Thursday, 22 November 2012
Government Takes Drastic Steps To Improve Business Environment
A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
Opening the meeting, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Prime Minister congratulated banking sector staff on their professional holiday and wished them every success.
The Executive approved a set of amendments to the law “On trade and services” and 15 other legal acts in a bid to operate drastic improvement of the business environment, strengthen the country’s economic security, improve the system of taxation of small and medium businesses, create equal conditions for competition and so on.
”As a whole, it refers to the betterment of the business climate. Emphasis is placed on small and medium-size businesses to create favorable conditions. In particular, a turnover tax is introduced exempting small and medium-size businesses from income tax and value added tax. As result, 13 types of tax returns are banned to form a simpler system of tax administration. This was long awaited in the business circles,” the Premier noted.
Minister of Economy Tigran Davtyan reported his ministry’s compliance with tax obligations and growth-oriented performance (questions N10).
Given the current situation in Syria, bearing in mind that the safety of about 100.000 Armenians living is in danger, the government is taking urgent measures to ensure the safety of our compatriots and organize their return to the homeland.
The Executive decided to exempt from the payment of AMD 65 thousand-worth State duty required to deliver or replace a valid foreign passport for such foreign citizens of Armenian origin or Armenian citizens as may be facing an emergency situation in the country of their permanent residence.
The government approved an action plan for the founding of an export credit agency as a credit insurance company.
Export credit insurance as a practical solution to the government’s export-oriented policy is a tool to benefit a large number of beneficiaries, exporters. At the next stage of development, the newly formed entity will grow into a self-financing system operational on a commercial basis, as evidenced by the European countries’ experience.
With another decision the government authorized the Museum of History of Armenia to extend the “temporary export” customs regime up till December 9, 2015 for a cross-stone exported to Italy that has been on display in a public square next to Braski museum of Rome for about 10 months now.
The meeting agreed to the proposal on signing a cooperation agreement between the governments of Armenia and the Kingdom of Spain in the field of tourism.
The meeting passed two decisions to endorse the proposals on signing relevant arrangements between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Republic of Chile on abolition of visa requirement for diplomatic and official passports, as well as on cultural cooperation.
