Decree issued by the Austrian Ministry of Finance (BMF) – Increase of interest rates

Due to the increase of the main refinancing operations rate by the European Central Bank, the amount of the deferral interest, interest for suspension, claim interest (interest for subsequent payments and credits), appeal interest as well as VAT interest is adjusted in the Austrian Federal Tax Code (FTC). Moreover, the amount of the refund interest is adjusted in the Austrian COFAG Reorganisation and Resolution Act (COFAG-Neuordnungs- und Abwicklungsgesetz, COFAG-NoAG).

The European Central Bank has decided to increase the key interest rate each by 0.25 percentage points on 11 June 2026 and on 10 September 2026. As adjustments of in total less than 0.50 percentage points since the last adjustment of the base interest rate are not considered, the base interest rate, which is aligned with the main refinancing operations rate, was now adjusted in total by 0.50 percentage points, from 1.53% to 2.03%.

The interest rates reported in this newsletter are uniform 2% above the base interest rate. By way of exception, deferral interest amount to 4.5% above the applicable base interest rate and refund interest under state aid law within the meaning of section 16 para. 1 second sentence in connection with section 14 para. 2 subsec. 2 COFAG-NoAG amount to 1% above the base interest rate. 

Therefore, from 11 September 2026 the effective interest rates in the FTC and COFAG-NoAG are as follows:

The corresponding BMF decree on interest rate adjustments dated 11 September 2026 was published on 11 September 2026 in Findok. This replaces the BMF decree of 6 June 2025.

If the above-mentioned interest amounts are below 50.00 Euro, they should not be assessed.