The Order on the Decrease of the Income Tax Bracket for Agricultural Activities

Individuals carrying out agricultural activities, either individually or in an association, benefit from a decrease of the income tax bracket, in proportion to the loss recorded during the current tax year as a result of adverse weather phenomena, which can be assimilated to natural disasters.

Order no. 1863/2016 approves the procedure of decrease of the income tax bracket, for agricultural activities, as well as the form and content of certain forms such as:

• "The Application for ascertaining the damages and assessing the losses caused by natural disasters in the case of agricultural crops/livestock";
• "The Minutes for ascertaining and assessing the damages";
• "The Application for a decrease of the annual income from agricultural activities, determined based on income tax brackets";
• "The Report on the decrease of the annual income from agricultural activities, determined based on income tax brackets";
• "The Decision of rejection of the application on the decrease of the annual income from agricultural activities, determined based on income tax brackets".

The Order on the Trade in Energy Products

Order no. 1849/2016 approves the procedure of registration of economic operators wholesale or retail trading in energy products – gasoline, diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas and bio-fuels, as well as the form and content of certain forms, such as:

• "The Application for registration/amendment of the activity of wholesale trade in energy products";
• "The Application for registration/amendment of the activity of retail trade in energy products";
• "The Certificate of registration for the wholesale trade in energy products";
• "The Certificate of registration for the retail trade in energy products".

This legislative act stipulates that economic operators holding valid certificates, issued under the Order of the President of N.A.F.A. no. 2491/2010, have 90 days from the entry into force of this Order to file a new registration application and the related documents to the competent authority. Upon the expiry of this period, the certificates become invalid.

The Order on the Wholesale Trade in Alcoholic Beverages and Manufactured Tobacco

Order no. 1850/2016 has been issued, approving the procedure of registration of the distribution and wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages and/or manufactured tobacco, and also approving the form and content of certain forms, such as:

• "The Application for registration and certification of the distribution and wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages and/or manufactured tobacco"
• "The Certificate for the distribution and wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages and/or manufactured tobacco".

Moreover, the Instructions on the procedure for settling the Application for registration and certification of the distribution and wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages and/or processed tobacco are also approved.

The Order provides for a period of 180 days from the entry into force for the submission by economic operators holding valid certificates of a new registration application along with the necessary documents. Upon the expiry of this period, previously issued certificates become invalid.

The Equivalence of Professional Skills

Order no. 783/2016 has been issued, approving the general framework for the equivalence of professional skills required for obtaining the attestation certificate, as approved by the Order of the Minister of Public Finance no. 659/2015.

The Law on Public Procurement

Law no. 98/2016 on public procurement has been issued to regulate the performance of public procurement, the procedures for the award of public procurement contracts and the organisation of competitions for specific solutions, tools and techniques that can be used for awarding public procurement contracts, as well as certain specific issues related to the performance of public procurement contracts.

The purpose of this Law is to ensure the legal framework required to purchase goods, services and works subject to economic efficiency.

The Amendment of the Tax Code and Certain Tax Measures

The Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2016 has been issued to supplement Law no. 227/2015 on the Tax Code, which includes the following amendments:

• Individuals shall be exempt from income tax payment for income derived from salaries and similar income as a result of conducting the applied research & development and/or technological development activity. This provision applies to the income of August of 2016
• Individuals applying Law no. 77/2016 on giving-in-payment shall benefit from tax exemption for the transfer of ownership. The exemption applies to both the debtor and the co-debtor, co-payer for a single giving-in-payment operation. For applying this exemption, a notary register shall be established to record, under a certificate, all the exemptions granted to individuals applying the giving-in-payment. This provision applies starting from the first option of giving-in-payment after the entry into force of the Emergency Ordinance.
• The income derived by individuals performing activities of statistical data collection shall be considered income from other sources
• A reduced 9% VAT rate shall apply for the delivery of fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture, seeds and other agricultural products intended for sowing or planting. This provision shall apply as of 1 August 2016

The Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2016 has been issued, supplementing Law no. 70/2015 on enhancing financial discipline in connection with cash receipts and payments, which includes the following amendments:

• For the operations of daily cash receipts, from individuals, wedding and christening organizers may apply for another ceiling of receipts from the competent tax authority. In order to obtain another ceiling of receipts, the taxpayer shall submit information to the tax authorities on the receipts obtained. This provision shall apply as of 1 August 2016;
• The ceilings shall not apply to cash withdrawals from accounts opened with credit institutions or institutions providing payment services. This provision shall apply as of 1 August 2016.