| Tax Incentives for Foreign Direct
Investments (FDI): Types and Who Should/Should Not Qualify in Tanzania
NGOWI, H. P.
Lecturer, Institute of Development Management (IDM)
Mzumbe, Tanzania. Currently he is at the Norwegian School of Economics
and Business Administration, (Bergen) NHH. He is grateful to two
anonymous referees for their comments. |
Abstract. The paper addresses the question
of tax incentives for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). It reviews the various
types of tax incentives that are available and that can potentially be
granted to foreign investors by host economies. It further makes a recommendation
on who should qualify for the various types of tax incentives offered in
Tanzania and who should not . While such incentives may contribute towards
increased inflow of FDI into the country, they may also lead to revenue
loss for the Treasury. Some specific types of investments are recommended
as appropriate qualifiers for the incentives and some as not. |
Introduction
Different countries have being taking various approaches to attract
FDI due to the assumed roles of FDI in these countries. These roles include,
but are not limited to, possibility for increased government revenue mainly
through taxation, employment creation, improved balance of payment by increasing
exports and/or reducing imports, technology transfer, improved managerial
and entrepreneurial skills, increased competitiveness in the market, and
linkage with the rest of the economy.
Among the approaches taken by countries to attract more FDI include
a general improvement in the investment environments in these countries
like improvement of infrastructure, liberalisation of the economy and granting
of various incentives, among them tax incentives.
The granting of tax incentives to attract more FDI is received with
mixed feelings among different stakeholders. According to Bergsman (1999),
many economists disdain tax incentives, seeing them as ineffective and
a loss of revenue for the Treasury and expensive distortions that actually
reduce the true value of output. Tax incentives cause distortion
in factor or product markets. On the other hand most directors of foreign
investment promotion agencies do like this and other incentives they come
across and they are seeking to achieve the distortions above.
This work assumes that tax incentives may be good for a country. This
is so if some conditions are fulfilled. First, the tax incentives must
lead to an increased flow of FDI into that country by attracting FDI that
would not come without the presence of the incentives. Second, these FDI
should contribute to the country’s development by offering returns to the
country that more than offset (the returns) the foregone tax revenue in
form of tax incentives granted to the investors.
When trying to find out who should qualify for the tax incentives in
Tanzania therefore, the work will focus on some types of investments that
would not come to Tanzania without the presence of the incentives, but
have the potential of contributing positively to the development of the
country. As for who should not qualify, a focus will be on those investments
that would come in any circumstance (in this case the absence of tax incentives).
This paper review the tax incentives on FDI on Tanzania is organised
as follows:
Second section is a relatively short description of FDI, The third section
discusses FDI incentives in general. The fourth section is on tax incentives
followed by the fifth section on incentive’s qualification criteria followed
by summary and conclusion.
2. Foreign Direct Investments
FDI has been defined differently by different authorities.The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) defines FDI as an "investment made to acquire a lasting
interest in a foreign enterprise with the purpose of having an effective
voice in its management" Bjorvatn, (2000). In the context of Tanzania FDI
refers to the flows of capital and personnel from abroad for investment
in the country. The ownership of such capital can be either by a natural
person or an institution such as a company registered outside the country.
The shares owned by such a person or institution should be fifty percent
(50%) of the total investment or more.
What seem to be a common denominator in the various definitions of FDI,
is the fact that a foreign firm or individual must control a certain amount
of shares (in most cases ten percent or more ) of a domestic firm.
FDI is normally undertaken by Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), which
invest their normally huge capital in different nations. They can be market-seeking,
efficiency-seeking or resource/ asset-seeking. They take either the form
of new investments, also known as green field investments or the form of
acquisitions of existing projects through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Firms are motivated by various aspects to choose FDI as a mode of entry
to foreign markets. These aspects are partly described in the much referred
Dunning’s OLI-theory. Dunning (1993) presents three conditions that do
motivate firms to choose FDI as a mode of entry to foreign markets. These
are ownership advantages (O), location advantages (L) and internalisation
advantages (I).
FDI inflows to a country depend largely on the presence in that country,
of a certain critical minimum of FDI determinants. The determinants are
among the factors that give MNEs the confidence and interest to invest
their massive and expensive capital in foreign markets. Among the FDI determinants
that MNEs look for are the presence of economic, political and social stability;
and rules regulating entry and operations of businesses. Others are standards
of treatment of foreign affiliates; business facilitation (including,
inter-alia, investment incentives and thereby tax incentives;
market size, growth, structure and accessibility; raw materials, low cost
but efficient labour force and physical infrastructure in form of ports,
roads, power and telecommunication.
