Taxes should be reduced for items subject to special consumption tax.

Vietnam needs a suitable and harmonious tax adjustment roadmap to support businesses - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

This is the proposal of economic experts and businesses at the workshop "Supporting economic growth - Perspective from businesses subject to special consumption tax", organized by Nhan Dan newspaper on the afternoon of April 22.

Enterprises must be considered valuable assets of the nation.

In the context of many challenges in the world economy, especially the US's reciprocal tariff policy on Vietnamese goods, Mr. Tran Dinh Thien - former director of the Vietnam Economic Institute - said that this is an opportunity for us to review our policies.

External pressure can be an opportunity for us. Vietnam needs to change its development structure to ensure sustainable double-digit growth. In particular, Vietnamese enterprises must become the real driving force of economic development.

"Businesses must be considered a valuable asset of the nation," Mr. Tran Dinh Thien affirmed.

Regarding tax policy, Dr. Nguyen Van Phung - a senior tax expert - said that tax solutions in the coming time must continue to play a role in creating and nurturing revenue sources through stimulating domestic consumption.

The reduction of value added tax from 10% to 8% has supported many groups of goods, but it does not apply to goods subject to special consumption tax such as alcohol, beer, gasoline, etc.

Therefore, Dr. Nguyen Van Phung proposed that the policy of reducing value added tax should first be expanded to include goods subject to special consumption tax, to ensure fairness and at the same time remove difficulties for manufacturing enterprises.

Hope to delay the deadline for increasing consumption tax on alcohol and beer

From a business perspective, Mr. Nguyen Van Viet - Chairman of the Vietnam Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Association - is concerned that increasing special consumption tax on alcohol and beer will make it more difficult for beverage businesses.

"I hope the National Assembly will consider postponing the tax increase on beverages to 2028 instead of 2026 as the Government proposed to the National Assembly. At the same time, the tax rate will increase by 5%, up to 70%," Mr. Viet proposed.

Regarding this proposal, Dr. Can Van Luc - member of the National Financial and Monetary Policy Advisory Council - emphasized that special consumption tax is a tool to regulate consumer behavior. However, an unreasonable policy design will have the opposite effect, causing the official beverage market to decline, increasing smuggled and floating goods and losing budget revenue.

Mr. Luc also warned that tax increases could bring about budget efficiency in the short term. But in the long term, there is a risk of reducing output, reducing added value, leading to a decrease in revenue from value-added tax and corporate income tax, leading to a decrease in total benefits.

Studies show that if taxes are increased too strongly and too quickly, it will negatively affect the industry, employment, social security and supporting industries such as transportation, tourism, etc.

From a legislative perspective, Mr. Pham Van Hoa - National Assembly delegate of Dong Thap province - affirmed that tax policy needs to harmonize the goals of protecting public health and supporting economic development.

According to the program, the draft revised Law on Special Consumption Tax will be submitted by the Government to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the opening session this May. In the draft law, the Government proposes to increase special consumption tax on alcohol and beer, applicable from 2026.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nen-giam-thue-cho-cac-mat-hang-chiu-thue-tieu-thu-dac-biet-2025042220022861.htm