ANS Notifies European Commission Regarding Discriminatory Healthcare Transaction Tax in Slovakia

Bratislava – The Slovak Hospital Association (ANS), in conjunction with other healthcare organizations, has lodged a complaint with the European Commission (EC) regarding the discriminatory enforcement of a transaction tax within the healthcare sector. The complaint highlights the unequal treatment of healthcare facilities, where some providers are exempt from this tax while others are not, as reported by ANS to TASR.

“The sector has come together because we have not received adequate responses so far. This constitutes discrimination and undermines fair economic competition. It is unjust for some entities within the same sector to be exempt from obligations while others are not,” stated Igor Pramuk, the first vice president of ANS. Other organizations within the healthcare sector of the Association of Employers’ Unions and Associations (AZZZ) SR have also supported this complaint.

ANS argues that it is unacceptable for state hospitals to be exempt from the transaction tax while private and non-state hospitals bear this burden. “Such practices lead to unequal conditions within the sector and threaten patient access to healthcare,” warned ANS.

The association anticipates a swift response from the European Commission, which has previously addressed similar issues regarding unfair access to healthcare services. “When we submitted a complaint related to the recovery plan, the European Commission responded quickly. We hope for a similar prompt action this time,” Pramuk added.

Last fall, Parliament approved a new financial transaction tax, which faced criticism from hospital and clinic representatives at that time. The law is set to take effect on January 1, 2025, with the first taxable period starting in April. This tax will impact businesses rather than individual citizens, affecting most healthcare providers except those funded by the state. Representatives from AZZZ SR are also in discussions with the Ministry of Health, which has previously confirmed that they are negotiating with the financial department to seek a resolution. (February 17)