Belarus eager to earn some $4m from ‘Google tax’ in 2018

The Belarusian Tax and Duties Ministry intends to receive about $4 million in 2018 by collecting VAT from foreign providers of digital services. Svetlana Vysotskaya, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the International Tax Cooperation Office of the Belarusian Tax and Duties Ministry, made the statement in an interview with the Finance, Accounting, and Audit magazine, BelTA reports.

It is too early to predict how much money the state budget will get from the so-called Google tax. Everything depends on the number of foreign providers and the services they offer. “We believe the number of such companies will be close to 100 and revenues will be close to $4 million,” explained the official.

The picture will be clearer in April 2018 after the foreign companies, which provide services in Belarus, have submitted their VAT payment declarations for Q1 2018.

Amendments to Belarus’ Tax Code were prepared back in 2016 with a view to taxing foreign digital services, but the legislation came into force only on 1 January 2018.

The new legislation recognizes Belarus as the place where digital services are sold if the buyer is a natural person, who is physically inside the country, if the buyer pays for the services using a Belarusian bank account and a Belarusian IP address.

As of 1 January 2018 VAT is applicable to such services as providing rights to use software, games, databases, including music streaming and movie streaming. It means that foreign companies have to pay VAT in Belarus if their Belarusian customers download games and mobile apps, watch movies and listen to music. Belarus also started taxing remote access to digital books, audio, video, other productions and digital publications.

The list also includes advertising, including offering space and time for commercial aids, content hosting (Internet platforms), hosting offers to buy or sell products and services, property rights. Belarus also started taxing automatic Internet services, including information searching. Real time information about stock and commodity exchange quotations is a case in point. Website hosting, domain name registration, and access to search engines are also on the list.

Representatives of the Belarusian Tax and Duties Ministry noted they had been guided by the list of taxpayers, which is freely available from the website of the Russian Federal Tax Service. That list includes 123 companies. Many prominent companies are on that list such as Alibaba, Amazon, Bloomberg, Booking.com, Nintendo, Samsung Electronics, The Financial Times, Uber, Viber, and Wargaming.

The Minsk city tax office of the Belarusian Tax and Duties Ministry is the agency in charge of working with non-resident taxpayers. The non-residents are supposed to pay a 20% VAT.

 
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Dear
English Service
Radio Belarus,

Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus.
We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented.
We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.
Please send some program schedule (A19), Calendar , sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.
21st June was fifth International Yoga Day observed across the world. The theme for Yoga Day 2019 was "Yoga for Climate Action”. On this day, which is dedicated to inner and outer well-being of human body, people across the world practice yoga in groups. The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga, a physical, mental and spiritual practice.
We send you some photos related the program which was held in our area on the occasion of International Yoga Day. Our club members are also practice some Yoga.
We are waiting for your reply.

With best wishes,
SHIVENDU PAUL
PRESIDENT
METALI LISTENERS' CLUB
INDIA

Answer:

Dear Shivendu Paul and Metali Listeners' Club,

dthank you for your comment! We'll send you some of our souvenirs ASAP.
Stay tuned and 73,
RBI


Hallo Radio Belarus,

ja der Dieter Leupold ist jetzt auch hier im Gästebuch vertreten... Super, bald sind wir alle zusammen hier im "Belarus Hörerclub", Dieter könnte 1.Vorsitzender werden und Jana und Elena Ehrernmitglieder, Helmut Matt Schriftführer, Alfred Albrecht Beisitzer und ich mache Hausmeister:-) Lutz Winkler wie fit bist Du bereits wieder, für Dich finden wir auch eine nette Aufgabe:-) Beste Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende.

Dietmar

Answer:

Lieber Dietmar,

das stimmt, für alle finden wir im Hörerklub eine Aufgabe!:)
Liebe Grüße und einen guten Start in die Woche!


I recently learned my surname is not Polish, but Belarusian. I heard you on shortwave in the past and am so happy to listen online in English. We hear nothing about Belarus here in the US so I am so glad to learn about your country. Keep on broadcasting in English. I also joined the Hoererklub on Facebook as I can understand German. If you have information or a station pennant, I will very much appreciate it.
Sheryl Paszkiewicz, 1015 Green St, Manitowoc WI 54220 USA

Answer:

Dear Sheryl, thank you very much for listening to us! We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. By the way, if you're interested, you can participate in our "The Old Country's Loving Call" project and send a greeting to Belarus. You can find more detailed information at http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/hukaje_eng

Also, in case you like sports, here's the link to an international competition of ours "My Greetings to 2nd European Games" http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/games_eng

73 from the entire staff of RBI! Прывiтанне з Малой Радiзмы :)


Hello from Birmingham United Kingdom!

My name is Michael.

I really enjoyed listening to your program on the Hotbird satellite 13e. I very much love listening to your news and current affairs.
Ask you to send me a small gifts. I hope you guys are all good.

Lots of love from UK

Especially enjoying learning about Belarus. History and culture

Michael Rogers

Flat 2 463 City road Birmingham

B17 8LG

United Kingdom

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Michael,

thank you very much for listening to us! We're glad that you enjoy our programs. We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. Best regards and stay tuned!


Hello. I am a new listener to your English service. I listen on the Radio 1 News app. I enjoyed listening to the news. Do you have any information on shortwave broadcasts you can send me?

Thank you,

Joe Cosimo

23 Ivy Ln, Dupont, PA 18641 U.S.A.

Answer:

Dear Joe, thank you for listening to Radio Belarus International! We're glad that you enjoyed our news. RBI broadcasts on shortwave only in German on 6005 and 3985 kHz. News and programs in English are available via our website and satellites. We'll also send you a postcard and a small souvenir as soon as we can. 73!


Hello,

My name is Younes Lazazi, I am from Algeria.
I am very happy that radio Belarus has started broadcasting in Arabic.
I would like to receive stickers and printed matter of the station and the Arabic and french services if possible.
My address:

Monsieur Younes Lazazi 14 rue Maza Boualem El-Harrach 16009 Alger Algérie

Thank you.

Answer:

Dear Younes Lazazi,

we're happy that you like our boradcasts. We'll send you some of our printed materials via mail in the nearest future. 73!


Dear English Service Radio Belarus,

Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus. We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented. We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.

Please send some program schedule, sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.

We are waiting for your reply.

With best wishes,

SHIVENDU PAUL

President

Metali Listeners' Club

India

Answer:

Dear Shivendu Paul,

thank you very much for listening to us! Your club is among our most dedicated listeners. We will send you some of our promotional products as soon as possible. 73!


Hello!

Did the arabic programmes start? I don't see them on your Internetcast schedule page. Thanks!

Answer:

Hello! The Arabic programmes have been on air since October, every Monday. You can see the schedule and listen to them on our Arabic page http://radiobelarus.by/ar


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Daily News Review 27.3.24