3. FDI Incentives
From the FDI determinants mentioned above, we can see that FDI incentives
are among them. These are the benefits offered by host economies to foreign
investors so as, combined with other FDI determinants, may help to attract
more FDIs and/or retain those already present in a country.
The Tanzania Investment Act. 1997 (3) interprates incentives as " …tax
relief and concessional tax rates which maybe accessed by an investor under
the Income Tax Act, 1973, the Customs Tariff Act, 1976, the Sales Tax Act,
1976 and any other for the time being in force, and includes additional
benefits that may be accessed by an investor under section 19 and 20;"
of
this act . See the section that follow for such incentives.
Specific incentives may not be main determinants of a country’s attractiveness
to FDI. A country’s general economic and political conditions, domestic
market , natural and other resources may be more important than some specific
incentives. However various incentives have been found to influence investments.
They may either encourage investments generally or attract investments
in selected sectors or geographical areas. Types of incentives and the
eligibility of the same vary widely between countries.
3.1. Types of Incentives
There is a wide spectrum of FDI incentives. These include tax incentives,
guarantee against arbitrary treatment in case of nationalisation, government
provision of such utilities as water, power and communication at subsidised
prices or free of cost; tariffs or quotas set for competing imports; reduction/elimination
of import duties on inputs; interest rate subsidies; guarantee for loans
and coverage for exchange rate risks; wage subsidies; training grants and
relaxation of legal obligations towards employees.
3.2. Incentives Offered by Tanzania
Tanzania offers a variety of incentives. According to Tanzania Investment
Centre (TIC, 1998), the incentives have been devised to compensate and
reward investors for their entrepreneurship; to match the changing needs
of the country; to channel investments in the direction most need for economic
development and to ensure growth with social equity.
Section 19 and 20 of the Tanzania Investment Act 1997 referred above
does not categorically mention the types of incentives offered by the country.
These are more clearly mentioned in Investor’ Guide to Tanzania 1998, which
is published by the TIC. The incentives mentioned in the Investors’ Guide
to Tanzania 1998 (pp. 14-19) are mainly various tax rates for different sectors. For example the mining sector and export processing
zones, have
a 0% tax rate on the following ; custom duty on capital goods, sales tax
on capital goods and withholding tax on interest.
The agricultural sector, air aviation, commercial building, commercial
development and micro- finance banks, export oriented projects, geographical
special development areas, human resources development, manufacturing,
natural resources, rehabilitation and expansion, tourism and tour operations,
transport and radio and television broadcasting enjoy a 0% tax rate on
sales tax on capital goods and withholding tax on interest.
All the sectors mentioned above enjoy a 100% capital allowance deduction
in the years of income. While all other sectors pay 5% custom duty on capital
goods the mining sector and export processing zones enjoy a 0% rate. A
10% withholding tax on dividends is paid by all, except the export processing
zones, in which case the rate is 0%. A 30% corporation tax is paid by all
the sectors, except tourism and tour operations whose rate is 35% .
According to Investors’ Guide to Tanzania- 1998 (pp. 16), The investment
law allows for enhanced incentives in case of investments that are of strategic
importance or are of significant impact on the economy.
The Tanzania Investor Roadmap, 1999 (pp.97-98) goes further than the
Investors’ Guide to Tanzania 1998, by mentioning some more incentives available
to TIC registered companies. These include entitlement to employ five expatriate
employees automatically. No skills requirements are attached to these five
employees.
Another incentive offered is profit repatriation. Companies enjoy unconditional
transferability of net profits or dividends; payment in respect to loan
servicing where a foreign loan has been obtained; royalties, fees, and
charges related to a technology transfer agreement; the remittance of proceeds
if a business is liquidated; and emoluments and other benefits paid to
foreign personnel in Tanzania employed by the firm.
Tanzania offers some sectoral incentives. The agricultural sector enjoys
a 20% capital deduction for clearing land; installing power or water; building
farmhouses or buildings for processing, storage, or livestock accommodation;
and constructing labour quarters, drains, fences, windbreaks, or other
works necessary for proper operation of a farm.
