Germany amends tax rules on donations to foreign charities
Germany amended its tax laws to provide the same inheritance tax treatment on donations to foreign charities as currently afforded to German charities. The rule change is in response to infringement procedures (Case No 2012/2159; see MEMO/14/589) initiated by the European Commission.
According to the European Commission, Germany will no longer treat legacies established in other EU/EEA States less favourably than legacies to certain charities established in Germany and the Commission has closed the infringement procedure accordingly.