The incomes resulting from copyright fees will be included in the category of those obtained from independent activities, so income tax and mandatory welfare contributions (CAS) will not be recalculated and jointly paid by the payer and the beneficiary of these incomes, Mediafax announces. The Finance Ministry made public the enforcement norms of the Government Ordinance regarding welfare contributions paid by those who earn copyright incomes, which will be included among the changes to the Fiscal Code. Emergency Ordinance 58/2010 rules that “any incomes of a professional nature, others than salaries, are to be subject to the income tax quota” of 16 pc. Those who earn such sums must also pay “the individual contributions of social insurances, health social insurances and unemployment insurances.” On the other hand, full-time employees who occasionally receive copyright fees - such as for writing a book - will not pay the CAS for the money they receive as copyright income, the Government decided. The example given to illustrate this concept is that of a professor working full time in an education institution, who receives a copyright fee for writing a book and must not pay the CAS for this special income. Rather than passing them outright, the Executive ruled that the Finance Ministry will put on public debate the methodology norms to the Fiscal Code, which expand the taxation basis, and to pass them Monday, the 2nd of August. In a different move, the prime minister mentioned that the Government will approach the possibility to drop the intended salary cut in the National Bank of Romania (BNR), after the Parliament meets in regular session, in September. The European Commission warned it might sanction Romania over this issue.

Annual savings worth EUR 300 m in Health sector

Romania will save some EUR 300 M each year in the Health sector, by implementing the integrated unitary IT system, the national health card and the electronic file and prescription, Premier Emil Boc announced in the Cabinet meeting, quoted by Agerpres. According to the PM, the system will increase the transparency of spending public money in the Health sector and will eliminate the abuse. The system will be implemented in Romania by the end of 2010. Also according to Boc, authorities decided to implement the national health card, electronic file and electronic prescription until the end of 2011, on money allotted through the national fund of CNAS.

RON 45 m for flood prevention in five counties

The Executive allotted RON 45 M for flood prevention works in five counties, via two government decision passed on Wednesday, upon proposal by the Environment Ministry, Agerpres reports. According to Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely, RON 30 M will be allotted to building dikes in the counties of Iasi, Tulcea, Harghita and Covasna, while the remaining RON 15 M will finance works in the landslide-hit area between Pucheni and Malu-cu-Flori localities of Dambovita County, Borbely, mentioned.