The European Commission's resolution has been received, the TAO (corporate tax relief) program can be continued

"As you know, the TAO program, which has been running for twelve years, will expire on June 30, 2023. Therefore, all the staff of the State Secretariat for Sports have done their utmost to ensure the continuation of this program, and we have made a request to the European Commission. Well, dear sports lovers, I have the resolution in my hands: and I wish you a good weekend with the excellent news that the TAO program is going to continue for another six years, until June 30, 2029. Go Hungarian sport, go Hungary!" Ádám Schmidt, Secretary of State for Sports, said in a video message.TAO program is going to continue for another six years, until June 30, 2029. Go Hungarian sport, go Hungary!" Ádám Schmidt, Secretary of State for Sports, said in a video message.

The Parliament voted for the launch of the sport support program, based on corporate tax relief, in 2011 which the EC then approved. It allows private companies to subsidize a part of their corporate tax on their profits to the associations of spectator team sports (football, handball, basketball, ice hockey, water polo, and, since 2017, volleyball) for professional programs approved by the sports federations.

The subsidy funds may be spent by the associations on staff costs, investments in tangible fixed assets (equipment or property development) and on the costs of youth farm training. Subsidies cannot be used for professional sports or professional athletes' salaries.

TAO allows clubs to work with more modern equipment, improving infrastructure, expanding their pool of professionals and broadening their supply base. Thanks to this program, the national sports infrastructure, which had been basically deteriorating for half a century, has been renewed and is now the most advanced in the Central and Eastern European region.

Since the program's launch, the federations and associations concerned have received more than a trillion forints in TAO funding, while the number of registered athletes has almost doubled to more than half a million.

(Translated by Vanda Orosz)