Tax collection for the use of digital platforms is being evaluated

September 17, 2021

On September 6, 2021, Eddy Mosquera commented in Caracol about the possibility of collecting taxes for the use of digital platforms.

1. Position of the MEF

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Pedro Francke, stated to Bloomberg that his portfolio is evaluating a possible tax collection for the use of different digital platforms such as Uber, Disney Plus, Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, among others.

2. SUNAT’S position

In past years, the Peruvian tax collection agency has also expressed the intention that financial entities should be the intermediaries of the subscription collection and would be in charge of withholding part of this payment as tax collection.

One of the proposals was made by the SUNAT (Superintendencia Nacional de Administración Tributaria – Peruvian National Superintendence of Tax Administration) in 2019, highlighting that taxing these services would amount to US$ 36 to 48 million annually.

3. Context

Although the need to impose these tax controls on digital platforms has been expressed, these measures have never been defined in Peru while platforms continue to grow in users.

According to the COMEX (Comercio Exterior – Foreign Trade) Society of Peru, the country loses a collection ranging from 25 to 44 million dollars for not collecting taxes on digital services.

Source: Caracol 08/09/21