Nayib Bukele returned to the Legislative Assembly the reform to the law of Free Zones that granted tax benefits for an additional period of 10 years to companies in the country to increase their investment in 100% with respect to the initially made.
On August 29, 2019, the Assembly informed that the Legislative Plenum endorsed the reform to the Law of Industrial and Commercial Free Zones, establishing that the users of these zones would have a term of 10 additional years (before there were five) to continue enjoying total exemption from taxes, which would be applicable once the period established for the regular enjoyment of this benefit expired.
In El Salvador, it is proposed that the law discussed in the Assembly, considers the reduction of minimum requirements for investments made in special economic zones, to compensate for the disadvantages of lack of productive activity in the area.
In July 2018, the Executive Branch presented to the Legislative Assembly the draft Law on Special Economic Zones (LZEE), which is being analyzed by the Economy Commission.
A proposal has been made to create a special economic zone in 26 municipalities in the southeast of the country, which would provide tax incentives for activities related to clean energy and the prospecting of natural gas and oil.
The Executive presented to the Legislative Assembly a preliminary draft of the Law on the Special Economic Zone of the Southeast Region of El Salvador, which has the objective of developing 26 municipalities of Usulután, San Miguel and La Unión.
From September 27 to 29 Costa Rica will be hosting an event which brings together representatives from companies and free zones in Latin America and other continents.
The Association of Free Zones of the Americas will be holding the XX Conference on Free Zones of the Americas, a space which will bring together representatives from the most important countries and free zones in Latin America, to discuss and exchange experiences and knowledge.
The 50 companies already operating at Tocumen's airport facilities will be able to access free trade zone incentives if the request made by the administration of the terminal is approved.
The documentation was submitted to the National Commission of Free Zones at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI), and there will be a 30 day period to review and approve the application.
The problem with income tax exemptions is that they favor high-return projects that would probably have been made anyway.
From an IDB document entitled "The effectiveness of tax incentives: The case of export processing zones in Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic".
Introduction and Summary
Policies encouraging investment make use of a variety of instruments.
Textile businessmen say the new free zones law has caught the interest of investors and will strengthen the productive chain.
Elsalvador.com reported that "despite a series of reforms promoted under the table by the Finance Minister Carlos Cáceres, which put companies operating under the Free Zone scheme on alert, the approval of the regulations as they had been agreed between the public and private sector a year ago, "is a tremendous tool (...), a tremendous engine which will make this sector take off," said the president of the Chamber of the Textile, Clothing Companies and Free Zones in El Salvador (Camtex), Jose Antonio Escobar ".
The Chamber of Textile, Clothing Companies and Free Zones states that if the new law on Free Zone included the tax, it would drive away millions of dollars in investments.
Elmundo.com.sv reports that "The Chamber of Textile, Clothing Companies and Free Zones of El Salvador (Camtex) on Wednesday opposed changes made by the Finance Minister Carlos Cáceres to the proposed amendments to the Law on Free Zones, agreed with the sector since October 2011."
The treasury has imposed radical changes on the draft law reforming the free zone regime, setting limits on tax breaks.
Laprensagrafica.com reports that "Executives from two major companies in the synthetic textiles sector were surprised yesterday, after the Ministry of Finance (MoF) last week presented to Members of the treasury his own statement of amendments to the Law on Free Zones.
Organizations and unions of Salvadoran maquila workers have proposed the creation of an insurance policy guaranteeing payment of 100% of salaries in the event of closure of business operations.
The bill envisaged by organizations and unions also proposes sanctions such as loss of tax benefits for a period of three months for those companies who commit very serious offenses.
Amendments to the Law on Free Zones will define the rules of the game that employers in El Salvador need to know in order to increase their investments in the textile sector.
The newly formed cluster of synthetic fabric textile companies in El Salvador has temporarily stopped their investment plans in order to see what reforms will be made to the Law on Free Zones. In other words, they want "clear rules".
New investments in the sector are pending the approval of El Salvador's new tax-free zone law.
According to the Salvadoran chamber of textile manufacturers (CAMTEX in Spanish), the reforms being considered by the government comply with all the demands made by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"However, CAMTEX director, Patricia Figueroa, comments that until the reforms are finally approved by congress the investments will not get the green light," reports Laprensagrafica.com.
The XV Latin American Conference on Free Zones will discuss the challenges and opportunities they face, especially from 2015 when the WTO requires the elimination of export tax incentives.
The "XV Latin American Conference on Free Zones" will take place from 26th to 28th October this year at the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala.
If a reform of the law is approved, tax exemptions enjoyed by members of the scheme would be limited.
Although the purpose of the law reform is to modernize the free zones scheme and meet the requirements established by the World Trade Organization, companies currently operating under the scheme would be affected.
One of the proposed changes is the elimination of unlimited tax exemptions based on export performance, which up until now has applied to all companies in free zones.