Steuerliche Investitionsbegünstigungen bei Industrieunternehmen: Ökologischer Investitionsfreibetrag

Abstract

Tax incentives for ecological investments are becoming increasingly important due to climate policy objectives and legal reforms. With the eco-social tax reform 2022, the investment allowance was reintroduced and expanded to include the ecological investment allowance. However, the uncertainty regarding the interpretation of the legal and regulatory texts, as well as the large number of requirements that must be met for tax relief, particularly in the case of the ecological investment allowance, are problematic. The classification of ecological assets is particularly relevant for industrial companies with high investment volumes, as this is associated with considerable tax consequences. The subject of the analysis is the tax framework for claiming the investment allowance. The analysis focuses on the question of the conditions under which ecological investments can be tax-privileged and what specific tax advantages result from this. The analysis is based on legal methodology, normative tax theory and the theory of tax effects. In addition to evaluating the legal basis and relevant regulations, a practical case study is used to compare investments in conventional and ecological assets. The calculations in the case study show that the ecological investment allowance offers a considerable tax incentive if the legal requirements are met. In profit years, direct tax savings can be achieved through targeted investments in favored economic goods. In lossmaking years, the investment allowance increases the tax loss carryforward, leading to future tax relief. Potential subsequent taxation in the event of early disposal or transfer abroad must also be taken into account. Furthermore, it becomes clear that companies are often reliant on external plausibility checks in order to be able to prove the ecological allocation of an asset due to a missing funding commitment. In the theoretical section, the legal regulations are systematically presented and, where necessary, explained using interpretation methods. Empirically, a case study is used to demonstrate how the investment allowance affects the tax burden of industrial companies. A comparison is made between ecological and conventional investment alternatives in order to illustrate the effectiveness of the tax instrument in a practical way. Overall, the combination of theory and empiricism enables a comprehensive assessment of the tax effects of the investment allowance.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Marina Luketina (Supervisor)