The Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted important amendments to the Tax Code

The Milli Mejlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan adopted amendments to the Tax Code in the third reading, designed to increase the efficiency and transparency of state support for agriculture.

This is reported by Oxu.Az.

According to the adopted changes, tax authorities and their officials will be able to provide information about taxpayers to the relevant executive authority (Ministry of Agriculture) upon request. This is necessary to control subsidies, preferential loans and leasing in the agricultural sector, the sale of agricultural production means on preferential terms, as well as for centralized food procurement (except for purchases for the state reserve) at the expense of the state budget.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan exercises powers to provide subsidies, preferential loans and leasing in the agricultural sector, sale of agricultural production means, financing of benefits and control over the targeted use of these funds. For efficient spending of budget money and prevention of abuses, producers, suppliers and providers of agricultural products must provide the Ministry of Agriculture with a number of information.

To verify the accuracy of this data, information exchange is needed between the Automated Tax Information System (AVIS) of the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy and the "Electronic Agriculture" information system (EKTIS) of the Ministry of Agriculture. Since some of this information relates to tax secrecy, data transfer is only possible by amending the Tax Code, which is provided for by the adopted bill.

The amendments create a legal framework for tax authorities to provide information about taxpayers to the relevant state body upon request and within the necessary limits. This will make state support for the agricultural sector more targeted and transparent, and will also relieve applicants from the need to submit additional documents and information.