Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SANSALVADOR1051
2008-09-03 19:28:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy San Salvador
Cable title:  

U.S. FIRMS PROTEST NEW TELECOM TAX

Tags:  ECON ECPS ITU ES 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHSN #1051 2471928
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031928Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0038
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001051 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

PASS TO WHA/CEN AND EEB/CIP/MA- MGORDON
PASS TO USTR FOR CATHERINE HINCKLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ECPS ITU ES
SUBJECT: U.S. FIRMS PROTEST NEW TELECOM TAX

REF: 2007 SAN SALVADOR 2431

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001051

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

PASS TO WHA/CEN AND EEB/CIP/MA- MGORDON
PASS TO USTR FOR CATHERINE HINCKLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ECPS ITU ES
SUBJECT: U.S. FIRMS PROTEST NEW TELECOM TAX

REF: 2007 SAN SALVADOR 2431


1. (U) SUMMARY. U.S. phone companies are contesting a
four-cent-per-minute tax on incoming international phone calls to El
Salvador. The measure aims to raise $80 million per year in
revenues to help pay for transportation and energy subsidies. The
tax was quickly amended to change the method for calculating
minutes, payment period and penalties for non-compliance. The
amendments also exempt some regional traffic from paying the tax
under existing interconnection agreements. U.S. firms are
criticizing the tax for violating several international commitments
and imposing a tax on future income. End Summary

TAX ON FOREIGN CALLERS TO FUND SUBSIDIES
--------------


2. (U) The National Assembly passed a law on June 12 to establish a
four-cent-per-minute tax on incoming international phone calls
terminated in El Salvador. The law took effect on July 24, the same
day the Assembly approved amendments to modify the method of
calculating minutes, the payment period and penalties for
non-compliance. The first tax payment was due on August 20.
According to telecom regulator SIGET, El Salvador recorded 2.76
billion minutes of incoming international traffic and 758 million
minutes of outgoing international traffic in 2007. Roughly 90% of
incoming traffic comes from the U.S.


3. (U) The GOES estimates that the tax will raise roughly $80
million per year of additional revenue to be used for "social
programs". Shortly after approving the tax in June, the Assembly
authorized the GOES to increase public transportation subsidies.
The following month, the GOES agreed to double the monthly subsidy
for bus and minibus owners to $800 and $400 respectively, in order
to avoid a fare increase. The Assembly had approved a
10-cent-per-gallon fuel tax in November 2007 to raise $40 million to
maintain the original subsidy through the 2009 elections (reftel).
However, subsidies for electricity, propane gas and public transport
more than doubled from $82 million in January-June 2007 to $171
million during the same period of 2008.


4. (U) The amendments include a "transitory" provision that will
exempt some Central American regional traffic from paying the tax
under existing interconnection agreements. SIGET will compile
traffic volumes from 2007 to exempt equivalent volumes as long as
existing agreements are valid. Though ostensibly intended as a
temporary measure to comply with regional agreements and honor
existing contracts, SIGET's telecommunications manager told Econoff
companies will be able to maintain these exemptions indefinitely if
they renew their interconnection agreements without changing the
terms.

U.S. FIRMS PROTEST
--------------


5. (U) Several U.S. firms have criticized the new law for violating
international commitments and imposing a tax on future income. They
claim the tax is inconsistent with WTO and CAFTA-DR provisions to
ensure market access under "reasonable" terms with "cost-oriented
rates." The exemption of calls from Central America might also
break WTO and CAFTA-DR commitments for equal treatment of trading
partners. U.S. firms also argue the tax violates an International
Telecommunications Union prohibition on pass-through of taxes.


6. (SBU) Americatel manager Tom Gordon told Econoffs his firm will
challenge the tax in court and he believes other firms may do the
same. He explained that most companies have 30-90 day terms for
receivables but the tax is due on the 10th of each month, well
before revenues are collected. He warned that the resulting
cash-flow problems will likely drive Americatel out of business
"within a couple of months".

COMMENT
--------------


7. (U) The GOES said the tax will help address fiscal challenges
caused by energy subsidies without imposing an unpopular domestic
tax. However, the tax will fall mostly on Salvadorans who are
living in the United States and call home to their relatives in El
Salvador. They are already complaining about the tax. In addition
to inconsistencies with international commitments, the new tax sends
a negative signal to U.S. investors that the GOES will look to U.S.
sources to pay for local subsidies.

BLAU