Exemption decided on taxes, fees

AMMAN (JT) –– The Cabinet on Tuesday exempted people who owe money to the state treasury from a maximum of JD500 in taxes, fees and customs duties.

The decision, which was announced after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, applies only to sums due before 2009.

The exemption will include taxes, fees and fines owed to the Income and Sales Tax Department, the Customs Department and the finance ministry, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Excluded are financial claims by the Greater Amman Municipality and other municipalities, public universities, subscription fees and repayments of loans owed to state agencies, according to a finance ministry statement, which noted that if a person is indebted to several government agencies, he or she is still entitled to an exemption up to JD500.

In remarks to the press after the meeting, Finance Minister Mohammad Abu Hammour urged people to benefit from the decision and pay their financial obligations over JD500.

He told reporters that the decision is meant to alleviate financial burdens on people and improve tax collection management by giving priority to collecting large claims.

The Cabinet also decided to extend the exemption period on land registration fees. Sums owed to the land registration authorities that do not exceed JD1,000 are totally exempted, while fees worth above that limit are slashed by 50 per cent, according to the statement.

The exemption period, which ended on October 7 of this year, was extended to December 31 of this year.

jordantimes