Taxpayers Association of Europe awards the Taxpayer Prize 2006 to:
Hubert Gorbach, Vice Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, and
President Dr. Luis Durnwalder
The European Taxpayers’ Prize, which the Taxpayers’ Association of Europe will award in Brussels for the eighth time on May 30, 2006, will go to the Vice Chancellor and Minister for Transportation, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria, Hubert Gorbach, as well as the President of the Autonomous Province of Bozen and President of the Autonomous Region of Trentino-Alto Adige, Dr. Luis Durnwalder.
The aims of the Taxpayers Association of Europe, which was founded in Luxembourg in 1969, are, according to President von Hohenhau, to relieve Europe's citizens from too high taxes, overbearing bureaucracy and to reduce additional new taxes. Moreover, the Taxpayers Association of Europe also fights for simpler and more equitable tax laws and against official waste.
The European Taxpayers Award, which is presented in the form of a bronze sculpture - the European Bull - symbolises the never-ending fight for survival, strength and the ability to assert oneself, but it also symbolises Europe. A Europe that must be open to visions according to the objectives of the Taxpayers Association of Europe, a Europe of regions, citizens and taxpayers and not, on the other hand, a Europe of bureaucracy, regimentation and higher taxes.
The winners correspond to the award's symbolism and intention to a considerable extent.
In his laudations, Dr. Dr. Paolo Magagnotti, President of the Association of European Journalists – Media Network, recognized both prize winners’ achievements.
He said Vice Chancellor Hubert Gorbach had been awarded the prize for his courageous contribution to modernization of the Republic of Austria. His mission was efficiency in public administration through consistent application of the subsidiarity principle, which transfers more responsibilities to local and municipal authorities. During the three years of Gorbach’s term, the areas of transportation, research, and infrastructure, all within Gorbach’s responsibility, have developed very positively.
Examples included an improved transportation infrastructure, the Austrian Federal Railroad’s reform as well the concomitant structural and public service law reform, Magagnotti said.
Austrian researchers have received 1.2 billion euros in funding until 2006, while the tax exemption for research increased to 25 percent and the research bonus rose to eight percent, which turns Austria into one of the most attractive locations for research. Magagnotti added that the Austrian innovation and technology offensive was exemplary in Europe, leading to additional economic growth, attracting new businesses, and creating more jobs, quality in education and social welfare.
According to Magagnotti, these reforms have put increased pressure on other EU countries to follow suit and invest in sectors of the economy that are relevant to growth and employment.
Last but not least, Magagnotti said, the prize recognized Hurbert Gorbach’s personal commitment to lower and simpler taxes in Austria.
President Dr. Luis Durnwalder has received the prize in honor of his indefatigable efforts to promote prudent spending of public funds, less bureaucracy and more efficiency and cost savings in government. The Taxpayers’ Association of Europe, Magagnotti said, was recognizing his outstanding, decades-long commitment in the interest of his province’s citizens and Europe’s future. A member of the Committee of Regions for 22 years, he has never lost touch with his electorate. It was thanks to his efforts in particular that the significance of Europe’s regions has increased, with the EU factoring the interests of economic regions more into its decisions.
In trilingual Alto Adige, President Dr. Luis Durnwalder has used intelligence, courage, and vision – against all political difficulty - to foster peaceful coexistence of linguistic groups in what has historically been one of the „most difficult corners“ of Europe, Magagnotti added, paving a new road for relationships between the cross-border European regions of Tyrol, Alto Adige, and Trentino.
Alto Adige’s economic boom and the prosperity it enjoys today was inseparable from Durnwalder’s person, Magagnotti said. Today, Alto Adige’s unemployment is very low (an average 2.8 percent in 2005) and its productivity, high.
According to the 2005 EUROSTAT report, Alto Adige is Italy’s richest region and the eighth most prosperous region within the EU. Alto Adige’s gross domestic product (GDP) of 31,800 euros per capita is 35 percent above the European average, second only to Lombardy in terms of GDP, with its GDP growth rate the highest in all of Italy.
The prize will be awarded in Brussels on May 30, 2006, at 7:30 p.m, at the EU Representative Office of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg at 60-62 Rue Belliard, 1040 Brussels. TAE President Rolf von Hohenhau will open the event. The welcome address will be held by the former President of the European Court of Auditors and President of the European Economic Senate, Professor Bernhard Friedmann. Dr. Dr. Paolo Magagnotti, President of the Association of European Journalists – Media Network, will laud the two prize winners. After the prizes have been handed over, Hubert Gorbach as well as Dr. Luis Durnwalder will each give a lecture. Prizes will be awarded in cooperation with the European Economic Senate (EES).