The mining sector enjoys 100% capital deductions for companies seeking
specified minerals, including copper, coal, gold, lime, magnesium, bentonite,
magnesite, meerschaum, mica, tin, tungsten, vermiculate, nickel, cobalt,
platinum, kaolin, and zink. Companies prospecting for other minerals receive
a 40% capital deduction in the first year with a 10% deduction for the
following six years. Qualifying activities include prospecting and testing
deposits, purchasing the rights to deposits, acquiring machinery andbuildings
that would have little or no value on cessation of mining, and general
administration and management prior to production.
Tourism receives a capital deduction of 20% on hotels and installed
machinery. A 6% deduction is allowed for buildings used as hotels.
3.3. Eligibility Criteria for Incentives
Eligibility criteria for incentives differ between countries. Among
the possible eligibility criteria include the size, nature and importance
of the investment; conformity to a country’s development plans; employment
effects; use of domestic inputs also known as local content requirement;
export performance of the investment; location of investment in designated
geographical areas or in an Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
The incentives may depend on the type of the investment a country wants
to attract, history, politics and the general competitiveness of the country
as a potential destination for FDI. A country with a lot of attractions
for investors, may not need to employ as many incentives to attract and/or
retain investors as one without.
4. Eligibility Criteria in Tanzania
Incentives in Tanzania are granted to holders of Certificate of Incentives
issued by TIC .Other approved investors too are eligible. The qualifying
threshold for foreign investors is US$ 300,000 , down from US$ 500,000
in 1996. Local investors face a threshold of US$ 100, 000. Investment in
rehabilitation should exceed US$ 250,000 for foreign investors (and joint
ventures) and US$50,000 for local investors.
4.1. Tax Incentives
Tax incentives can mean many things. It can mean tax reduction intended
to encourage business operations, FDI being one of them. They are special
provisions intended to encourage certain kinds of behaviour in response
to tax benefits. It can also mean any tax provision which include certain
behaviour because, objectively and irrespective of the original rationale
of the provisions this behaviour has more favourable tax consequences than
the alternative forms of conduct.
4.2 Types of Tax Incentives
Tax incentives are of many types, some of which will be presented in
what follows.
Tax holidays
Probably the most known and widespread tax incentive is tax holidays.
These are mainly targeted to new firms and may not be available to existing
operations. They are more linked to the establishment of enterprises than
to the level of investment. New firms are allowed a period of time after
some initial point when they are relieved from the burden of income taxation.
The period can be extended to a subsequent period of taxation at a reduced
rate of tax.
Businesses can start enjoying tax holidays at different times of investments’
life. It can be when the production starts; the first year of profit; first
year of firms’ positive cumulative profit on its operations. For large
projects with huge start-up costs, tax holidays, which start, when production
occurs may actually increase the tax paid over the life of the project.
This therefore, becomes a disincentive to invest. If losses are experienced
in the holiday period they may not be allowed to be carried forward out
of the holiday period. Therefore, tax holidays may occur when no taxes
would have been paid in any event and taxes may be increased following
the holiday because no losses are available to offset the profits.
Firms and projects which make substantial profits in the early years
of operation potentially enjoy tax holidays. These include the trade sector,
and short-term construction or service sector in real estate; restaurants;
hotels and short-term market exploitation firms. Major capital intensive
projects are not likely to benefit from this incentive, as they do not
normally make profits in the early years of operation.
For tax holidays, revenue impact is tied to the degree of new activity.
Therefore revenue impact is relatively low in the early years of the program
and grows over time as more firms become eligible.
Among the problems that this incentive present is that it can be used
to shelter income ( from existing domestic operations) from taxation through
transfer pricing and the transfer of operations from existing firms to
new ones that qualify for the holidays.
Investment allowances and tax credits
This is a tax relief based upon the value of expenditure on qualifying
investments. They provide tax benefits that are over and above the depreciation
allowed for the asset. A tax allowance is used to reduce the taxable income
of the firm. A tax credit is used to reduce directly the amount of taxes
to be paid.
This type of tax incentive presents some problems. It is difficulty
to define the eligible expenditures and to choose the rate of allowance
or credit. It is also a problem to set a restriction on their use. This
is of little benefits for the quick profit types of firms, which can take
best advantage on tax holidays. Tax allowances are of greatest benefit
for firms within income from existing operations. Firms with low income
or start-up firms cannot begin to take advantage of
the incentive until income is earned. Investment allowance is usually made
in the year of acquisition or the first year of use of an asset. It does
not reduce the basis for write-off in later years. It is common in connection
with different kinds of capital expenditure, particularly in respect to
industrial undertakings. It reduces the taxable income.
