Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien on June 4 answered the National Assembly’s questions about e-commerce platforms and tax collections.

Dien said tax collection in the field increased by 16 percent in 2023 compared with the year before.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has joined forces with MOF and taxation agencies to strengthen taxation management, sharing data about 900 websites and 300 e-commerce apps.

Dien said the ministries will continue to improve the shared database about e-commerce to serve tax and customs management; and quickly complete the connection between MOIT’s agencies and the General Department of Taxation (GDT) to exchange data about e-commerce webs.

It will also strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Public Security in applying electronic identification for sellers on e-commerce platforms to improve tax management and prevent tax losses; and inspecting and handling enterprises’ and business households’ violations, as well as individuals doing business on e-commerce platforms who do not make tax declarations and pay tax.

Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said that his ministry has been applying serious measures to collect tax from business activities on e-commerce platforms.

Regarding data connection with ministries, Phoc said 71.37 percent of population data has been connected (663,157 connections), while information about 929 e-commerce platforms has been shared with MOIT, and 361 e-commerce platforms have been checked to improve taxation management.

According to the minister, VND83 trillion of tax revenue was collected in 2022, VND97 trillion in 2023 and VND50 trillion in the first five months 2024.

GDT has also collected tax from 96 foreign service providers, totaling VND15.6 trillion.

Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Chi earlier told the government’s press conference on June 1 that over 31,000 organizations and individuals doing business on e-commerce platforms had been put into taxation body’s lists for tax payment control.

Tran Thuong