President Laurentino Cortizo sanctioned Law 208 of April 6, 2021, which extends until December 31 of this year the validity of the tax amnesty, which initially arose in 2019.
With this initiative of the Executive, enacted in Official Gazette and which is part of the Economic Recovery Plan (phase 1), taxpayers will have until August 31, 2021 to make payments or enter into payment arrangements with respect to tax obligations not fulfilled until January 31 of this year, official sources informed.
The National Assembly approved in third debate the bill that extends until December 31 of this year the validity of the tax amnesty, which initially arose in 2019.
The extension of a fourth General Tax Amnesty, which arose in 2019, approved, in third debate, the National Assembly and represents a savings of US$29 million to taxpayers, says an official source.
In Panama, the General Revenue Directorate (DGI) announced that it will suspend corporations that for the term of three consecutive years or more, have not made the payment of the single tax.
According to the General Revenue Directorate (DGI) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the authorities are currently updating the list of legal entities in arrears for three consecutive years or more in the non-payment of the single tax, pursuant to the provisions of Article 318-A of the Tax Code.
In order to reactivate the Panamanian economy that has been damaged by the outbreak of covid-19, the Ministry of Economy and Finance will present to the National Assembly a bill to extend the tax amnesty and approve new tax relief measures.
The Cabinet Council, led by President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, authorized, today, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Hector Alexander to present to the National Assembly, the bill extending the tax amnesty, as well as new tax relief measures with a view to reactivate the national economy, explains an official document.
The Inter-American Development Bank approved a $40 million credit line that will help the country invest in the digital transformation of the tax administration.
The financial organization reported that the project is part of the efforts that the General Directorate of Revenues (DGI) has been taking since late 2019 to modernize its management in an integral manner, in coordination with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Monetary Fund.
In this scenario of economic crisis, falling tax revenues and the need to finance recovery programs, in Guatemala and Costa Rica it is already proposed to increase current taxes and create new ones.
Guatemalan authorities are already beginning to discuss the fiscal policy they will apply in 2021, when the economy will have to face the effects of the economic crisis generated by the covid-19 outbreak.
In order to give individuals and corporations the opportunity to catch up with this obligation interrupted by the pandemic, authorities extended until July 17 the deadline for declaring income tax payments.
The term to cancel this commitment with the Panamanian State expired on March 31, 2020, and an extension was added until May 30, given the circumstances with the effects of covid-19, the difficulties presented by many companies and the time needed by public accountants to submit such statements, explained the representatives of the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI).
Extension of deadlines for the payment of taxes and flexibility in the submission of income tax returns by natural and legal persons are some of the measures that the authorities will implement in the context of the Covid-19 crisis.
With no details on the new deadlines that will be required of taxpayers, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) reported that the measures are contained in Executive Decree 252 of March 24.
In view of the emergency arising from the spread of covid-19, a bill was submitted to the Assembly proposing a 90-calendar-day suspension of the payment of municipal and national taxes.
The initiative also establishes the suspension for 90 days of the payment of electricity and drinking water, as well as mortgage and personal loans, among others, reported the National Assembly.
Until January 13, 2020, the Sworn Declaration of Liquidation of the Selective Consumption Tax on Soft Drinks may be presented in Panama, corresponding to November 2019.
Law 114 dated November 18, 2019, which entered into force on November 19, 2019, establishes a new rate for the Selective Excise Tax on Soft Drinks, which is why the e-Tax 2.0 system was modified.
Panamanian industrialists consider that the approach under which the new tax of 7% on carbonated beverages and 5% on other sugary beverages was defined uses discriminatory fiscal measures.
On November 18, Law 114 was published in the Official Journal, entitled "What creates the Action Plan to Improve Health and dictates other provisions to establish the selective tax on the consumption of sugary beverages and the criteria for its use", which stipulates a 7% tax on carbonated beverages, 5% for other sugary beverages and 10% for syrups, and sugar concentrates for the production of sugary beverages.
For interest, penalties or surcharges to be 100% forgiven, taxpayers will have until November 30,
2019 to pay their overdue taxes.
On September 26, the National Assembly approved Bill 78 of 2019, which aims to exonerate from interest, surcharges and fines of taxes that are delinquent and owed by taxpayers.
The law approved in the second debate establishes procedures and dates by which taxpayers may assert their tax rights.
From the National Assembly of Panama press release:
January 21st, 2019. After introducing new modifications, Law 692, by means of which the Tax Procedure Code is adopted, was approved in the second debate.
The regulation was on the agenda for the third debate, but was returned to the second debate in order to make new reforms as a result of the consensus between the benches and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
In Panama, was approved a new law that extends the scope of the Special Free Port System for the province of Colon, through the exclusion of tax payments for the import of goods, both for domestic and non-domestic.
From the statement of the National Assembly:
In the third debate, the National Assembly approved the optimization of the Special Free Port System for the province of Colón (SEPLC) through the exclusion of tax payments for the import of goods, both for domestic and non-domestic.
"Public debt in terms of simple average for the Central American region will continue growing, reaching 43.1% of GDP in 2018, after having registered 42.5% in 2017."
The Central American Institute of Fiscal Studies (Icefi) estimates that for the current year the size of public expenditure of the Central Government in relation to the respective Gross Domestic Product of each country will be 21.4% in Costa Rica, 20.4% in El Salvador, 20% in Honduras, 18.4% in Nicaragua, 17.6% in Panama and 12.1% in Guatemala.