Investment credit is tied directly to fixed investments. A calculation
of a percentage of investment expenditure is made and this is credited
against tax. This type of tax incentive has a similar revenue impact as
tax holidays. (See above).
Timing differences.
This can arise either through the acceleration of deductions or the
deferral of the recognition of income. According to Viherkentta (1991),
accelerated depreciation is the most typical incentive tied to initial
investments. Among the examples of accelerated deductions include accelerated
depreciation where the cost of an asset acquired may be written-off at
a rate that is faster than the economic rate of depreciation. The depreciation
schedules here, exceed economic depreciation. This takes place in form
of shorter period of depreciation or in form of special deduction in the
first year. This may be applied to buildings; plants; machinery and equipment.
Accelerated deduction confers a timing benefit only. The revenue cost
falls over time because in future years the tax benefits from further new
investments are in part offset by the reduced deductions on the old investment.
The carry-forward of deductions by firms, which can not fully utilise investment
allowances and accelerated deductions, can lead to considerable growth
in the revenue cost over time. Accelerated depreciation may take several
forms. It take the form of free depreciation or the form of initial allowance.
In the case of the latter, exceptionally large depreciation allowance is
made when a qualifying asset is acquired or put to use. It decreases the
depreciable basis for later years.
General tax reductions
In this case, the tax liability of a firm is not entirely eliminated,
(as opposed to the case of tax holidays). The benefit is extended beyond
new enterprises to include income from existing operations and the benefit
is not time-limited. When designing this type of incentive, one is likely
to be faced with the problem of identifying qualifying income.
Non-income tax –based incentives
These include taxes on business inputs. For example border charges (custom
duties, turn over taxes), taxes on imported capital equipment and
social security taxes on expatriate wages and salaries. When investors
are relieved from these taxes, then they are receiving incentives.
Tax incentives in Tanzania
Tax incentives granted in Tanzania have been mentioned earlier in this
paper see page 4. On top of these incentives come three types of wear and
tear deductions allowed by Tanzania. Tractors, combines, and self-propelled
heavy equipment qualify for class 1 deductions and earn a 37.5% annual
deduction. Light self-propelled equipment is entitled to a class 2 deduction
of 25% annually. Class 3 deductions amount to 12.5% annually on office
furniture. One can match the different types of tax incentives with
those granted in Tanzania to see if there are any disparities.
5. Who should/should not qualify for tax incentives
in Tanzania?
It is a well-known fact that tax incentives directly reduce revenue
to the Treasury. These incentives therefore are costs to the government.
The need to always increase government revenues, mainly through taxation,
is no where more important than in the developing countries like Tanzania.
Tax incentives for FDI therefore, should only be justified if the returns
of these investments to the country at least more than compensate the tax
revenue lost in form of granted tax incentives.
The need to identify who should/should not qualify for the tax incentives
can not be overemphasised. Such an identification, especially of the latter
( who should not qualify) can help the government to avoid loosing the
much-needed tax revenues unnecessarily. This section attempts to make such
an identification.
It is not easy to make a perfect, universally agreed upon and non-controversial
identification. But given its weight in gold, an attempt is made to identify
some types of investments that, according to the author, should/should
not qualifies for the tax incentives in Tanzania.
5.1. Who should not qualify
The current qualifying threshold for tax incentives for FDI in Tanzania
is US$ 300000. It is the interpretation of the author that any FDI of this
size qualifies for the incentives. This work recommends that some investments
should not qualify even if they meet the above threshold. The threshold
alone does not guarantee that such FDI will at least more that offset the
costs of tax incentives. Some of the investments that should not qualify
are presented below.
Given the fact that tax incentives are costs to the government
due to the lost revenue, one could suggest that all tax incentives be abolished.
In essence the main aim of taxation as a fiscal policy instrument is to
collect revenue for the government. Taxation’s main goal is not to attract FDI, although a policy instrument may have multiple
purposes. But due to
some factors like pressure from MNEs and tax competition with other countries
competing for FDI , granting of tax incentives becomes inevitable.
