Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Tax refund notices, snowy weather and cold temperatures in the south of the country, and other news from Norway on Tuesday.
The season of tax refund notices is here
In the next two weeks, most people working in Norway will receive their tax refund notices.
The first tax notices will be sent out on March 14th, and by the end of the month, people need to ensure that the prefilled information in them is correct.
Consumer economist Silje Sandmæl Nesbyen told the news bureau NTB that eight out of ten Norwegians make changes to their tax returns.
She recommends that all taxpayers look at their tax return notice, regardless of whether they get a refund or have to pay more taxes.
"Unfortunately, many people think that the tax return they get is the final version, but that is not true. The biggest mistake you can make is not to go through the tax return. It is an individual responsibility to check that all the information listed is actually correct," Sandmæl said.
New European Union requirements could lead to more expensive water and sewage fees in Norway
The European Union (EU) wants to put stricter sewage treatment requirements in place.
That could mean large increases in water and drainage fees, the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and the NGO Norsk Vann warn.
Both organisations are very concerned about the European Commission's proposal for revised sewage regulations, which will probably be adopted next year.
The directive in question sets forward stricter requirements for wastewater treatment. The two interest organisations warn that if it is adopted, Norwegian municipalities will have to invest large sums in new and more advanced treatment plants.
This could lead to Norwegian taxpayers footing the bill.
Slippery roads in eastern Norway
Monday's snowy weather and cold temperatures during the night have led to very slippery roads in Oslo and Akershus. The Norwegian Road Traffic Center warns drivers to watch out for challenging road conditions.
"Due to yesterday's snowy weather and the night's low temperatures, ice has formed on several of the main roads in Oslo and Akershus. This leads to slippery roads in places and difficult driving conditions," the Road Traffic Centre wrote on Twitter.
The traffic centre asked motorists to adjust their speed according to the conditions and to pay special attention while driving.
The Eastern Police District also warned road users in Romerike about slippery roads.
Norwegian authorities not worried after bank collapse in the US
Several banks in the US have collapsed recently. The main index on the Oslo Stock Exchange fell sharply on Monday after these banks collapsed.
Banking shares were hit particularly hard, and the biggest bank in Norway, DNB, was among the shares with the most significant decline.
State Secretary Erlend Grimstad said that the Ministry of Finance is still not particularly worried.
"We follow developments on an ongoing basis. Banks in Norway and the EU are subject to strict capital and liquidity requirements, and the Norwegian financial system is well capitalised and robust against market turmoil," he told NTB.
Grimstad nevertheless pointed out that the events in the US are a reminder of the importance of Norwegian banks retaining real solvency and liquidity buffers that have been built up.
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The season of tax refund notices is here
In the next two weeks, most people working in Norway will receive their tax refund notices.
The first tax notices will be sent out on March 14th, and by the end of the month, people need to ensure that the prefilled information in them is correct.
Consumer economist Silje Sandmæl Nesbyen told the news bureau NTB that eight out of ten Norwegians make changes to their tax returns.
She recommends that all taxpayers look at their tax return notice, regardless of whether they get a refund or have to pay more taxes.
"Unfortunately, many people think that the tax return they get is the final version, but that is not true. The biggest mistake you can make is not to go through the tax return. It is an individual responsibility to check that all the information listed is actually correct," Sandmæl said.
New European Union requirements could lead to more expensive water and sewage fees in Norway
The European Union (EU) wants to put stricter sewage treatment requirements in place.
That could mean large increases in water and drainage fees, the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and the NGO Norsk Vann warn.
Both organisations are very concerned about the European Commission's proposal for revised sewage regulations, which will probably be adopted next year.
The directive in question sets forward stricter requirements for wastewater treatment. The two interest organisations warn that if it is adopted, Norwegian municipalities will have to invest large sums in new and more advanced treatment plants.
This could lead to Norwegian taxpayers footing the bill.
Slippery roads in eastern Norway
Monday's snowy weather and cold temperatures during the night have led to very slippery roads in Oslo and Akershus. The Norwegian Road Traffic Center warns drivers to watch out for challenging road conditions.
"Due to yesterday's snowy weather and the night's low temperatures, ice has formed on several of the main roads in Oslo and Akershus. This leads to slippery roads in places and difficult driving conditions," the Road Traffic Centre wrote on Twitter.
The traffic centre asked motorists to adjust their speed according to the conditions and to pay special attention while driving.
The Eastern Police District also warned road users in Romerike about slippery roads.
Norwegian authorities not worried after bank collapse in the US
Several banks in the US have collapsed recently. The main index on the Oslo Stock Exchange fell sharply on Monday after these banks collapsed.
Banking shares were hit particularly hard, and the biggest bank in Norway, DNB, was among the shares with the most significant decline.
State Secretary Erlend Grimstad said that the Ministry of Finance is still not particularly worried.
"We follow developments on an ongoing basis. Banks in Norway and the EU are subject to strict capital and liquidity requirements, and the Norwegian financial system is well capitalised and robust against market turmoil," he told NTB.
Grimstad nevertheless pointed out that the events in the US are a reminder of the importance of Norwegian banks retaining real solvency and liquidity buffers that have been built up.
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