President Ivan Duke announced the dates established to celebrate the Day without VAT in the country. According to the decree signed by the president, the days of tax exemption will be: March 11, June 17 and December 2.
“The first Day without VAT of this 2022 will take place on Friday, March 11, so that we can liquidate inventories, help trade and that our economy contains inflationary effects in the first quarter of this year,” said Duque in the Building Country workshop number 98.
The president also said in the event held in the municipality of Repelón, Atlántico, that with this first date, “we want to invigorate the consumption capacity of Colombians”. The words said by Duque were ratified today with the signing of the decree that stipulated the dates of the days without VAT.
Controversy over the chosen dates
Two of the dates chosen by the national government are very close to the days that the electoral elections will be held in Colombia. In the case of March 11, this day will be held 48 hours before the elections to elect the new Congress of the Republic and the same happens with June 17, a date that also falls 48 hours before the possible second electoral round for elect the President of the Republic.
This Monday, the Minister of Commerce, Maria Ximena Lombana defended the chosen days before the microphones of On the radio. “These dates were arranged with the business, and the Ministry of Finance took into account an analysis by the DIAN on the behavior of the collection on sales during the two-month periods of the last five years,” explained the official.
The minister argued that the second and third two-month periods are those with the lowest participation in VAT collection, which is why these dates were chosen. “In the case of March 11, se also took into account the effect that Holy Week will have in April when historically the demand from the tourism sector increases”, Lombana said. With June 17, he pointed out that the day coincides with the payment of the workers’ premium, so that they can access the products they need with the exemption of this tax.
Although the date of December 2 does not fall during electoral times, the official also explained why they chose this day. According to what she commented on W Radio, The Government “seeks to encourage the consumption of Colombian households, since several will have the year-end bonus” and it is convenient for Christmas shopping.
It should be remembered that the Day without VAT has served for Colombians to buy products with discounts, among which are: clothing, technology, household appliances, sports items, school supplies, toys and even agricultural goods and supplies.
Days of the Day without VAT 2021
During 2021, the tax benefit represented sales of around 31.42 billion pesos, according to official figures. The increase in online shopping was a key factor in these dates of tax exemptions, because according to the Colombian Chamber of Electronic Commerce, sales through digital channels reached 700 billion pesos, with 1,890,000 transactions, on the last Day Without VAT. When adding this result with the one reported in the two previous days, the figure represents sales of $2.4 billion for electronic commerce.
The president of the Colombian Chamber of Electronic Commerce, María Fernanda Quiñones, assured at the time that: “Without a doubt, electronic commerce in the country is established as a key ally to satisfy the needs of Colombians and boost the country’s economy” .
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