Monthly Archives: July 2020

CorralRosales > 2020 > July

Income tax – Advance payment

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By Executive Decree 1109 issued on July 27, 2020, the President ordered the advance payment of income tax for the year 2020, to finance the expenses associated with the health emergency.

The individuals, companies, and permanent establishments that comply with the following conditions are required to pay the advance income tax:

  1. Generate taxable income, except income derived from a labor relationship.
  2. In the year 2019 received gross income equal to or greater than US$5,000,000.00; and,
  3. During the period from January to June 2020, generated profits, with the exceptions of income and expenses derived from a labor relationship.

Taxpayers who do not meet these three conditions are able to pay the advance income tax voluntarily.

The following taxpayers are not required to pay the advance income tax:

  • Micro, small, or medium size companies.
  • Taxpayers that are exempt from paying income tax on the fiscal year 2020.
  • Taxpayers that have registered the province of Galapagos as their tax address.
  • Taxpayers that are regular exporters of goods, or that 50% of their income derives from the export of goods; or,
  • Taxpayers with one of the following economic activities:
    • The operation of airlines.
    • The provision of accommodation and/or food services.
    • Activities of the agricultural sector.
    • Activities of the aquaculture sector.

I order to calculate the advance payment the following formula must be applied:

IR = (85% of UC * 25%) – RFIR20

Where:

IR = Advance income tax.

UC = The profit derived from the result of operations carried out from January 1 to June 30, 2020, in accordance with the financial statements and accounting and financial regulations.

RFIR20 = Income tax withholdings made to the taxpayer from January 1st to June 30th, 2020, that the taxpayer is able to use as tax credit.

Taxpayers are able to pay a higher value than the result of the formula. Likewise, if the taxpayer made voluntary income tax advance payments prior to the date the decree was issued, these payments will be attributable to the value of the advance income tax.

Taxpayers are able to pay the full amount of the advance income tax until August 14, 2020 or, in three equal installments until the 14th of the months of August, September and November 2020. The late payment will generate interest and penalties.

The advance income tax will be regarded as tax credit for the payment of 2020 income tax.

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DISCLAIMER: The preceding text has been prepared for general information purposes only. CorralRosales is not responsible for any loss or damage caused as a result of having acted or stopped acting based on the information contained in this document. Any given situation requires the specific opinion and view of the firm in Quito / Guayaquil, Ecuador.

CORRALROSALES

TAG Alliances – Ecuador: Guidelines for the Application of the Law on Humanitarian Support

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DATE: 21-07-2020

MEDIA: TAG Alliances

“The alliance of professional services firms TAG Alliances, of which CorralRosales is a member, has echoed our labor bulletin on the guidelines to apply the new labor regulations contemplated in the “Organic Law of humanitarian support to combat the health crisis arising from COVID-19”, issued last July 15 through ministerial agreements.

According to the agreement to preserve labor sources, the employer must update in the SUT – Humanitarian Law module – the employee’s data in accordance with the agreement signed, including its term. The agreements may be registered as of July 31, 2020. Employers who have signed agreements with their employees prior to the issuance of Agreement 132, will have 15 business days to register the information.

Another agreement reached is in the emerging special employment agreement. The employer must register in the SUT the information about the employee and the agreement, within 15 days from the beginning of the labor relationship. As in the previous case, they shall be able to register as of July 31 and will have 15 working days to register the information if the employers signed agreements with their employees prior to the issuance of Agreement 132.

Regarding the working-day reduction, it may be implemented when faced with situations of unforeseen circumstances or force majeure in the terms provided for within the Civil Code. The conditions and characteristics regulated to be able to take advantage of this reduction include the time of reduction, the term, the remuneration, the contributions to the IESS, the labor benefits, the compensations, the exceptions, the registration in the SUT and the notification. To read the news about our bulletin, click hereSi quiere leer la noticia sobre nuestro boletín, pulse aquí

In CorralRosales we publish a portal in which we inform you about all the legislative updates approved due to the health crisis caused by the Covid-19, such as the Law of Humanitarian Support. Click here to view it.

Teleamazonas – The Ministry of Labor issued the agreements on labor related matters

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DATE: 16-07-2020

CORRALROSALES IN THE NEWS: 

-Edmundo Ramos

MEDIA: Teleamazonas

Television network Teleamazonas conducted an interview with our partner Edmundo Ramos as an expert on labor practices to find out his opinion on the labor changes that began to take place since last March, following the arrival of the health crisis caused by Covid-19. These changes shall be implemented, after the Ministry of Labor issued the agreements with the guidelines for the application of the registration of the types of work and the emerging working-day reduction.

“These agreements specify the procedure to be followed and the deadlines in those cases where employers have already implemented these alternatives,” explained our Partner.

