Hanoi (VNA) - In 2022, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) proposed the exemption, reduction, and payment deadl♚ine extension of taxes, land rent, fees, and charges totaling some 233.5 trillion VND (9.88 billion USD) to help𒊎 tackle difficulties facing enterprises, control inflation, and aid socio-economic recovery and development under the National Assembly (NA)’s Resolution 43/2022/QH15 and the Government’s Resolution 11/NQ-CP.

The policies have won high praise from enterprises and citizens as the State’s direct assistance to ease expenses and have more financial resources to maintain operations amid the pandemic and contribute to socioeconomic recovery and development. An interview granted by Deputy Minister of Finance Cao Anh Tuan to VietnamPlus looks back on effects of the economic recovery aid programme and the financial sector’s contributions in the recent past. In the interview, he said that as soon as the policies were issued, tax authorities at all levels quickly disseminated related information to ensure that tax payers access and utilise the policies to their advantage. Resolution 43/2022/QH15, issued by the parliament very early, centres on the implementation of fiscal and monetary policies assisting with the socioeconomic recovery and development programme. To carry out this resolution, Tuan said, the Government released Decree 15/2022/ND-CP on the reduction of the value added tax from 10% to 8%, Decree 34/2022/ND-CP on the payment deadline extension for taxes and land rent in 2022, Decree 32/2022/ND-CP on the payment deadline extension for the special consumption tax, and Decree 91/2022/ND-CP that amends and supplements some articles of Decree 126/2020/ND-CP. With advice from the MoF, the Government proposed the NA Standing Committee issue Resolution 18/2022/UBTVQH15, dated March 23, 2022, on cutting the environmental protection tax on petrol and oil from April 1, 2022. Meanwhile, the NA Standing Committee’s Resolution 20/2022/UBTVQH1 minimised this tax on petrol (except for ethanol), diesel oil, mazut, lubricant, and aviation fuel from July 11, 2022. The moves have helped bring down production costs and facilitate production and business activities, which in turn have boosted purchasing power and job creation. These all contribute to inflation control, macro-economic stabilisation, and safeguarding social security amid inflationary pressure and surging expenses. So far, the value of taxes entitled to exemption, reduction, and payment deadline extension has approximated 168 trillion VND, including about 106 trillion VND in taxes benefiting from payment deadline extension and 62 trillion VND in exempted or reduced taxes, fees, and charges, the official noted. Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic was brought under control, and production and business activities have been gradually bouncing back since then. The tasks and solutions set in the Government’s Resolution 11/NQ-CP, dated January 30, 2022, on the socioeconomic recovery and development programme have been carried out effectively by ministries, sectors, and localities. However, adverse impacts of the pandemic still linger in the economy. Meanwhile, soaring oil and input material prices have affected most sectors, which are still struggling with difficulties. Therefore, tax arrears have grown in recent years and also affected tax collection, the Deputy Minister pointed out. Facing that fact, the tax sector under the MoF has identified tackling hindrances and helping tax payers to maintain production and business activities as a focal task. It has also worked to deal with tax arrears and minimise new ones, Tuan went on, adding that in the time ahead, the sector will continue ordering tax agencies to quickly remove difficulties facing enterprises to support them to shore up operations./.