The General Department of Taxation has to date conducted tax inspections over more than 67,800 enterprises, accounting for 14 percent of the total operating ones, heard a conference in Hanoi on December 26.

Addressing the conference to review the sector’s operation in 2014, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh spoke highly of the achievements the sector gained in the context that the country still faced many difficulties.

However, he asked for tax inspection over at least 20 percent of the 490,000 operating businesses.

In response to the Deputy PM’s request, Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung proposed the rates of 16 percent, 18 percent and 20 percent within three years.

According to the General Department, tax collection is estimated at 681 trillion VND (32 billion USD), equivalent to 109.1 percent of the projection, of which domestic tax is 580.1 trillion VND, or 107.1 percent of the estimate, and tax from crude oil sales is 101 trillion VND.

During the year, the sector also intensified the reform of administrative procedures and the application of modern technology. Nearly 95 percent of the businesses conducted e-tax declaration.

Meanwhile, the time spent on tax procedures fell from 537 hours to 167 hours per year. The sector is striving to decrease additional 45.5 hours.-VNA