New regulations on tax and fees coming into force as of the beginning of June, 2017

1. Reduction of time limit for refunding value-added tax (VAT)

This is one of new contents included in the Circular No. 31/2017/TT-BTC which comes into force as from June 02, 2017 and provides for amendments to the Circular No. 99/2016/TT-BTC on management of VAT refund.

According to the said Circular, tax refund is given to the taxpayer within 1 working day (previously 03 working days) as from the receipt of:

- The order to refund payment to government budget; or

- The order to refund and deduction of payment to government budget sent by the tax authority.

2. Organizing import quota auctioning in 2017 to import 89,500 tonnes of sugar

This content is mentioned in the Circular No. 05/2017/TT-BCT providing for sugar import quota auctioning in 2017.

According to the said Circular, the tariff-rate import quota on sugar (HS Code: 1701) is 89,500 tonnes in 2017.

The Circular No. 05/2017/TT-BCT takes effect from June 05, 2017 to December 31, 2017.

3. Fees for processing of applications for license to perform topographic and cartographic activities

The Circular No. 34/2017/TT-BTC provides detailed regulations on fees for processing of applications for new license or modification to license to perform topographic and cartographic activities, consisting of:

- Fees for applications processed by Department of Survey, Mapping and Geographic Information of Vietnam.

- Fees for applications processed by Provincial Departments of Natural Resources and Environment.

Detailed fees are specified in Article 3 of the Circular No. 34/2017/TT-BTC (which is coming into force as from June 08, 2017).

4. Schedule of fees for appraisal of environmental remediation plans in 2017

The Circular No. 35/2017/TT-BTC providing for the Schedule of fees for appraisal of environmental remediation and restoration plans made by central-level authorities under regulations in Article 7 of the Decree No. 19/2015/ND-CP is coming into force as from June 10, 2017.

According to the said Circular, the fee imposed on the project which has the environmental remediation and restoration plan and the environmental impact assessment report appraised and approved by different authorities (Category I) is 1.5 times higher than that imposed on the project which has the environmental remediation and restoration plan and the environmental impact assessment report appraised and approved by the one authority (Category II).  E.g.:

- The appraisal fee for a project with total investment of up to VND 10 billion shall be VND 6 million if it is classified in Category I or VND 4 million if it is classified in Category II.

- The appraisal fee for a project with total investment of more than VND 7,000 billion shall be VND 61 million if it is classified in Category I or VND 40.7 million if it is classified in Category II.

Fees in other cases are provided for in the Fee Schedule enclosed with the Circular No. 35.

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