The outgoing general manager of the Austrian Post, Georg Pölzl, complains about the high bureaucratic hurdles for companies in Austria and Europe. Companies should not be overwhelmed by a “flood” of regulations. In general, there is not enough discussion in Austria about the topic of competitiveness.
“We have excessive regulations and excessive reporting requirements that are of no use to anyone,” Pölzl said on Saturday in the Ö1 series “Im Journal zu Gast”. In principle, it is important that companies report on measures and key figures in the area of sustainability.
However, there is no point in having to provide information on various key figures with “accounting accuracy” every quarter, Pölzl said. He welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to reduce reporting requirements for European industry by 25 percent. “But a 75 percent reduction in bureaucracy would be necessary.”
Pölzl: How is prosperity created?
Pölzl expects the future government to have “more discussion about the competitiveness of our economy” after the National Council elections in September. There is much talk in this country about the issue of distribution, but hardly any about the question of how prosperity is actually created.
He confirmed that the political staff in Austria lacked economic competence, although the interest of Austrians in economic issues was generally very low.
Post in “good hands”
The Austrian Post sees Pölzl, who is retiring at the end of September after 15 years at the helm of the partly state-listed company, “in good hands”. Much has been achieved in recent years, but his successor will still have no shortage of challenges, he summarised. Pölzl has ruled out a position on the company’s supervisory board in the near future, and he is also not seeking a political position.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
