Neimpozitarea gazelor exportate a adus pierderi Romaniei de circa 4,4 milioane euroTax Exemption of Gas Exports Costs Romania 4.4 Million Euros

La 1 an de la intrarea in vigoare a Ordonantei Guvernului 7/2013 privind supraimpozitarea veniturilor suplimentare obtinute ca urmare a dereglementarii preturilor din sectorul gazelor naturale, constatam ca in timp ce au crescut nenumarate taxe in Romania s-au pierdut cca. 4,4 mil euro numai din neimpozitarea gazelor exportate in Ungaria. 

In primavara anului 2012 Guvernul Ungureanu demara o Ordonanta de Urgenta pentru supraimpozitarea veniturilor exceptionale, care urmau a fi obtinute de catre companiile producatoare de gaze, urmare a aplicarii calendarului de dereglementare a pretului gazelor din productia interna si constituirea unui fond pentru clientii vulnerabili.

In acest sens Ministerul Finantelor a elaborat o forma initiala de proiect de ordonanta de urgenta privind instituirea contributiei societatilor din sectorul energetic pentru sustinerea financiara a consumatorilor vulnerabili in urma dereglementarii preturilor la gaze naturale si energie electrica. