President Leonel Fernandez received yesterday the preliminary tax reform project that includes the elimination of several low-collection taxes, that increase bureaucracy in the government, as well as the exchange rate commission and other taxes that hinder the competitiveness of businesses. Diario Libre reports that the project includes the compensations demanded by the business sector but does not include a different VAT (ITBIS) as requested by the hotel sector. Taxes eliminated in the project are Civil Registry, naturalization of foreigners, land survey and taxes for ticket sales to sports stadiums and public performances. Also eliminated are the contributions determined by the quick divorce law as well as those required for the purchase of licenses to sell machines and accessories. The law taxing documents and their 97 categories is eliminated and those taxes are classified in only four operations: real estate transfers, other real estate operations, vehicle transfers and the formation of companies. The Executive Branch must now present the bill to Congress where it will be debated, and possibly modified, before being passed. El Caribe reports that the bill will be sent to Congress this same week. Other projects to be presented include a law for efficient collections, and budget autonomy for the Customs Department (DGA) and Tax Department (DGII). The use of consular invoices will automatically be eliminated once the DR-CAFTA comes into effect. According to Hoy, Montas said the government is strengthening the institutional foundation of the tax system with the intention of making its administration more efficient and tackling evasion.