NA deputy Truong Trong Nghia from HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo National Assembly (NA) deputies agree it is important to penalise tax officials who provide illegal solutions for taxpayers. According to NA deputy Truong Trong Nghia from HCM City, most of the cases are businesses complaining about tax officials who requested bribes to complete the tax paying process. Some tax officials have given bad advice and illegal solutions to help taxpayers avoid paying their taxes in full, Nghia told an NA group discussion session about the draft law on tax management on Monday. This practice means both sides – taxpayers and officials – benefit from scams while the State and people suffer. Nghia suggested the Government regulate the obligations and rights of tax officials and forbid them from making illegal deals with taxpayers. “Tax officials should earnestly help businesses and individuals pay taxes in the fastest and most convenient way,” Nghia said. According to the … [Read more...] about Tough stance needed on tax official violations
Business tax help
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 3/9
Quang Ninh aims to become leading service centreThe northern coastal province of Quang Ninh has outlined comprehensive measures to attract key projects in trade, aiming to become a leading service centre in the country.Two years ago, local authorities granted approval for a master plan to develop the trade sector by 2025 with a vision towards 2030. The province aimed to increase added value by an average of 12.5 - 13.5 percent during 2016 – 2020, 14.5 - 15.5 percent during 2021 – 2025, and 10 - 11 percent during 2026 – 2030.As part of efforts to lure trade projects, the province has worked to improve transport infrastructure, including projects upgrading the Uong Bi - Ha Long segment in National Road 18, Quang Ninh airport, and Ha Long - Hai Phong expressway. Due attention has been paid to transportation in border areas, facilitating and promoting trade with China via Bac Luan border gate.Besides encouraging local investors to remove bottlenecks and accelerate … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 3/9
Forgiving tax debts must be done transparently
A recent proposal by the Ministry of Finance to clear over VND26.5 trillion (US$1.16 billion) of tax arrears, accounting for more than a third of all tax arrears and irrecoverable fines, has raised public concern about the fairness and transparency of handling tax debts. The finance ministry’s statistics revealed that the total amount of tax debt, late payments and fines under the ministry’s management exceeded VND73 trillion by the end of 2017. The amount of such funds under the management of the customs authority was more than VND5.4 trillion. Over VND35.5 trillion, or half of total tax debts owed to both customs and the finance ministry, was deemed irrecoverable. Facing a heavy burden of rising outstanding tax arrears and irrecoverable fines, the finance ministry has proposed to free and eliminate tax arrears for a number of select groups. The ministry plans to free tax debts – meaning it would temporarily cease collection of tax and fines for late tax payment … [Read more...] about Forgiving tax debts must be done transparently
Uber takes HCMC’s tax department to court over $2.3 mln bill
Ride-hailing firm Uber has filed a second lawsuit against Ho Chi Minh City's tax department in relation to back taxes the department claims the company owes. Representatives of the tax department and Uber Vietnam, a subsidiary of Uber International Services Holding B.V. based in the Netherlands, will meet in court next Monday, Nguyen Nam Binh, deputy head of the department, told VnExpress on Thursday. On January 4, the People's Court of HCMC dismissed the first suit filed by Uber against the city’s tax department regarding a million-dollar tax bill. The department had asked five local commercial banks to help it collect more than VND53 billion ($2.34 million) in back taxes Uber was asked to pay in January 2017, but the firm retaliated with the lawsuit. The court said it dropped the lawsuit because Uber Vietnam “did not have the required legal status to launch such a case” and needed an authorization from Uber B.V. The court ruled that Uber Vietnam will have … [Read more...] about Uber takes HCMC’s tax department to court over $2.3 mln bill
VN business climate needs reform
Extraordinary efforts are needed to enhance the current national business environment, but Viet Nam is ready to do whatever it takes to overcome low productivity, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and other delegates concluded at the International Conference on Substantially Improving the Business Environment to Strengthen Economic Growth on Thursday. The Deputy PM commemorated administrative achievements across ministries, sectors and localities in improving the business environment over the past year. He expressed high hopes for the future, stressing the importance of economic restructuring and business environment development as keys to a better Viet Nam. Dam said that although Viet Nam’s place in the international community had improved, the country’s levels of human resource development and labour productivity were still lower than that of other countries in the region and the world. Ousmane Dione, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, said that it was very … [Read more...] about VN business climate needs reform