In Guatemala were published in the Diario de Centroamerica the sanctions of the laws for the Simplification of Administrative Requirements and Procedures and Free Zones, regulatory frameworks that aim to encourage investments and job creation.
In the June 1, 2021 edition of the Diario de Centroamerica, the texts of Decree 5-2021, which corresponds to the Law for the Simplification of Administrative Requirements and Procedures, and Decree 6-2021, which refers to the Free Trade Zones Law, were included. See complete publication.
In Guatemala, the Miel Verde project, Special Public Economic Zone, was approved. In its first phase of development, it will require an investment of close to $4 million and will be located in the municipality of Río Hondo, department of Zacapa.
The new special zone will have a total area of 23,544 square meters, however, in the first phase only an area of approximately 5,173 square meters will be developed.
The second project was authorized in Guatemala to install a Special Public Economic Development Zone, which will require an initial investment of $16 million and will be located in Pajapita, department of San Marcos.
"Puerta del Istmo" is the name of the industrial park, which will be on a 160-hectare site and will house industrial and logistics companies. In its first phase it will require a $4 million investment and in its second phase it plans to invest $12 million.
Puerta del Istmo, Centro Logístico Quetzal and ZDEEP Piedras Negras, are the projects advancing in Guatemala in the process of becoming Zones of Special Public Economic Development.
The tariffs that will be applied according to the categories established in the regulation, published in the Diario de Centroamérica on June 28th, were effective.
The regulation for Special Public Economic Development Zones, which came into effect in Guatemala on February 4, establishes fiscal incentives for companies operating under this scheme.
Among the tax benefits provided by the Law on Special Public Economic Development Zones (ZDEEP), include the exemption for 10 years of 100% of income tax, as well as the temporary suspension of taxes associated with imports.
It has been reported that one of the 17 free zones operating in the country has started the process of closing its operations entirely due to the legal uncertainty generated by the emergent employment law.
Companies operating in free zones have spent several months denouncing the serious situation they have faced since the Emergent Act for the Conservation of Employment was implemented, instead of encouraging investment and job creation, it has become a good example of how to discourage investment in a country.
Free zone companies have denounced that lack of regulation for the emerging employment law is preventing them from selling products completed before the law came into force.
As well as the finished and ready to be marketed products there are also raw materials, machinery and other production materials which entered the free zone before the new law was passed and are now in a legal vacuum, because of the absence of regulation to establish the treatment to be given to them in the context of the new legislation.
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. In the documents the administration of Tocumen SA cited as justification for the application logistics companies established at the airport and in the increase in the volume of cargo passing through the terminal.
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. On the one hand, there are reductions in the tax burden on companies, such as development loans, import protection and export subsidies and, on the other hand, government measures aimed at correcting information externalities or coordination problems that may prevent a company from accessing new markets or developing new technologies by itself.
Guatemala's President has also announced improvements in road infrastructure access from Mexico to the Ciudad de las Palmeras.
In a meeting with businessmen from the Guatemala Chamber of Commerce (GCC), President Perez Molina promised the projects as a way of reviving the economy of the southern provincial capital.
According to an article in Siglo21.com.gt, "Puerto Quetzal is also among the plans.
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.
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