On 7 September 2026, representatives from politics, academia and the business community met at the BDI to discuss the planned adjustment of the personal income tax schedule and the reforms needed to simplify corporate tax law. The discussion focused on the impact of the Income Tax Reform Act on unincorporated businesses and on ways to simplify tax procedures. It demonstrated that the announced Tax Simplification Act provides an opportunity to remove structural obstacles and improve the tax framework for investment while remaining largely revenue neutral.

On June 24, 2026, the European Commission presented proposals to simplify direct taxes (the so-called “tax omnibus”). This was an important signal. Real relief will only come about if overlaps are consistently eliminated and regulations that hinder investment are corrected. The focus is on eliminating duplicate reporting requirements, introducing investment-friendly proposals, and removing national measures that tighten EU requirements. A minimal compromise is not enough.