It is proposed to revise the rates for nature use fees for the use of biological resources that are objects of the fauna.
 Hakob Simidyan, the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Armenia stated this during the regular sitting of the Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Protection of the National Assembly convened on February 25, presenting the draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Tax Code of the Republic of Armenia.
According to the Minister, the rates were set in 1998 and were last revised in 2006. Specifically, the nature use fees for the whitefish species is currently AMD 65, a rate that has remained unchanged since 2006. The draft law proposes to double the rates of the nature use fees for the utilization of living resources that are part of the fauna, with the fees for the whitefish species being tripled.
According to studies, the retail price of 1 kg of whitefish in the republic is AMD 1000, while frozen whitefish is exported for about AMD 1400 per kilogram. On average, the nature use fees accounts for only 5.7% of the selling price of whitefish. As a result, the current low rate of the nature use fees does not effectively promote the rational use of living resources, particularly whitefish."
The draft law has been endorsed.