Hypothetically, a country could abolish all the tax incentives and instead
use the tax revenues thus obtained to create more attractive environment
for FDI. Tax revenue could be used to provide services and improve infrastructure
and utilities that are likely to attract more FDI. Tanzania should concentrate
on removing aspects of the tax system which constitute impediments to FDI
rather than try to develop and design tax incentives to attract it. These
aspects may include the overall tax law, level of tax burden, transparency
of the tax system, statutory tax rates, the tax base and non-income taxes
that are payable even if a company is not making profit.
If tax incentives do not attract additional investments they represent
nothing but a revenue loss to the government. Much so if they attract additional
investments and benefits from these investments do not outweigh the cost
of the incentives. These investments therefore should not qualify
for the incentives, and vice versa. Hereunder follows some investments
that should not qualify for tax incentives in Tanzania.
Investments that would have come to the country in any event (in absence
of tax incentives for example) should not qualify. In this case it is the
investors that are disparate not the government. For example if some investors
would like to invest in Mount Kilimanjaro, there is no need to grant them
incentives if it turns out that this is the only possible location for
that type of the investment.
Investments in natural resource extraction or other rent-generating
activities do no need to be attracted by tax incentives. If Tanzania can
create a reasonable tax environment these investments should not qualify
for tax incentives. For a country endowed with such unique natural resources
like Tanzania, investments in most natural resource extraction sectors
are likely to flow in without tax incentives. Therefore all the incentives
granted to the mining sector in Tanzania may represent a mere loss of government
revenue. When one looks at the extent of the presence of mining MNEs in
such conflict zones like Angola and Sierra Leone it is obvious that mining
is an attractive niche to most countries, and mining MNEs will invest in
them at any event. Therefore mining companies should not qualify for tax
incentives in Tanzania. They are likely to come at any event, assuming
that they bear a reasonable tax burden.
Investments that are aiming at selling in the Tanzania’s domestic market
need not qualify for tax incentives. If the investors have to locate within
Tanzania for the aim of supplying the market there, tax incentives for
them would be a direct loss to the Treasury. It may be difficulty to properly
identify such investments. Among the ways to solve this problem would be
a requirement for the investors applying to locate in Tanzania to state
their aimed market. When the investor is disparate to sell a product in
the Tanzanian market therefore, he should not qualify for the tax incentives.
Foot-loose short-term investments too should not qualify for tax incentives
generally, and tax holidays in particular . Such investments include the
quick-profit business such as in the trade sector, restaurants and construction.
These investments are very dynamic. If affected by any disturbance at all,
they may leave to another destination(country). Alternatively they may
form a new company after the holiday expires because tax holidays reward
formation of new companies. Foot-loose short-term investments are likely
to come in the country irrespective of tax incentives. Short-term profits
associated with them should be enough to attract the investment to the
country.
Another type of investment that should not qualify for tax incentives
are low cost assembly plants that are highly mobile. These can be mostly
affected by tax holidays. They are likely to move to new jurisdiction to
take the advantage of tax holidays there where these expire on the former
location. Here it is seen that the factor that made the investment responsive
to the incentive also acted to limit the benefit to the country from the
investment.
Fictive FDI should not qualify for tax incentives. These are FDI created
to carry on what is in fact a domestically owned business. This can happen
by transferring funds from a domestic enterprise to a company incorporated
offshore which in turn re-invests in the country as if it were a foreign-owned
company. This can look as a new company . It starts to enjoy incentives
like tax holidays, investment allowances and accelerated deduction that
are mainly associated with new investment. It is very difficulty for tax
authorities to detect fictive FDI.
Some special purpose incentives should not be given to some investments.
For example incentives to employment creation, regional development or
special activities like transfer of technology for that matter that would
have occurred in any event should not be granted.
Tanzania grants tax incentives for Export Processing Zones (EPZ). But
the granting of tax incentives for these investments may run contrary to
the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) . This might invite countervailing
measures that can negate any advantages obtained from the establishment
of the EPZ. When this is likely to occur, these investments in EPZ should
not qualify for tax incentives.
To sum up on who should not qualify for Tax incentives in Tanzania,
it can be said that an extreme suggestion is that all the tax incentives
should be abolished. No investment should qualify for them. This is because
the effectiveness of these incentives is questionable and it is clear that
they are a cost to the government. But due to some factors like tax competition
between countries, pressure from MNEs and the possibility that the incentives
may attract more FDI, Tanzania is obliged to grant some tax incentives.
