Tax optimization is a significant aspect of the Slovak business environment. It does not apply exclusively to larger business groups that utilize corporate reorganizations, foreign jurisdictions, or extensive cooperation models based on the exclusion of employment relationships ( the so-called “Švarc system”). To a significant extent, if not to a greater one, tax optimization is a fundamental defining characteristic of small business operations—ranging from conducting business through multiple smaller companies, to the inclusion of expenses with a personal component in tax-deductible costs, to various forms of cross-border invoicing arrangements.
We believe that the distinction between administrative and criminal assessments of tax optimization practices has not received sufficient attention among experts. The same applies to related legal concepts, such as effective repentance or the application of the ultima ratio principle. This may also result in reduced predictability in the decision-making practices of public authorities.
For this reason, among others, we have decided to organize a professional conference dedicated to this topic. The conference is intended primarily for attorneys, tax advisors, accountants, and other professionals working in the fields of law, taxation, and accounting.
