People’s Party proposes significant changes to property registration fees and tax rates in Norway
The agenda for today’s parliamentary session included only one item, marking the first meeting since the discussion surrounding the Prime Minister’s National Day address concluded shortly after the holiday. At the end of the session, the People’s Party was the only party to propose a legislative bill.
The People’s Party recommends reducing the property registration fee, currently set at 1% of the purchase price each time real estate is sold. They propose this fee be halved to 0.5% by 2026, with an interim reduction to 0.75% next year.
The 2024 budget anticipates revenues of 52 million kroner from this registration fee, which is based on the current percentage of the property’s purchase price.
Additionally, the People’s Party seeks to extend the validity period of fishing licenses, which, according to maritime law, are set to expire on January 1, 2034. The party advocates reinstating the previous system of 12-year licenses, proposing that current licenses remain valid until January 1, 2037.
Their third legislative proposal aims to adjust income tax rates annually to align with wage and price increases in society. The party notes that the national tax rates have not been updated since 2016, during which time wages have risen significantly, leading to increased tax pressure.
Finally, the People’s Party’s fourth proposal calls for amending traffic laws to impose the same penalties for driving under the influence of hashish as for alcohol. They suggest that penalties should increase based on the amount of hash present in the bloodstream, similar to how alcohol levels are measured. Current legislation features lighter penalties for driving under the influence of hashish compared to alcohol.
The coalition also submitted two legislative proposals today, one concerning the Infrastructure Fund and the other aimed at implementing a subsidy scheme for political parties in the national parliament, known as the “party support law.”