1. Tax inspection and audit
At the online conference summarizing tax work in the first six months of the year and implementing tasks for the last six months, organized by the General Department of Taxation (Ministry of Finance) on July 11th, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Taxation Cao Anh Tuan stated that in the past six months, tax revenue is estimated at 464.500 billion VND, equivalent to 48% of the projected target and 112,9% compared to the same period in 2016.
Regarding tax declaration management, the rate of submitted/due tax declarations reached 93%; the rate of timely/submitted tax declarations reached 93%; and the rate of taxpayers submitting tax declarations online reached 99,81%.
Tax inspections and audits in the first six months of 2017 resulted in a total increase in tax revenue of VND 7.643,9 billion, equivalent to 134,07% of the same period in 2016. The amount of tax paid into the state budget reached VND 3.429,92 billion, representing 44,87% of the total increase in tax revenue from inspections and audits in 2017 and 147,42% compared to the same period in 2016.
In addition, the sector has focused on urging the recovery of outstanding tax debts. As of May 31, 2017, the total amount of tax debt that 63 tax departments have urged and recovered is 22.076 billion VND, reaching 46,7% of the tax debt as of December 31, 2016, an increase of 13,5% compared to the same period in 2016.
Notably, significant progress has been made in combating transfer pricing, resulting in the detection and enforcement of measures that increased budget revenue by over 7.400 billion VND, of which over 50% has already been paid into the state budget.
2. Identify key tasks
Regarding the tasks for the last six months of the year, Deputy Minister Do Hoang Anh Tuan suggested that the tax sector needs to aim for an increase in debt collection to approximately 25.000 billion VND, without incurring any new debt. It is necessary to strengthen risk management of revenue losses in areas such as transfer pricing, resource and mineral exploitation, capital transfers, and real estate in key economic regions.
Another important task set by the Ministry of Finance for the tax sector in the second half of 2017 is to strengthen administrative procedure reforms to contribute to improving the investment and business environment and enhancing the competitiveness of the economy.
Regarding the handling of complaints and requests from citizens and businesses in localities, especially complex cases that require referral to central agencies in Hanoi, the process takes quite a long time, sometimes one or two months. Therefore, units need to seriously review and strictly comply with Decision No. 574 on the regulations for receiving, processing, and responding to complaints and requests from citizens and businesses on the Government's Electronic Information Portal.
Mr. Do Hoang Anh Tuan also suggested that the application of information technology should be promoted, and that after the successful pilot implementation of the online payment of property registration tax in Hanoi, it should be expanded. When implementing, units should base their actions on Government Resolutions 19 and 36a and the established plan to complete the online public administration services according to schedule.
