The Tax Department will hold intensive meetings next week to implement the agreement between the Minister of Trade and Finance and the Pharmacists Syndicate, with regard to solving their taxation problem in accordance with Income Tax Act 91 of 2005. A committee including finance ministers, pharmacists and auditors specialized in pharmaceutical companies nominated by the Trade Union, will be formed in order to prepare a special tax application form for pharmacies. The syndicate members said they were satisfied with the meeting they had with Finance Minister Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali yesterday, but they expected the first phase of the negotiations to be tough. They canceled their meeting of Thursday with the syndicate branches, and they will celebrate Pharmacist Day on Saturday.
Syndicate Treasurer Dr. Abdallah Zain el-Abidin said the agreement reached with the minister is good, while Tax Department sources said it is politically balanced. “We insist that pharmacies should be considered small projects that need not do tedious bookkeeping,” Abidin said.
