The employees of IT companies could benefit from fiscal incentives as of next year. These incentives are part of a law originated by Deputy Varujan Pambuccian.
Deputy Pambuccian told Ziarul Financiar during the “A place called e-Romania” conference that this draft targeted local hardware and software producers, and, if the budget allowed it, the service providers (ISPs, trainers, foreign company representatives and integrators).
“We want to bring to 8% the fixed salary tax for the employees of the companies where one of the above-mentioned fields accounts for at least 90% in turnover,” Pambuccian said.
“This is a high added value field, therefore these incentives are not subsidies, as in other sectors, but an investment in a service that brings money to the budget.”
Furthermore, Pambuccian added, this measure targets stopping brain exodus. According to Education minister Ecaterina Andronescu, some 2,000 graduates out of 5,000 flee the country every year, causing the Romanian State to lose about $60 million spent for their training.
“This measure in addition to 5% profit tax for exports makes Romania a country where the situation is a little better than the countries which felt the drive of their economy should be the IT&C industry,” Pambuccian added.
“This is how a healthy fundamental industry will be created, by developing production and attracting large foreign investments.”
Pambuccian added the draft could be passed as an organic law by the end of the year, with the exact purpose of ensuring its stability over the course of time.
The law draft was worked out with the help of local and multinational companies’ representatives, as well as officials from all the associations in the field.
The deputy also said the new law could prove it is necessary to introduce new professions in the trade list, such as system administrator and certification service providers.
As for a possible negative response from representatives in other fields, the deputy said he was not afraid. “They have to understand that what makes them and IT representatives different is the difference between subsidy and investment,” the deputy explained.
PM Adrian Nastase in its turn said that the talks he had with Finance minister Mihai Tanasescu showed that the law draft actually stands certain chances.
The PM added that the Government was concerned about finding solutions to allow Romania to join the global competition to help it get the benefits it deserves.
“We are not thinking about what computers to buy, we are interested in solutions,” IT&C minister Dan Nica told the same conference.
He explained that the bids to come would not impose terms to limit the participation of the smaller Romanian firms.