Belarus is experiencing steady growth in the number of entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized cities

March 9, Minsk /BELTA/. Belarus is seeing a steady increase in the number of entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized settlements of the republic. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the press service of the Ministry of Economy. As of January 1, 2011, 65,294 taxpayers engaged in activities in small and medium-sized settlements were registered in Belarus, which is 106.1% of the previous year's level. This includes over 25.5 thousand organizations and 39.7 thousand individual entrepreneurs (growth rates compared to the previous year were 105.1% and 106.7% respectively). A steady increase in the number of taxpayers engaged in activities in small and medium-sized settlements is observed in all regions, with the highest growth rates recorded in the Minsk region (109.1%). The growth in entrepreneurial activity in the regions is due to the adoption of key regulatory legal acts aimed at stimulating the economic development of rural settlements. The decrees of December 20, 2007, No. 9 "On Certain Issues of Regulating Entrepreneurial Activity in Rural Areas" and January 28, 2008, No. 1 "On Stimulating the Production and Sale of Goods (Works, Services)" contributed to the intensification of entrepreneurial activity and the stimulation of production and sale of goods, works, and services in rural areas. In particular, Decree No. 1 established that commercial organizations, both with and without foreign investments, established after April 1, 2008, and located in settlements with a population of up to 50,000 people, are exempt from calculating and paying profit tax on the sale of their own manufactured goods (works, services) for five years from the date of their establishment. In accordance with Decree No. 9, organizations and individual entrepreneurs located (residing) in rural settlements have the right to apply a special taxation procedure for the production of goods, works, and services. This provides for exemption from profit tax and real estate tax. The Ministry of Economy also reported that as of January 1, 2011, 196 taxpayer organizations were using the tax benefits provided by Decree No. 1. As of January 1, 2010, only 134 taxpayers used such benefits. The amount of benefits as of the reporting date was Br26.159 billion. As of January 1, 2010, this amount was Br14.5 billion. Tax benefits provided by Decree No. 9 are used by 1267 taxpayers, including 624 organizations and 643 individual entrepreneurs. A year ago, 1101 taxpayers used such benefits, including 456 organizations and 645 individual entrepreneurs. The amount of benefits as of the reporting date was almost Br99.5 billion (as of January 1, 2010 - Br37.7 billion). -0-