On October 24, during the second session of Vietnam's 16th National Assembly, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh presented a government proposal for the draft Law on Cultural Industry Development.
The government proposes several policies to develop the market and encourage the consumption of cultural-industry products.
Students, people who contributed to the revolution, people from poor and near-poor households, people with disabilities and other policy groups would receive support through a national cultural card.
The card would be managed and used on a nationwide unified system. Local support policies for cultural-industry products would be integrated into that system.
The draft law assigns the government responsibility for regulating the card's issuance, management and use; the method for determining and granting support; payment, settlement and recovery of support funds; the responsibilities of relevant agencies, organizations and individuals; and the connection, sharing and protection of data used to manage the card.
In its review, the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society said the Cultural Industry Development Law is a newly drafted bill. It would establish several special mechanisms and policies affecting the state budget and the rights and obligations of organizations and individuals in many fields.
The committee therefore asked the drafting agency to provide a fuller assessment of the funding and human resources expected to implement the new policies.
Regarding the proposed national cultural card, the committee asked for an assessment of the funds needed to support cardholders, the card's operating costs and the expected number of people who would receive it.
100% VAT refund proposed for foreign film crews shooting in Vietnam
Another notable provision in the draft law would allow foreign organizations and individuals using locations in Vietnam for filming to receive a 100% value-added tax refund on goods and services used in Vietnam.
To qualify, the foreign organization or individual would need a permit to provide filming-location services in Vietnam under the cinematography law.
The refund would apply only to goods and services used directly for film production in Vietnam.
These would include film-production services, filming locations, personnel, the rental or use of technical equipment, goods, materials and other lawful services directly supporting the production of feature films, television films, documentaries, animation and films combining several formats.
The draft also proposes a five-year personal income-tax exemption for salary and wage income earned by high-quality digital-technology and cultural-industry personnel in cases specified by law.
In its review of these provisions, the Committee on Culture and Society asked the drafting agency to assess the effect of lower state revenue from tax exemptions and refunds in relation to the central budget's ability to balance its finances.
It also asked the agency to determine principles or a ceiling for refunds and ensure consistency with tax laws currently before the National Assembly.
Some members proposed studying whether music and music products using locations in Vietnam should also qualify for the tax-refund policy.
Sources: Thanh Niên
