Rural communities

Businesses that operate in rural communities are granted preferences in line with Belarus President Decree No. 9 “Regulation of business operations in rural areas” of 20 December 2007.

Organizations (their branches, representative offices, other standalone units of corporations) and self-employed businessmen, who are located (reside) in rural areas are entitled to special procedures of taxation, payment of mandatory fees to the state budget, issuance of special permits, and their amendment.

For instance, such businesses:

• are exempt from profit tax (corporations) and income tax (self-employed businessmen) on profits and incomes from selling products and services, which are manufactured (rendered) in rural areas and are exempt from the tax on real estate, which is located in rural areas;
• get 50% (corporations) and 25% (self-employed businessmen) discounts on license fees;
• are exempt from the state fee for amending the license;
• are exempt from import customs duties and value-added tax on the cost of manufacturing equipment, components and spare parts, which are imported to the customs territory of the Republic of Belarus to make part of the authorized fund.

Belarusian laws also grant preferences for investing in specific industries and for investing in the development of small and medium businesses. Guarantees of the Government are vigorously used to get foreign credit lines. For instance, investment projects are implemented in Belarus using loans of German, Italian, Chinese banks as well as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.