Norway Halts Airport Fees, Eases Lay Off Rules to Support Economy

Norway will temporarily remove the air passenger tax on all flights through October and drop all airport fees through June in a package presented by the Finance Ministry on Friday.

• Increase in public costs due to the package estimated at more than NOK1b, with reduced 2020 tax income seen at NOK1.6b and delayed tax payments of NOK3.9b
• Employers will now only have to pay two days of wages for laid-off workers before the state takes over payment of benefits, down from 15 days
• Companies that are running at a loss will be able to write back the loss against previously taxed gains, while owners can defer payment of a wealth tax if their companies are loss-making
• To provide enhanced support for skills enhancement and corporate training in companies that are affected by the outbreak
• To boost discretionary funds to municipalities that have incurred greater additional expenses
  associated with the coronavirus

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Stephen Treloar in Oslo at streloar1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Mikael Holter at mholter2@bloomberg.net

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