Adjusting tax policies, supporting businesses
At the press conference on "New points on value added tax and special consumption tax and the content of Circular No. 51/2025/TT-BTC regulating electronic transactions in the field of taxes on exported, imported, transit and means of exit, entry and exit, transit" organized by the Customs Department on the morning of December 4, Ms. Mai Thi Van Anh - Deputy Head of the Customs Tax Affairs Department said that in the context of many economic fluctuations, tax policies are adjusted by the Government and the Ministry of Finance in the direction of supporting businesses and improving the business environment.
According to the Customs Department, the Law on VAT 48/2024/QH15 and guiding decrees effective from July 1, 2025 add many regulations to help businesses more conveniently fulfill their tax obligations. The expanded group of non-taxable goods includes: Financial rented goods brought directly into non-taxable areas; natural resources and minerals according to the Government's list; mobile assets within the tax exemption quota; goods serving border residents; relics and antiques imported by competent authorities.
The new policy also clearly stipulates the principle of applying tax rates to make it easier for businesses to determine tax obligations and limit disputes. At the same time, a series of changes were applied in the direction of tightening management: some items were changed from non-taxable to subject to 5% tax such as fertilizers and agricultural machinery; some previous items were subject to 5% tax and were changed to 10% such as sugar, sugar by-products, and experimental research equipment. Establishments that sell many items but cannot separate according to the tax rate must pay according to the highest tax rate.
The new policy also remove many practical obstacles such as guiding a 2% reduction in VAT according to Resolution 204/2025/QH15; unifying the collection of VAT on low-value goods from February 18, 2025 according to the new VAT Law; clarifying the 5% tax rate applied to veterinary drugs and veterinary vaccines.
Expanding tax exemption but narrowing some incentives to ensure fairness
Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh Huyen - Head of the Tax Administration Team, Customs Tax Affairs Department said that the VAT Law No. 48/2024/QH15 and the guiding decree have legalized many regulations that were previously only guided by official dispatch. The highlight is the expansion of the portfolio of non-taxable goods, helping businesses reduce legal risks and compliance costs.
Accordingly, imported goods for financial leasing are allowed to be transported directly into non-taxable areas without being subject to VAT; exported products belonging to the group of raw resources and minerals or processed according to the Government List are clearly identified as not subject to tax, in accordance with the policy of limiting the export of raw resources. The law also legalizes tax exemptions such as moving assets within the import tax exemption quota, border residents' exchange goods, relics and antiques imported by competent authorities.
In addition, some non-taxable items such as fertilizers, fishing vessels, and specialized agricultural machinery and equipment are subject to a 5% tax. The items that previously enjoyed the 5% discount have also been adjusted to 10%, including: sugar and sugar production by-products, specialized equipment for teaching - research - testing, processed plastic and unprocessed forest products.
The Customs Department emphasized that synchronizing regulations from July 1, 2025 will help businesses be proactive in their production and import-export plans, while enhancing the ability to monitor and apply technology in tax management.
In the special consumption tax group, the Special Consumption Tax Law No. 66/2025/QH15 (effective from January 1, 2026) has many notable changes: removing the regulation on regulating the capacity of 24,000 BTU or less subject to special consumption tax, expanding the scope of non-taxable goods such as processed export goods, re- imported goods returned abroad, helicopters for rescue and training. The law also adds cases of tax refunds and deductions.
However, some items will be managed more strictly such as: sugary drinks over 5g/100ml officially subject to special consumption tax; cigarettes and alcohol apply a higher tax rate mechanism and add absolute tax according to the roadmap. The new regulations also clarify taxable subjects such as aircraft, helicopters, and speedboats; stipulate that votive paper is a taxable goods, except for votive paper, which is a children's toy and teaching aids.
