According to sources first reported a few hours ago by SBS media sources, a historic double taxation avoidance agreement-treaty is set to be signed between Australia and Croatia, with a Croatian delegation headed by Croatian Finance Minister Marko Primorac. The agreement is said to eliminate double taxation and encourage new investment, trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. While the content of this Agreement is not known to the public because it has not yet been signed, we know from the Proposal for this Agreement published by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia in February 2025 that it will increase the level of mutual economic cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and Australia, will provide numerous reliefs in the taxation of income and profits of residents of the contracting states, will encourage foreign investments in the Republic of Croatia, will open up opportunities for increasing the mutual exchange of goods and services, i.e. increasing the level of mutual economic cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and Australia, and will encourage the fight against tax avoidance through the exchange of information.

It was said on February 25 that this agreement will also regulate the issue of taxation of real estate, profits from the alienation of property, income from employment, remuneration of board members, income of athletes and artists, pensions, income earned from work in the civil service and other income not explicitly defined by the previous provisions of the Draft Agreement…

This is a major event for the Croatian community in Australia. This was discussed and proposals were submitted to the Croatian authorities as early as 1992/1993, especially regarding the avoidance of double taxation of pensions earned in Australia upon return to Croatia. Namely, Croatia taxed income from an Australian pension even though it was subject to the Australian tax system!

SBS reports that the agreement will be signed in Canberra on November 24, 2025.

Many pensioners are interested in finding out after this whether Croatia will tax their Australian pension if they return to live in Croatia or not. Will their place of residence for tax purposes be changed to Croatia or will it remain in Australia where they earned their pension through their work and tax payments. The question is how the agreement regulates the issue of foreign pensions in Croatia, namely. I hope for great joy within the Croatian community after November 24, or when we find out what the agreement says. Ina Vukic

NEWS IN CROATIAN LANGUAGE:

Prema izvorima uprvo izdatih prije par sati od SBS medije planira se potpisivanja povijesnog sporazuma o izbjegavanju dvostrukog oporezivanja između Australije i Hrvatske za što dolazi delegacija iz Hrvatske u Australiju na čijem će čelu biti ministar financija RH Marko Primorac. Navodno, sporazum će ukloniti dvostruko oporezivanje i potaknuti nova ulaganja, trgovinu i gospodarsku suradnju između dviju zemalja. Dok sadržaj tog Sporazuma nije poznat javnosti jer još nije potpisan znamo iz Prijedloga za taj Sporazum kojeg je ministarstvo financija RH objavilo u veljači 2025. da će on povećati stupanj uzajamne gospodarske suradnje između Republike Hrvatske i Australije, omogućit će se brojne olakšice pri oporezivanju dohotka i dobiti rezidenata država ugovornica, potaknut će se strana ulaganja u Republiku Hrvatsku, otvorit će se mogućnosti za povećanje međusobne razmjene dobara i usluga, odnosno povećanja stupnja uzajamne gospodarske suradnje između Republike Hrvatske i Australije te će se potaknuti borba protiv izbjegavanja plaćanja poreza putem razmjene obavijesti.

Rečeno je u veljači 25. da će u tom sporazumu biti uređeno i pitanje oporezivanja nekretnina, dobiti od otuđenja imovine, dohotka od nesamostalnog rada, naknada članova uprave, dohotka sportaša i umjetnika, mirovina, dohotka ostvarenog temeljem rada u državnoj službi te ostalog dohotka koji nije izričito definiran prethodnim odredbama Nacrta ugovora…

Ovo je veliki događaj za hrvatsku zajednicu u Australiji. Počelo se o tome govoriti i prilagati prijedloge hrvatskim vlastima još 1992/1993 osobito vezano uz izbjegavanje dvostrukog oporezivanja mirovina stečenih u Australiji pri povratku u Hrvatsku. Naime, Hrvatska je oporezivala dohodak od australske mirovine iako je ista bila pod poreznim sustavom Australije!

SBS javlja da će se sporazum potpisti u Canberri 24. studenog 2025.

Zanima mnoge umirovljenike nakon toga saznati hoće li im Hrvatska oporezivati australski mirovinu ako se vrate živjeti u Hrvatsku ili ne. Hoće li njihovo mjesto rezidencije vezano za porez biti promijenjeno u Hrvatsku ili ostati u Australiji gdje su svojim radom i plaćanjem poreza i zaslužili mirovinu. Pitanje je kako se u tom sporazumu uredilo pitanje stranih mirovina u Hrvatskoj, naime. Nadam se velikom veselju unutar hrvatske zajednice nakon 24. studenog odnosno kada saznamo što stoji u tom sporazumu. Ina Vukić