• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Business & Finance Economic Policies

Sri Lanka import duty on vehicles to grow brand new rent seeking sector? todayheadline

March 16, 2025
in Economic Policies
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
0
5
SHARES
10
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


ECONOMYNEXT – Import duties on finished vehicles brought to Sri Lanka, apparently as part of a balance of payments measure, has triggered fears of an expansion of a brand new rent seeking business sector and tax losses, though its extent is unclear as yet.

Sri Lanka imposed a 30 percent tax on vehicles this year over fears that car imports may lead to loss of reserves or hurt the exchange rate or foreign reserves.

It is not known why macro-economists believe car imports should hurt the exchange rate more than some other type of import, but such Mercantilist doctrines have driven Sri Lanka’s policy for many decades, with oil and gold also being targets of such beliefs at different times, analysts have pointed out.

“The introduction of an import duty will help moderate the impact on the exchange rate,” according to documents released on policy discussions with the International Monetary Fund.

Sri Lanka now has a large number of sectors where domestic producers are selling goods at high prices under cover of import duties gauging the public, arbitraging the tax difference as profits.

Vehicles were earlier taxed through value added and excise taxes, which are neutral between imports and domestic production, and do not involve arbitraged tax losses to the state, which people effectively pay through higher than world prices.

“Is there some import substitution? I can’t answer that,” IMF’s outgoing Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka Peter Breuer said in a recent press briefing in response to a question on whether domestic assembly would increase after import duties, and whether a ‘tax expenditure’ statement would be published on arbitraged taxes lost to the state.

“I would assume that after five years or so of a ban of imported cars that there will be some demand for finished cars from overseas.

“I do take your point that it’s possible that there may be some assembly of cars domestically.”

Analysts have pointed out using economics (then called political economy) as developed by classicals including David Ricardo, Adam Smith and David Hume that exchange rate pressure or reserve losses can only come from money printed by a note-issue bank to cut rates for refinance credit.

Unsterilized liquidity from central bank swaps with domestic counter parties can also lead to net reserve losses if newly issued money is used by banks to re-finance credit and is redeemed through forex interventions.

Extreme Mercantilism

Sri Lanka’s macroeconomists banned 3,000 imports including cars in 2020 after printing vast amounts of money to cut rates to target potential output. The complete bans also failed to stop either forex shortages or reserve losses.

Sri Lanka went on an accelerated ‘de-liberalization’ with import duties and import cesses, following a landmark gazette issued in November 2024 designed by macroeconomists who were running the Treasury, for ‘balance of payments’ purposes.

The sweeping trade restrictions came after money printed to mis-targeted rates in 2004 (mostly gilt yields) triggered forex shortages and reserve losses amid a strong private credit recovery.

Ironically, the 25-page gazette was signed by then President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who as Finance Minister had initiated sweeping trade liberalization in the 1990s and started valued added tax, advised by A S Jayewardene, an LSE educated classical economist.

“…[D]eparting from the previous liberalization path, the Sri Lankan government imposed a new import tax on selected items by way of a levy (referred to as a “cess” in Sri Lanka) in light of a decline in foreign reserves,” a report by the US Trade Representative noted sometime after the gazette.

“The government also hopes this new tax will protect domestic agriculture and industry. Despite an improvement in the foreign reserve position, the government has not revoked the tax.”

“Together with import tariffs, the EDB levy effectively increases charges on most finished good imports to over 48 percent of the import value, with the highest charges on goods subject to specific duties.”

“The United States Embassy has received complaints from affected U.S. exporters and US companies in Sri Lanka regarding the new “prohibitive” tariff regime.”

Barely two years earlier the US Trade report had noted as follows.

“Sri Lanka has one of the most liberal trade regimes in South Asia. Sri Lanka’s main trade policy instrument is the import tariff.

“A few years ago, Sri Lanka set out to have a simplified transparent two band tariff system.

“The country has deviated from this policy recently and the tariff structure is now subject to an increasing number of changes. Currently, there are 6 tariff bands of 2.5percent, 5 percent,10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent.”

In subsequent years, Cess and other taxes rose dramatically in Sri Lanka with politically connected rent seeking businesses who were not export competitive pushing for greater protection through a variety of border taxes, including in basic cereals, maize and tinned fish despite malnutrition of young children.

(Colombo/Mar15/2025)

Tags: branddutyGrowimportLankarentsectorseekingSritodayheadlineVehicles
Previous Post

Arctic ice is melting faster than expected — and the culprit could be dust

Next Post

Republicans split on spending cuts, Medicaid as they seek path forward on Trump tax cuts todayheadline

Related Posts

ET logo

Pakistan Super League cricket league moved to UAE amid Indo-Pak tensions todayheadline

May 8, 2025
7
'Financial murder': Dems slam Trump admin for making false statements about Social Security

‘Financial murder’: Dems slam Trump admin for making false statements about Social Security todayheadline

May 8, 2025
10
Next Post
Republicans split on spending cuts, Medicaid as they seek path forward on Trump tax cuts

Republicans split on spending cuts, Medicaid as they seek path forward on Trump tax cuts todayheadline

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Research illuminates growing extinction threat for southern resident orcas

Activist climbs tree near Port Angeles to block cut of older WA forest

May 9, 2025
Queensland research developing wearable X-ray for kids and more briefs

Queensland research developing wearable X-ray for kids and more briefs

May 9, 2025
Some podcasters fear Spotify's new play count will crowd out smaller shows

Some podcasters fear Spotify’s new play count will crowd out smaller shows

May 9, 2025
US and UK agree deal slashing Trump tariffs on cars and metals

US and UK agree deal slashing Trump tariffs on cars and metals

May 9, 2025

Recent News

Research illuminates growing extinction threat for southern resident orcas

Activist climbs tree near Port Angeles to block cut of older WA forest

May 9, 2025
6
Queensland research developing wearable X-ray for kids and more briefs

Queensland research developing wearable X-ray for kids and more briefs

May 9, 2025
3
Some podcasters fear Spotify's new play count will crowd out smaller shows

Some podcasters fear Spotify’s new play count will crowd out smaller shows

May 9, 2025
5
US and UK agree deal slashing Trump tariffs on cars and metals

US and UK agree deal slashing Trump tariffs on cars and metals

May 9, 2025
4

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Research illuminates growing extinction threat for southern resident orcas

Activist climbs tree near Port Angeles to block cut of older WA forest

May 9, 2025
Queensland research developing wearable X-ray for kids and more briefs

Queensland research developing wearable X-ray for kids and more briefs

May 9, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co