Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

Enacts new legal framework and new investment incentives for Special Economic Zones

20 Jul 2022

On 20 July 2022, the Government of Venezuela enacted the "Ley Orgánica de las Zonas Económicas Especiales", a new legal framework for Special Economic Zones (SEZ), with the objective of developing a new national productive model; promoting national and foreign investments in the country; fostering industrial development; contributing to export diversification and creating new sources of employment. The Act entered into force on the same date.

Under the Act, newly established SEZs can host investments in the following sectors: manufacturing, agro-industry, export and re-export, aeronautics and energy; R&D and production of systems, parts and components for telecommunications, information technology, waste management, and defense and military technology sectors; financial services; other service sectors such as tourism, hospitality and leisure;

Investment incentives include refund of import taxes and of other national taxes (conditions to be determined by Governmental decree).

Investment facilitation benefits include a single window mechanism to streamline, harmonize and automatize procedures, including a digital platform for investments in SEZs; the setting up of education and research centers to provide human capital training for investments in SEZs and a regime of free currency convertibility.

Finally, the new legislation imposes a viability review of SEZs established prior to the enactment of the law, in order to determine whether they should be discontinued, maintained or adjusted to the new regime within a period not to exceed 180 days.

Nature of measure:
  • Facilitation
  • Incentives
Type:
  • Treatment and operation (Capital transfer and FOREX)
  • Promotion and facilitation (Investment facilitation , Investment incentives, Special economic zones)
Industry:
  • Not industry specific
  • Manufacturing (Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco products, Manufacture of rubber and plastics products, and other non-metallic mineral products, Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, and electrical equipment, Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c., Other manufacturing)
  • Services (Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, Accommodation and food service activities, Arts, entertainment and recreation)
Inward FDI:
No
Outward FDI:
No
Sources:

  • The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).

    Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.

    UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.

  • UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor

    The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).

    The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).

    The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.

    Classification of the nature of measures

    More favourable to investors

    Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.

    Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).

    Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.

    Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.

    Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).

    Less favourable to investors

    Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.

    Treatment and operations: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.

    Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.

    Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

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