Ians :
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) introduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) for the first time from Monday.
It is a five per cent tax on most goods and services to boost revenue. The VAT will be applied on food, clothes, electronics and gasoline, phone, water and electricity bills, as well as hotel reservations, the BBC reported.
Some outgoings were exempt from the tax or given a zero-tax rating, including medical treatment, financial services and public transport.
The UAE estimates that in the first year, VAT income will be around 12 billion dirhams ($3.3 billion).
“The imposition of VAT will help to raise tax revenues of the Saudi government to be utilised for infrastructure and developmental works,” said Mohammed Al-Khunaizi, a member of the Shoura (consultative ) Council.
Organisations such as the International Monetary Fund have long called for Gulf countries to diversify their sources of income away from oil reserves.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) introduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) for the first time from Monday.
It is a five per cent tax on most goods and services to boost revenue. The VAT will be applied on food, clothes, electronics and gasoline, phone, water and electricity bills, as well as hotel reservations, the BBC reported.
Some outgoings were exempt from the tax or given a zero-tax rating, including medical treatment, financial services and public transport.
The UAE estimates that in the first year, VAT income will be around 12 billion dirhams ($3.3 billion).
“The imposition of VAT will help to raise tax revenues of the Saudi government to be utilised for infrastructure and developmental works,” said Mohammed Al-Khunaizi, a member of the Shoura (consultative ) Council.
Organisations such as the International Monetary Fund have long called for Gulf countries to diversify their sources of income away from oil reserves.