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Hubert Gorbach, Vice Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, and
President Dr. Luis Durnwalder
The European Taxpayers’ Prize, which the Taxpayers’ Association of Europe will award in Brussels for the eighth time on May 30, 2006, will go to the Vice Chancellor and Minister for Transportation, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria, Hubert Gorbach, as well as the President of the Autonomous Province of Bozen and President of the Autonomous Region of Trentino-Alto Adige, Dr. Luis Durnwalder.
The aims of the Taxpayers Association of Europe, which was founded in Luxembourg in 1969, are, according to President von Hohenhau, to relieve Europe's citizens from too high taxes, overbearing bureaucracy and to reduce additional new taxes. Moreover, the Taxpayers Association of Europe also fights for simpler and more equitable tax laws and against official waste.
The European Taxpayers Award, which is presented in the form of a bronze sculpture - the European Bull - symbolises the never-ending fight for survival, strength and the ability to assert oneself, but it also symbolises Europe. A Europe that must be open to visions according to the objectives of the Taxpayers Association of Europe, a Europe of regions, citizens and taxpayers and not, on the other hand, a Europe of bureaucracy, regimentation and higher taxes.
The winners correspond to the award's symbolism and intention to a considerable extent.
In his laudations, Dr. Dr. Paolo Magagnotti, President of the Association of European Journalists – Media Network, recognized both prize winners’ achievements.
He said Vice Chancellor Hubert Gorbach had been awarded the prize for his courageous contribution to modernization of the Republic of Austria. His mission was efficiency in public administration through consistent application of the subsidiarity principle, which transfers more responsibilities to local and municipal authorities. During the three years of Gorbach’s term, the areas of transportation, research, and infrastructure, all within Gorbach’s responsibility, have developed very positively.
Examples included an improved transportation infrastructure, the Austrian Federal Railroad’s reform as well the concomitant structural and public service law reform, Magagnotti said.
Austrian researchers have received 1.2 billion euros in funding until 2006, while the tax exemption for research increased to 25 percent and the research bonus rose to eight percent, which turns Austria into one of the most attractive locations for research. Magagnotti added that the Austrian innovation and technology offensive was exemplary in Europe, leading to additional economic growth, attracting new businesses, and creating more jobs, quality in education and social welfare.
According to Magagnotti, these reforms have put increased pressure on other EU countries to follow suit and invest in sectors of the economy that are relevant to growth and employment.
Last but not least, Magagnotti said, the prize recognized Hurbert Gorbach’s personal commitment to lower and simpler taxes in Austria.
President Dr. Luis Durnwalder has received the prize in honor of his indefatigable efforts to promote prudent spending of public funds, less bureaucracy and more efficiency and cost savings in government. The Taxpayers’ Association of Europe, Magagnotti said, was recognizing his outstanding, decades-long commitment in the interest of his province’s citizens and Europe’s future. A member of the Committee of Regions for 22 years, he has never lost touch with his electorate. It was thanks to his efforts in particular that the significance of Europe’s regions has increased, with the EU factoring the interests of economic regions more into its decisions.
In trilingual Alto Adige, President Dr. Luis Durnwalder has used intelligence, courage, and vision – against all political difficulty - to foster peaceful coexistence of linguistic groups in what has historically been one of the „most difficult corners“ of Europe, Magagnotti added, paving a new road for relationships between the cross-border European regions of Tyrol, Alto Adige, and Trentino.
Alto Adige’s economic boom and the prosperity it enjoys today was inseparable from Durnwalder’s person, Magagnotti said. Today, Alto Adige’s unemployment is very low (an average 2.8 percent in 2005) and its productivity, high.
According to the 2005 EUROSTAT report, Alto Adige is Italy’s richest region and the eighth most prosperous region within the EU. Alto Adige’s gross domestic product (GDP) of 31,800 euros per capita is 35 percent above the European average, second only to Lombardy in terms of GDP, with its GDP growth rate the highest in all of Italy.
The prize will be awarded in Brussels on May 30, 2006, at 7:30 p.m, at the EU Representative Office of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg at 60-62 Rue Belliard, 1040 Brussels. TAE President Rolf von Hohenhau will open the event. The welcome address will be held by the former President of the European Court of Auditors and President of the European Economic Senate, Professor Bernhard Friedmann. Dr. Dr. Paolo Magagnotti, President of the Association of European Journalists – Media Network, will laud the two prize winners. After the prizes have been handed over, Hubert Gorbach as well as Dr. Luis Durnwalder will each give a lecture. Prizes will be awarded in cooperation with the European Economic Senate (EES).
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