On 28 August 2022, Decree No. 4,7281 which partially reforms the MERCOSUR Common Nomenclature (NCM), went into effect in Venezuela. The Decree establishes a new sub-chapter in Chapter 98 of the NCM, “Imported Industrial Material for Productive Development”, which assigns a 0% ad valorem tariff to imports of authorized merchandise and exempts them from value-added tax. The duration of the exemption will be subject to the validity of the tax benefits established in the Decree of Customs Exemptions in accordance with Article 75 of the Organic Tax Code.
The National Executive issued Decree No. 4,683 on 1 May 2022 (“Decree”), which establishes exemptions from the payment of value-added tax, customs duties and customs service tariff for imports of various goods and merchandise in certain economic sectors.
The Decree entered into force on 1 May 2022 and will apply the exemption benefits until 31 December 2022.
On 2 May 2022, the National Assembly published the Partial Reform Law with the Rank, Value and Force of Law Against Corruption (“Reform”).
The Reform introduced, among others: (i) a broader definition of “Public Patrimony”; (ii) the obligation for electronic filing of the Sworn Statement of Net Worth through the creation of an automated system under the direction of the Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic; (iii) the annual update of the Affidavit; (iv) an increase in the sanctions by changing the Tax Unit for the official exchange rate of the currency of the highest value published by the Central Bank of Venezuela at the time of the payment; and (v) the unpaid suspension term for public officers.