Regarding compensations, within the interview it was clarified that in the event of layoff during the emerging working-day reduction, these compensations, payments and other legal benefits will be calculated based on the salary received by the employee before the reduction.

These guidelines are based on what is stated in the Humanitarian Support Law approved by the National Assembly. In an example given in the interview, it is explained that the emerging contract duly signed shall be registered by the employer in the “Single Work System” (SUT) within fifteen days from the date of execution.

“In the case of emerging working-day reduction, it is established that this reduction shall not be applied if another of the reduction formulas contemplated by law is in force at the time,” adds Ramos.

If you want to see the complete interview, click here

Click here if you want to see the guidelines for the application of the Humanitarian Support Law.

Click here for our information document on the Humanitarian Support Law.

Advantages of the simplified joint-stock company

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The main advantage of the Simplified Joint-Stock Company is its flexibility to adapt to the particularities of each business. Its formation process is very agile and its shareholders have ample freedom to establish the rules of its operation in the bylaws. Therefore, entrepreneurs can count on a legal figure that allows them to develop formal businesses that are entirely adapted to the will of the partners and the peculiarities of the businesses.

Small and medium-sized companies will be the most benefited by this new type of corporate association. Its main advantages are the following:

  1. Incorporation of the company: The creation of this company does not require a public deed, it is constituted by a private document, with the exception of those cases in which real estate property is contributed.
  2. It can be a single-member company: The company can be incorporated and exist with a single shareholder, natural or legal person.
  3. Flexible capital structure: There is no minimum capital and there is no percentage that must be paid at the time the company is incorporated. However, the term for the payment of the capital will not exceed 24 months.
  4. Multiple corporate purpose: The corporate purpose can be broad, that is, it can include many activities without being related to each other. If the corporate purpose is not specified in the act of constitution, it is understood that the company may carry out any lawful activity.
  5. Indefinite term: It is not mandatory to establish a term for the company. Failure to do so implies that it is indefinite.
  6. Principle of existence of the company: The existence of the company occurs with the registration of the contract or unilateral act of creation before the Registry of Companies of the Superintendence of Companies, Securities and Insurance. It is not required the registration before the Mercantile Registry, which simplifies the procedure and reduces costs.
  7. Free negotiation of the shares: The shares are freely negotiable unless the bylaws states the prohibition to do so. This prohibition may not last for more than 10 years.
  8. Change of control in the shareholder company: The bylaws can establish the obligation of shareholder companies to inform the Simplified Joint-Stock Company about any operation involving a change of control. In the event of a change of control, the general meeting of shareholders of the Simplified Joint-Stock Company may exclude shareholder companies in which such event has occurred.
  9. Shareholder agreements with binding force: Shareholder agreements on the transfer of shares, preference and restrictions to transfer them or to increase share capital, exercise of the right to vote, share´s representative at the meeting and any other lawful matter are mandatory for this type of company. To comply with this, such agreements must be kept in the offices where the administration of the company works. Otherwise, without affecting the force and effect between the parties, such agreements do not bind the Simplified Joint-Stock Company.
  10. Auditis optional: The existence of an audit body is not mandatory, but the bylaws may foresee its creation.

Milton Carrera
Senior Associate at CorralRosales
mcarrera@corralrosales.com

Guidelines for the application of the Law on Humanitarian Support

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On July 15th, the Ministry of Labor (hereinafter “MdT”) through Ministerial Agreements MDT-2020-132 and MDT-2020-133, issued guidelines for the establishment of the new labor categories contemplated in the “Organic law on humanitarian support to combat the health crisis arising from COVID-19”.

1. Preservation of labor sources agreements (MDT-2020-132 Agreement)

The employer must update in the online platform SUT – Humanitarian Law section – the employee’s information in accordance with the signed agreement, including its validity.

Agreements may be renewed once, for the same period for which they were originally entered.

Note: Agreements may be registered from July 31st, 2020. Employers who signed agreements with their workers prior to the issuance of Agreement 132, will have 15 working days to register the information in the online platform SUT, that is, until August 21st, 2020.

2. Emerging special employment agreement (Agreement MDT-2020-132)

The employer must register in the online platform SUT the information about the employee and the employment agreement, within 15 days from the beginning of the employment relationship.

Note: Employment agreements may be registered from July 31st, 2020. Employers who signed such agreements prior to the issuance of Agreement 132, will have 15 working days to register the information in the online platform SUT, that is, until August 21st, 2020.

3. Emerging working-day reduction (Agreement MDT-2020-133)

The employer may implement the emerging working-day reduction when facing situations of unforeseen circumstances or force majeure in the terms provided for in Article 30 of the Civil Code.

