House of Representatives Passes Tax Code Amendments in First Reading

The House of Representatives has passed a draft law amending Belarus’s Tax Code in its first reading. Lawmakers are considering a package of budget bills for 2027 today. In addition to the Tax Code amendments, the package includes bills on the national budget and the budget of the Social Protection Fund.

The documents were presented to the House of Representatives by Finance Minister Uladzislau Tatarynovich.

According to the House of Representatives’ press service, no fundamental changes to the tax system are planned. As usual, excise duty rates will increase annually, while rates for several taxes will be adjusted for inflation. A new category of “premium alcoholic beverages” will be introduced, with excise duty rates set at 1.5 times the standard level.

Other proposed changes include:

• expanding the category of people classified as young specialists for the purpose of applying the standard tax deduction;
• extending the deadline for individuals to submit personal income tax returns (calculations) on income subject to taxation at the end of the calendar year from March 31 to April 30 of the following year, the deadline for issuing tax payment notices from April 30 to June 15, and the tax payment deadline from June 1 to August 1;
• changing the deadline for tax agents to submit personal income tax returns (calculations) from the 20th day of the month following the reporting quarter to the 10th day of the second month following the reporting quarter;
• expanding the powers of tax authorities in conducting tax inspections.

To increase budget revenue, the bill proposes expanding the range of exceptionally high incomes subject to increased personal income tax rates of 25% and 30%. It also provides for measures to establish an information system for registering small vessels, with a view to subjecting them to transport tax from 2029.

The tax burden in 2027 is projected to remain at or below 26% of GDP.