Investments that would come in any event should not qualify either. Also
the investments that can not more that compensate the cost of the tax incentives
should not qualify.
5.2. Who should qualify
Now the attention is turned to who should qualify for tax incentives
in Tanzania. The current qualifying criteria for tax incentives in Tanzania
is based on nothing but the size of the investment. The qualifying threshold
for FDI is currently US$300,000. To the best of the author’s knowledge
this is the only qualifying criteria for tax incentives in Tanzania.
The above qualifying criteria for tax incentives in Tanzania is not
enough. Some investments that do not meet the threshold may be of more
importance to the nation than those that meet it. Qualifying criteria therefore,
should go beyond the pecuniary size of the investment. In general terms,
all the investments that would not come to Tanzania without the tax incentives
should qualify. But they must at least more than compensate the cost of
tax incentives . Some of such investments are presented below.
In Tanzania, like many other developing countries, conditions required
for efficient market have not yet developed. There is still some state
control of firms, rudimentary capital markets, imperfect basic information
on market possibilities and underdeveloped commercial and legal infrastructure.
In these conditions some FDI have the potential of creating and training
domestic agents on how to operate in market economy. Investments that are
likely to lead towards this end should qualify for the incentives. These
are the ones that, inter-alia, are willing to participate in empowering
the local population through training and re-training. Benefits from such
investments to the nation are likely to be above and beyond the private
returns.
Investments that are likely to contribute towards some special national
desires should qualify for tax incentives. These may be particularly desirable
activities or projects that would not have occurred without the incentives.
Some of the ways in which this can occur are discussed below.
Some investments may potentially develop low-growth areas in the country.
These are designated regions. They are usually more remote, economically
less developed and may have lower employment rates than the rest of the
country. Investments that are likely to locate in these areas when incentives
are linked to these regions should qualify. These investments are expected
to generate more activities in such regions if they are granted
special tax incentives. For example some investments may be willing to
locate in Dodoma, Kigoma or some other low growth areas in Tanzania if
and only if special tax incentives are linked to these areas. These investments
then should qualify for tax incentives.
Some investments are likely to contribute towards employment creation.
They should qualify for tax incentives for job creation. These incentives
may be linked with regional policies, seeking to attract FDI in areas of
high unemployment. In this category of investments one can include those
that promote establishment of labour intensive industries or employment
of particular categories of workers such as young persons, the disabled
or the long-term unemployed. The importance of employing young people especially,
can not be over-emphasised. This group can be a timed-bomb if unemployed,
especially in urban areas like Dar-es-salaam where they may be participating
in criminal acts. If this employment will happen only in the presence of
tax incentives, then the investments concerned should qualify for them.
Tax incentives may be crucial in attracting high-technology industries
and research and development (R&D) activities. These are likely to
lead to technology transfer in the country. Investments that are dependent
on tax incentives to do so should qualify for them. High-technology industries
and knowledge-creating activities like R&D in Tanzania are of vital
importance for development in this era of science and technology. Authorities
granting tax incentives however, will be likely to face problems of determining
what technology is high-tech, whether it is appropriate to Tanzania and
is really transferred to the local population. It might also be difficulty
to precisely define what constitutes R&D activities.
Other investments that should qualify for the tax incentives in Tanzania
include those that are likely to be linked with the rest of the economy.
These are those that, inter-alia, meet some local-content
requirement in that they use some raw materials available locally in the
country.
6. Summary conclusions and Policy recommendations
In this work it has been found that Tanzania grants a relatively generous
package of tax incentives for foreign investors. The effectiveness of the
incentives is questionable, while it is a naked truth that the incentives
are costs to the government. They represent lost government revenues. This
calls for a need to re-consider which types of foreign direct investment
(FDI) should qualify for the incentives and which should not.
It is recommended that only those investments that would not come to
Tanzania in the absence of tax incentives should qualify. But returns from
these FDI to the nation must more than offset the costs of the tax incentives,
seen in terms of lost government revenue. Those investments that do not
qualify the two conditions simultaneously should not qualify.
Tanzania should develop new qualifying criteria for its tax incentives
for FDI. The criteria should go beyond the monetary size of the investment.
Broader non-monetary criteria should also be used in determining who should
or should not qualify for the tax incentives. Basing the qualifying criteria
for tax incentives on the monetary value of the FDI only puts the country
at a great risk of loosing the badly needed tax revenues.
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