This afternoon (December 24), National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man chaired a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee to review and decide on a number of budget issues within its authority.
Next, under the direction of Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh, the National Assembly Standing Committee considered and decided on: Targeted supplement from the central budget to localities to implement social security policies issued by the Central Government for the years 2023 - 2024 and support payment of benefits for the number of additional teacher positions for the school year 2022 - 2023; Targeted supplement from the central budget to localities to implement the Project on Strengthening management of land originating from state-owned farms and forestry farms currently used by agricultural companies, other forestry companies, households and individuals; Environmental protection tax rates for gasoline, oil and grease in 2025.
Presenting the Government's Proposal, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang said that, based on Clause 10, Article 3 of Resolution No. 105/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly on the allocation of the central budget in 2024, the Government submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration and decision on a targeted supplement from the central budget to the local budget in 2024 with a total amount of more than VND 5,834 billion from the remaining expenditure areas of the central budget in 2024 that have been decided by the National Assembly but not yet allocated in Resolution No. 105/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly to implement social security policies for the years 2023-2024 and support payment of benefits for the number of additional teacher positions for the school years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
According to Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang, the total central budget that must be supplemented with a target in 2024 to support localities in paying the 2023 and 2024 regimes for the number of additional teacher positions in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years is more than 2,150 billion VND.
Regarding the environmental protection tax rate for gasoline, oil, and grease in 2025, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang said that according to the provisions of Section 1, Clause 1, Article 1 of Resolution 579/2018/UBTVQH14, from January 1, 2025, the new environmental protection tax rate for gasoline, oil, and grease will be applied.
Accordingly, the environmental protection tax rate for gasoline, excluding ethanol, is VND4,000/liter; jet fuel is VND3,000/liter; diesel is VND2,000/liter; kerosene is VND1,000/liter; fuel oil is VND2,000/liter; lubricants are VND2,000/liter; grease is VND2,000/kg.
Regarding the environmental protection tax rate on gasoline, oil, and grease, the Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee said that in order to ensure policy stability and achieve the goal of supporting people and businesses, creating more momentum for socio-economic development, the majority of opinions in the Finance and Budget Committee agreed with the Government's proposal on the application period of the Resolution from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
From January 1, 2026, the environmental protection tax rate on gasoline, oil, and grease will be implemented according to Resolution No. 579/2018/UBTVQH14.
At the meeting, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man agreed with the need to supplement resources from the central budget to local budgets to carry out urgent tasks, as well as apply appropriate environmental protection tax on gasoline, oil, and lubricants in 2025 to support people and businesses, creating more momentum for socio-economic development.
Regarding the application of environmental protection tax on gasoline, oil, and grease, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man suggested that the Government consider a roadmap to gradually increase environmental protection tax rates to apply the tax rates prescribed in Resolution 579/2018/UBTVQH14 of the National Assembly Standing Committee; ensuring consistency with the nature and principles of environmental protection tax, consistent with forecast developments in crude oil prices on the world market as well as implementing Vietnam's international commitments.
