Although inflation is expected to ease again according to forecasts, many areas will have to live with higher prices in the new year. Otherwise, 2024 will bring many changes: who will be president at the end of the new year is still up in the air. However, it is certain that many things will change politically in 2024 – at EU level, in the National Council and later in Lower Austria. The New Year also offers relief on childcare for working parents, the rent cap, ORF housing tax and innovations in funding for photovoltaic systems or heating conversions.
Elections: We won't know who will rule Austria until the end of 2024 in the future. The National Council will be re-elected in the autumn. The date has not yet been set. Before the cards are shuffled there, EU citizens will decide on the new composition of the European Parliament on June 9 in Austria. 720 representatives from 27 countries will be elected in the EU elections, including 20 from Austria.
Federal Council and Austrian President under the LH Convention: Since January, Lower Austria has had a say in the most important committees representing the state's interests. Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) took over as president of the state governors' conference, and Markit Kohl became president of the Federal Council.
Kindergarten opens for two-year-olds: Working parents are relieved. After the first 20 kindergartens open in 2023 as a pilot project for two-year-olds, the kindergarten entry age will be lowered from 2.5 to 2 years from September.
From September 2024, two-year-olds will also be attended to in kindergartens.
Photo:
Shutterstock/Krakenimages.com, Krakenimages.com
A mother-child pass becomes a parent-child pass: From January, the new, now digital parent-child pass will replace the earlier mother-child pass.
Change in social association: The Austrian Association of Municipalities is to have a new president in Mostviertler Hannes Pressl. His predecessor, Alfred Riedl, had to leave the field due to criticism of property deals in his home town of Grafenworth (Tuln district).
Rental Cap: The rent limit decided by the National Council comes into force. This means that rent increases for legally regulated rental contracts in 2024 and 2025 will be limited to a maximum of 5 percent over two years. The new system will come into effect from 2027. Tenants of 116,000 apartments in Lower Austria should benefit from this.
Post Graduate Exam Free: Some professions require five-figure sums to complete a master's degree. Postgraduate examination will be free from 2024 onwards.
House Tax in lieu of GIS Charges: The GIS fee will be replaced by a device-based fee for all households. A Lower Austrian main residence costs about 15 euros per month. Non-GIS participants or non-exempt individuals must register or face penalties.
Beginning of Violence Clinics: The go-ahead for the project was given in December. The purpose of violence clinics is to better document injuries in order to increase conviction rates.
Cultural Celebrations and Relaunches: Lower Austria's theater festival turns 30 in 2024 (and celebrates from June 6), Schallaburg turns 50 as an exhibition center (and celebrates on April 12), Wiener Neustadt's city theater turns 230 – and opens its newly renovated doors from November 8 . The newly renovated, former synagogue of St Bolton will reopen on 18th April, while St Bolton's newly built Children's Art Lab will open on 28th June. And: the cultural (state) capital of Lower Austria begins on April 30 – its tangent.
New PV Fund: From 2024, PV systems with a peak output of 35 kW will be exempted from sales tax. The sales tax exemption replaces previous federal funding valid through 2026.
New PV systems with a maximum capacity of up to 35 kW are exempted from sales tax.
Photo:
Shutterstock/AlyoshinE
High CO2 price: The CO2 price will rise from 32.5 to 45 euros per ton in 2024. That means paying 3.7 cents (petrol) or 3.4 cents (diesel) more per liter at the pump. The total price of diesel will increase by 13.5 paise per liter while the total price of petrol will increase by 12.3 paise.
Free Weather Ticket for Under 18s: All 18-year-olds receive a free Austrian Climate Ticket for their birthday. This means you can use all public transport in Austria for free for one year. You can get a ticket for up to three years after your 18th birthday.
A climate-friendly birthday gift: 18-year-olds can use public transport free of charge for one year with the Austrian Climate Ticket.
Photo:
Shutterstock/frantic00
High power grid charges: Lower Austrian households pay 7.58 cents/kW in electricity grid tariffs (+12.7%). This is an additional fee of 36 euros per year on average. The gas network charge drops to 1.90 cents/kWh. This corresponds to a relief of 49 euros per year.
More money to replace fossil heating systems: Through the “Exit Oil and Gas” campaign, the federal government supports the switch from fossil heating systems to heat pumps, district heating or biomass heating systems such as pellets/wood chips for up to 28,000 euros or up to 75 percent. Investment costs.
Start of Bottle Deposit System: Food trade should offer re-usability for beverages. At least 35 percent of branches, ten percent of non-alcoholic soft drinks, fruit juices and milk and 15 percent of water and beer should be recycled. From 2025, these requirements will be mandatory for 90 percent of branches.
Reusable products in retail: Bottle deposit system begins.
Photo:
APA/Helmut Fohringer
Sonnengelbe Vignette: The price of the annual car motorway vignette remains the same (96.40 euros). New: one-day vignette for 8.60 euros.
A car may be impounded: Speeding above 80 kmph in local areas and 90 kmph outside the city will result in the car being impounded and auctioned from March.
Payroll Tax Reduction: For the 2nd and 3rd wage tax levels, a full reduction of 30 percent (instead of 35) and 40 percent (instead of 42) will now apply, as decided in the 2022 Eco-Social Tax Reform.
