree of due process."
READ MORE: 1.2 billion kroner windfall for homeowners after property tax debacle
Panel to expedite process
Recent SKAT scandals include the illegal collection of citizen information via phone companies, the property tax evaluation mess and the illicit practice of receiving anonymous reports of tax evasion.
Experts have been calling for a reform of the tax control measures in Denmark for quite some time now, but their hopes were dashed in 2013 when the former tax minister, Holger K Nielsen (SF), said that he had no plans to make changes.
According to Østergaard, Dansk Folkeparti has attempted to gather a majority to establish a law commission to look into the issue, but now the politicians are hoping to reach a compromise that will include setting up a panel involving external partners and experts.
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