The current tax regime for the IT-Park will remain in force until 2035, while the list of activities permitted in it will be expanded.
This is stipulated by the relevant amendments to the Law on Information Technology Parks, passed by the Parliament in the second reading. The draft law envisages an increase of another 10 years of the IT-Park's functioning term, in addition to the one already stipulated in the law. Thus, the term of operation of Moldova IT-Park, which expires on December 31, 2027, will be extended until the end of 2037. At the same time, the law will enshrine guarantees that in case of amendments that will change the rate and/or composition of the single tax (7%) withheld from the residents of the IT-Park or cancel it altogether, the residents will be entitled to benefit from the existing tax regime until 2035 and work until the entry into force of the new laws. These changes are expected to provide predictability for residents and enhance the investment and business attractiveness of the IT-Park, particularly important in the context of uncertainty in competitive markets. The bill also provides for an expansion of the types of activities that can be carried out in the Park: export-oriented call centers and contact centers will be able to operate in the Park. This will make it possible to attract new investors to the IT-Park and to develop this export-oriented service sector, to motivate young specialists to find jobs in Moldova. Another amendment concerns the creation of the Park Council, starting from January 1, 2025. This is a collegial body responsible for the coordination of the IT-Park's activity. It will be composed of 4 representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization and 5 representatives of the Park residents and development partners and associative sector. The Park Council will coordinate the annual activity plan of the Park's administration as well as the IT -Park's development strategy, will review the Park's accounts and its budget, performance indicators and its risk management system. The indicators specified in the law and subject to audit will be set by the Park administration in coordination with the Park Council, not by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, and the audit will be carried out by auditing companies. According to Moldova IT-Park, it currently has 1,500 registered residents and has created 19,400 jobs. The IT-Park represents 75% to 90% of Moldova's IT sector (in terms of turnover, exports, number of employees). In 2022, the revenues of this sector amounted to 10.2 billion lei or 5.1% of Moldova's GDP (1.6% in 2016). The sector is growing by 40-50% annually. IT services accounted for 11% of all Moldovan exports in 2022. Moldova IT-Park has 210 companies with foreign capital from 39 countries. The average salary in the IT-Park amounted to 41 thousand lei in 2022. During the first 5 years of activity (2018-2022), Moldova IT-Park residents paid taxes totaling 3 billion lei to the national public budget, of which 1 billion lei in 2022. At the same time, tax revenues from IT-Park residents in 2022 were three times higher than in 2017, before the launch of Moldova IT-Park (373 million lei). // 22.12.2023 - InfoMarket.
