Draft on Corporate Income Tax

26/09/2024

The draft amendment to the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Law is currently under discussion by the National Assembly's Standing Committee, in preparation for submission to the National Assembly at the upcoming session. This draft introduces several new provisions but still has unresolved issues, particularly concerning large-scale investment projects (referred to as "eagle" projects).

1. Special investment incentives:

The draft adds provisions for incentives for innovation and R&D projects with total investment capital of at least VND 3,000 billion, requiring a minimum disbursement of VND 1,000 billion within 3 years.

For projects in the corporate income tax incentive sectors with total investment capital of VND 30,000 billion or more, a minimum disbursement of VND 10,000 billion within 3 years is required.

2. Lack of regulations on disbursement timelines:

The Standing Committee of the Finance and Budget Committee noted that the draft lacks regulations on the disbursement timelines for the remaining VND 20,000 billion in “eagle” projects and VND 2,000 billion for R&D centers. It is necessary to include these regulations to ensure transparency and enable post-checks.

3. Feedback from businesses:

Businesses are responsible for self-declaration of taxes, self-determination of tax incentives, and ensuring compliance with incentive conditions, with tax authorities conducting post-checks. However, unclear criteria related to investment capital, labor, and high technology make compliance difficult for businesses and oversight challenging for tax authorities.

4. Complexity in tax incentives:

Complex regulations on tax incentives increase compliance costs for businesses and create challenges in tax management. Therefore, it is essential to clarify compliance costs and the effectiveness of post-check oversight.

5. Tax incentives for the press:

Currently, press agencies only receive a 10% CIT incentive for income from print media, but with the rise of technology, revenue from print and advertising is decreasing. The draft proposes applying a 15% preferential tax rate to other forms of media besides print, to support the development of the press in the current challenging environment.

6. Other issues:

The draft also proposes additional tax incentives for businesses in economic zones, high-tech projects, high-tech agriculture, and innovative startup projects to address current difficulties and ensure consistency with the 2020 Investment Law.

However, opinions suggest that careful consideration is needed, especially regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of new policies to ensure they are suitable for practical application.

Huy Dinh compiled from baodautu.vn