ASTANA – A Senate committee approved on Nov. 13 a bill amending legislation concerning the organisation and conduct of EXPO 2017 during an enlarged meeting of the Committee for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. The changes will help Kazakhstan fulfil the commitments it made during the competition to hold the expo.
The bill is intended to regulate the creation of favourable conditions for the organisation and conduct of EXPO 2017 in Astana, including investment in the construction of appropriate infrastructure to ensure the safety of visitors and exhibitors, the promotion of innovative technologies and the development of the tourism industry.
The bill also makes additional amendments to the country’s budget and tax codes and other laws. The bill provides tax privileges for organisations engaged in the organisation process of the exhibition, a simplified procedure for implementing building and urban planning procedures concerning exhibition facilities, as well as the possibility of using foreign standards.
“The bill contains amendments to the tax code, including tax remissions on codes of payment destinations, land taxes and property taxes for national companies at the rate of one percent,” said Minister of Economy and Budget Planning Yerbolat Dossayev.
In addition, organisations involved in the design and construction process of the exhibition are exempt from the country’s corporate income tax. The list of exempted companies will be determined by a separate government decision.
Dossayev also mentioned changes made to migration laws. “We are extending rules that allow the government to determine the specific procedures for entry and registration of certain categories of persons coming to Kazakhstan in order to attend the exhibition,” he said.
A number of amendments to employment laws; architectural, urban planning and construction laws; laws regulating commercial activity; laws on technical regulation and laws on special economic zones will soon be made.