Conditions and characteristics

  • Reduction: The employer may reduce the working hours by up to 50%, prior authorization from the Ministry of Labor.
  • Term: Up to 1 year, renewable only once for an equal term. After the expiration of the term, the employee’s salary will be the same he/ she received before the measure was applied.
  • Salary: It may not be less than 55% of the salary in force before the reduction and must be proportional to the hours worked.
  • Contributions to IESS: Must be based on the salary paid.
  • Labor benefits: The thirteenth and fourteenth remunerations, reserve fund, vacations and profits shall be paid in proportion to the working-day and the income received by the employee.
  • Compensation: In case of layoff, the compensation will be calculated based on the salary received before the reduction.
  • Exceptions: Employees whose working-day have been reduced under the provision of article 47.1 of the Labor Code may not have this measure applied to them while the previous reduction remains in force.
  • Registration in the SUT: Update the worker’s data in accordance with the new working conditions, including their validity. The lack of registration will be sanctioned according to the Labor Code (US$200 fine), as well as the Constitutional Mandate 8, that is, fines from 3 to 20 minimum statutory wages (currently, from US$1,200 to US$8,000).
  • Notification: The employer must notify the employee by any means of the implementation of the measure and its conditions.

Note: Employers who have applied the working-day reduction before the issuance of Agreement 133, will have 15 working days to register the information in the online platform SUT, that is, until August 5th, 2020.

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DISCLAIMER: The preceding text has been prepared for general information purposes only. CorralRosales is not responsible for any loss or damage caused as a result of having acted or stopped acting based on the information contained in this document. Any given situation requires the specific opinion and view of the firm in Quito / Guayaquil, Ecuador.

CORRALROSALES

Public purchases in a state of emergency

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By Ministerial Agreement No. 00126-2020 of March 11, 2020, the Ministry of Health declared a state of sanitary emergency in Ecuador due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Subsequently, by Executive Decree No. 1017 of March 16, 2020, the President of the Republic declared a state of emergency throughout the national territory. Consequently, various resolutions and administrative provisions have been established to regulate public management and the relations between the Public Administration and those administered.

In this context, the National Public Procurement Service – SERCOP issued the regulations applicable to the state of exception and emergency, in order to coordinate actions to fulfill its purposes and, in particular, guarantee the rights of suppliers to avoid discretion of contracting entities during public procurement processes due to emergencies.

The following is a summary of the regulations issued by SERCOP:

  • Memorandum No. SERCOP-SERCOP-2020-0012-C of March 16, 2020 contains the following recommendations for suppliers and contracting entities:
    • Procurement will be prioritized to guarantee the normal operation of public services and emergency procurement. Special service stations with health safety measures are established to receive offers.
    • In the case of non-priority procedures, it is recommended to cancel or declare them void, depending on the status of the procedure.
    • In the absence of conditions to carry out the pre-contractual stage of planned procurement procedures, entities are encouraged not to publish them.
    • If there are contracts in the contractual execution stage, the administrator must fully comply with the functions established in the respective contracts.
    • Although recommendations do not include it, the legal provisions on unforeseen events and force majeure are applicable to public contracts. The act of authority that declared the state of emergency in the territory of Ecuador, which suppressed and limited the rights of people, among them economic operations and activities and mobility, except in certain excepted cases, constitutes an event of force majeure. These acts of authority are spearheaded by Executive Decree 1017 but include others such as Ministerial Agreement 126-2020, which establishes the health emergency and the constant provisions of the National Emergency Operations Committee (“COE”). In turn, these force majeure events originate from an unforeseen event and its effects, which go beyond the decreed state of emergency, such as the COVID-19 virus declared by the World Health Organization as a pandemic, which has also been ratified by the government of Ecuador. These events constitute extraordinary and irresistible unforeseen events, which have placed the population of Ecuador (and the world) in an emergency situation, making it impossible for the normal development of the usual commercial and productive activities of the public and private. Likewise, they have placed current obstacles to the execution of contractual relationships, which clearly exceed the control and predictability of the parties, and which could be alleged as long as they generate real and verifiable effects with the purpose of exempting the fulfillment of contractual obligations or the termination of contracts according to each case.
    • SERCOP guarantees service for procedures, claims and complaints through telematic means. Face-to-face trainings will be rescheduled.
  • Memorandum No. SERCOP-SERCOP-2020-0013-C of March 17, 2020 establishes the guidelines for submission of offers during the health emergency, and provides that contracting entities in the different contractual procedures, in a compulsory way, will indicate in the field of observations in the form, that the offers and validations can be received by the following means: physical, Courier (regular mail) or email, also indicating in the form the institutional mailing address to receive them.
  • Resolutions Nos. RE-SERCOP-2020-0104 of March 19, 2020 and RE-SERCOP-2020-0105 of April 6, 2020, which reform Resolution No. RE-SERCOP-2016-0000072, of August 31 2016, which contains the Codification and update of resolutions issued by SERCOP. These resolutions, the main aspects of which are listed below, should apply to contracts in an emergency as of March 20, 2020:
    • The contracting entity must expressly declare that there is an impossibility to carry out common procedures to overcome the emergency situation, qualifying this situation through a motivated administrative act that must be published on the PUBLIC PURCHASES Portal, and that will constitute a requirement which enables to continue with the emergency contracts.
    • The term of the emergency declaration may not be greater than 60 days unless a new Executive Decree is issued extending the state of exception.
    • For the procurement of works, goods or services in emergency situations, including consultancy, a direct and objective relationship must be verified between the emergency situation and the urgency of carrying out a procurement procedure to supply a current and emergency need that has arisen as a result of the aforementioned situation. For all emergency procurement, prior certification of budget availability will be necessary.
    • Emergency purchase will be made through a selection of suppliers in an agile, fast, transparent, and simple way, seeking to obtain the best costs. For this purpose, the entity or central governing body may consolidate the demand of all bodies or entities of any nature to carry out a single selection procedure.
    • In emergency procurement for the acquisition of drugs, medical devices or supplies, biochemical or diagnostic reagents, and other strategic goods in health, or the provision of health services or funeral; The analysis of the market offer will be considered fulfilled when the contracting entities publish their contracting needs on their institutional website; and, based on the proposals they receive, select the ones that best suit institutional interests. For these contracts, the supply and demand that exists on the market at that date will be considered as an indispensable parameter.
    • In emergency procurement carried out directly by the contracting entity (acquisition of goods abroad), verification of the absence of national production or supply will not be required, nor will import authorization by SERCOP.
    • All contracts, purchase orders or invoices generated within the framework of the emergency declaration must be done in writing through physical or electronic means. Contracting entities may improve the instruments using transmission of data messages in accordance with the provisions of the Electronic Commerce, Electronic Signatures and Data Messages Act. When in emergency contracts is impossible to access to notarial services, the contracting entity, in an exceptional and provisional manner, will endorse with administrative officials those enabling documents necessary for the signing of the contracts. The establishment of consortiums by private means will be allowed, which will be formalized by public deed once the notarial services have been restored. The contracts that by provision of the law require to be protocolized will be executed from their subscription and will be protocolized later. Currently, some notaries may protocolize these contracts.
    • For contracts in an emergency, SERCOP may, at any time, initiate the necessary control actions to guarantee compliance with the issued regulations.
    • The norms that regulate the temporary association to make corporate purchases between contracting entities will not be applicable to cases of centralized (corporate) purchases of emergency.
    • In the event of emergency declarations issued and published by the contracting entities until before the validity of the Resolutions, they will be forced to comply with and adapt to their provisions.
  • Memo No. SERCOP-SERCOP-2020-0014-C of March 26, 2020 reiterates, within the framework of the regulations issued by the state of emergency and health emergency, the obligation of the contracting entities to implement electronic signature in public procurement procedures; which will allow the opening of a new way of communication with citizens in a more agile way and will reduce the processing time of the procurement procedure, safeguarding and guaranteeing the safety of citizens.

Additionally, SERCOP maintains on its website an updated list of products and services needs in the state of emergency along with delivery conditions. They can be found in the following link:

https://www.compraspublicas.gob.ec/ProcesoContratacion/compras/EMG/EmgRegistros.cpe

It is essential that SERCOP efficiently apply in practice the provisions of the regulations issued and carry out the necessary control management for its effective compliance.

Ricardo Mancheno
Senior Associate at CorralRosales
rmancheno@corralrosales.com

Payment facilities and exceptional payment plan – IRS

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Regulations NAC-DGERCGC20-00000043 and NAC-DGERCGC20-00000044 issued on June 23, 2020 by the General Director of the Internal Revenue Service, the rules for applying the Second and Third Transitory Provisions of the Law for Humanitarian Support to Combat the Health Crisis arising from COVID-19 were established.

The Second Transitory Provision of said law and Regulation NAC-DGERCGC20-00000043 establish that those taxpayers that applied the tax amnesty provided in the Law for the Promotion of Production, and that from January 2020 to June 22, 2020 have not paid 2 or more installments of their payment facility plan, may cover the amount owed until September 30, 2020 without surcharges, interest or fines.

Furthermore, the Third Transitory Provision of said law and Regulation NAC-DGERCGC20-00000044 establish that those taxpayers that applied the exceptional payment plan provided for in the Law on Tax Simplification and Progressivity, and that as of June 22, 2020 have not paid any of their installments, may cover the amount owed in 12 equal monthly installments, which must be paid on the 28th of each month, beginning July 28, 2020, without surcharges, interest or fines.

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DISCLAIMER: The preceding text has been prepared for general information purposes only. CorralRosales is not responsible for any loss or damage caused as a result of having acted or stopped acting based on the information contained in this document. Any given situation requires the specific opinion and view of the firm in Quito / Guayaquil, Ecuador.

CORRALROSALES