Parliament of Moldova approved in the first reading the draft fiscal policy for 2022.
As noted by Minister of Finance Dumitru Budianschi, the measures included in this document are aimed at consolidating budget revenues through effective tax and customs administration, removing economic restrictions and ensuring sustainable development of Moldova in the context of existing economic and social processes. The draft tax and customs policy provides for amendments to the Tax Code, the Law on Local Public Finance, the Customs Code, the Code of Offenses and other documents. One of the most important provisions of the draft is the amendment, according to which from January 1, 2022, all receipts from road usage charges will be transferred to local budgets. Currently, according to the Law on Local Public Finance, only 50% of these revenues are allocated to local budgets. The document also provides for an increase from 2200 to 3100 lei in the minimum wage for public sector employees; the number of direct beneficiaries of this measure is more than 34 thousand citizens. It was also agreed to return to the provision of annual bonuses to public sector employees. According to the bill, in 2022 the amount of personal exemption for individuals with incomes up to 360 thousand lei will increase - from 25.2 thousand to 27 thousand lei; the amount of additional and increased exemptions will grow from 18.9 thousand to 19.8 thousand lei, and the amount of exemption for dependents (children) will double - from 4.5 thousand to 9 thousand lei per year. Also, starting from 1 January 2022, it is proposed to increase from 12% to 18% the rate of income tax withheld at the source of payment on winnings in gambling (except for winnings in lotteries and / or sports betting in the part in which the value of each winnings does not exceed 1 % personal exemption). It was agreed that from 2022 the levy for the provision of mobile services (the so-called luxury tax) reaching 2.5% of sales related to these services will be abolished, which will allow mobile operators to accelerate the reduction of charges for roaming with European Union countries. The bill will increase the excise tax on other cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes containing tobacco substitutes, as well as cigars, cropped cigars and cigarillos containing tobacco. In 2022, the amount of excise taxes on these goods will amount to 41% of their value in lei (MDL), but not less than 959 lei, and in 2023 - 41% of their value in lei, but not less than 1103 lei (currently, for 2021 - 2023 the excise rate is 41% for this category of tobacco products). Another measure concerns the regulation of excise taxes on cartridges and sticks for e-cigarettes; preparations for use in cartridges and sticks for electronic cigarettes. In particular, starting next year it is proposed to introduce an excise tax on cartridges and sticks for electronic cigarettes; preparations for use in cartridges and sticks for electronic cigarettes: in 2022 the excise rate will be 1957 lei per liter, in 2023 - 2055 lei per liter. In addition, it will be canceled the exemption from income tax on individuals’ income from the delivery of secondary raw materials, including waste and residues of paper and cardboard, rubber, plastic, glass (cullet), ferrous and non-ferrous metals, industrial waste containing metals or their alloys, returnable packaging, as well as used electric batteries. According to the bill, the marginal rates of local taxes will be abolished, while it is clarified the term “local tax rate” - the ad valorem rate as a percentage of the taxable base of the object of taxation or in an absolute amount, established by local public authorities when approving the budget of the corresponding administrative-territorial unit. The tax regime for water users associations for irrigation purposes will be improved; the methodology for calculating depreciation for residents of IT parks will change; the tax regime for income received by the administration of IT-parks is also clarified, etc. // 26.11.2021 – InfoMarket
