Croatia: Adjustments to Tourist & Forest Contribution Fees

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Since the beginning of 2021, it has been questionable whether grants received to mitigate the negative consequences of COVID-19, should be included in the basis for calculating the tourist and forest contribution fees given that there was no legal basis for the exemption of such income.

Revenues from COVID grants received by the government could arise if a series of measures are taken into account such as shortening companies’ working hours, incentives for reimbursement of fixed costs due to inactivity of business and incentives for employees’ net wages are given or writing off public benefits. All these revenues should have been recorded in the books on account 7863 – Revenues from government aid to mitigate the negative consequences of the disease COVID-19., Initially, the Ministry of Finance suggested that such revenues should be included in the calculations but that was only up until recently. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports stated that since COVID grants are not considered an income realized by providing a service or performing activities directly related to tourism, they are not the basis for determination and calculation of tourist contribution fee. Shortly after, the same instruction came from the Ministry of Agriculture, that revenues accumulated from the governmental aids and incentives mentioned above, should not be included in the calculation of forest contribution.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that according to the table below the new and lower calculation rates for tourist membership fees, applied in January 2021, are in favour of taxpayers.

Category	Rates for Financial Year 2021	New Rates at 01.01.21	% Decrease
I.	0.16150	0.14212	12%
II.	0.12920	0.11367	12.02012%
III.	0.09690	0.08527	12.00206%
IV.	0.03230	0.02842	12.01238%
V.	0.01938	0.01705	12.02270%

For further information, please contact Petra Dzankic, Accountant and Payroll Assistant in Zagreb, at zagreb@eurofast.eu.

Eurofast is a regional business advisory organisation employing local advisors in over 23 cities in South East Europe & Middle East (SEEME). The Organisation is uniquely positioned as one stop shop for investors and companies looking for professional services in South East Europe & the Middle East.

6/5/21