On January 23, more than 20 non-governmental organizations in Gavar were familiarized with some of the legislative nuances concerning the new opportunity for NGOs to engage in entrepreneurial activity.
The training was organized within the framework of the EU-funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project. Trainer, Executive Director of the Project Partner SME Partnership Association of Armenia, Hakob Avagyan, Business and Related Sectors Coordinator of the project noted that it is aimed at raising the influence of civil society organizations in the issues of the development of public policies.
Hakob Avagyan presented the legal issues of social entrepreneurship. After the adoption of the new law on non-governmental organizations, many NGOs want to engage in entrepreneurial activities but face a number of problems when it is necessary to choose a taxation regime. The lecturer presented a number of examples and through questions and answers session the group found out which activities could be deemed entrepreneurial.
He recommended the participants to create a separate commercial company, carry out a separate accounting unless the government has clarified which income of the NGO is considered to be received from the entrepreneurial activity, and the regime for taxation of different kinds of income.
“We are trying to develop the IT sector in our region. I wonder if we are engaged in entrepreneurial activity, how we should pay. There was new information which I learned at the training. Shall we have such meetings again,” Sargis Kiyevyan, representative of the ITM Innovation Center said.
Aram Vardanyan, the founding president of “HUYSI DZERQ” Non-Governmental Organization, mentioned that such trainings are effective for the improvement of the work done in the field of infection. “The course is a great lesson for everyone, the Tax Code is always changing – everyone needs to know the news. There are many changes made in the laws that we are not aware about. Such trainings are important because they taught the participants how to present their reports correctly avoid complications, “he said.
The “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by a Consortium of civil society organizations, which are the Armenian Lawyers’ Association (lead organization), Agora Central Europe (NGO based in the Czech Republic), the Armenian Centre for Democratic Education-CIVITAS, the International Centre for Human Development, the SME Cooperation Association and the Union of Communities of Armenia.
