Pursuant to the Organic Law of Special Economic Zones, the National Executive issued on 10 August 2023 Decree Nos. 4,838; 4,839; 4,840; and 4,841. The Decrees create the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of the Federal Dependency La Tortuga Island, adapt the Special Military Economic Zone No. 1 of the State of Aragua and SEZ of Peninsula Paraguaná of the state of Falcón, and create the SEZ of the State of La Guaira, respectively.
The Ministry for Productive Agriculture and Lands issued Administrative Ruling INSAI No. 007/2023 (“Administrative Guidelines”) on 6 June 2023, establishing the rules that regulate the registry, supervision and control of agro-ecological or organic consumables which became effective on 8 August 2023 (i.e., date of its publication in the Official Gazette).
The Administrative Guidelines also regulate activities related to the manufacture, formulation, import, export, commercialization, distribution, packaging, storage, sale, transport, application, release, advertising, quality control and research of Products for agricultural, industrial, domestic, public health and livestock use in Venezuela.
The National Executive of Venezuela issued Decree No. 4,821 on 1 July 2023, exempting definitive imports of tangible personal property from Value Added Tax (VAT) and import tax.
The Decree establishes that the periodic evaluation of VAT exemptions will be carried out in accordance with the determinations of the National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (SENIAT) and the Ministry with competence in Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade, which are the competent authorities in charge of implementing the Decree’s provisions.
The National Executive issued Decree No. 4,812 on 19 June 2023, which extends the waivers of Legal Regimes for export until 9 December 2023 (“Decree”). Said waivers were established on 9 June 2021 by Decree No. 4,5252 regarding Optimization of Export Processes, which was extended until June 2022 and June 2023.
The Decree established its validity as of 9 December 2023, having a retroactive effect.
The Ministry of Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade issued Resolution No. 001-20231 whereby it adds 64 tariff codes to Appendix I of the Decree No. 4,757 of 29 December 2022, establishing exemptions from the payment of value-added tax and import charges on imports of several goods.
On 29 December 2022, the National Executive issued Decree No. 4,758, which adopts the legal regime of goods and the Common Customs Tariff Schedule of the States Parties of MERCOSUR (NCM). The Decree entered into force on 3 January 2023, five days after its publication on 29 December 2022.
The National Executive issued the Decree No. 4,766 on 9 January 2023, which extends the waivers of Legal Regimes for export until 9 June 2023. Said waivers were established on 9 June 2021 by the Decree No. 4,5252 regarding Optimization of Export Processes, which was extended until June 2022. The Decree established its validity as of 9 December 2022, having a retroactive effect.
The National Executive issued Decree No. 4,757 on 29 December 2022 which establishes exemptions from payment of VAT and customs duties for imports of various goods in Chapter II of the Decree. The Decree entered into force on 29 December 2022 and will apply the exemption benefits until 30 June 2023.
Presidential Decree No. 4.752 of 7 December 2022 established the Sub-Customs of Tienditas, which is tasked with the Management of the Main Customs Office of San Antonio del Táchira. The Decree entered into force on 7 December 2022.
The Ministry of People’s Power of Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade issued Resolution No. 017-2022 on 30 August 2022 (“Resolution”), whereby tariff codes were removed from and added to Appendix I of Decree No. 4,683 of 1 May 2022 (“Decree”). The Decree established the exemption from the payment of value-added tax (VAT), customs duties and customs service fees for imports of certain goods and economic sectors until 31 December 2022.
The Resolution entered into force on 12 September 2022 (i.e., five business days following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela).