Unilever Vietnam International Co., Ltd. has written to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc calling for help after the HCMC Tax Department warned that it might have coerced more than VND575 billion (US$24.7 million) in corporate income tax from the firm, Tuoi Tre Online newspaper reported.

Unilever has asked for Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's help after the HCMC Tax Department warned to coerce over VND575 billion in tax arrears from the firm

Unilever said that it had received the request to pay the tax arrears and it has yet to fulfill its tax obligations. However, the tax agency’s decision has significantly affected its prestige and operations in Vietnam.

As a result, Unilever Vietnam proposed that the PM direct the competent ministries and agencies to wait for the Government’s final conclusion.

Regarding the reasons for the tax debt, Unilever Vietnam said there are differences in the calculation of the preferential tax rate applied to Unilever Vietnam for its expansion in the Investment Law and the Corporate Income Tax Law from before 2014.

In addition, the Government had earlier asked the Ministries of Planning-Investment and Finance to propose solutions to the inconsistency in the regulations.

However, the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) had sent an official document to the General Department of Taxation and the HCMC Tax Department, asking them to urge Unilever Vietnam to pay the tax arrears.

According to SAV, Unilever Vietnam had submitted documents for their operation extension in the 2009-2013 period and must pay the tax arrears for the extension in such period.

SAV auditor general Ho Duc Phoc said Unilever Vietnam failed to prove that it does not owe the tax debt, while the SAV has sufficient evidence to demonstrate the firm’s tax debt.

By December 12, Unilever Vietnam has yet to fulfill its tax obligations, according to the HCMC Tax Department.

SGT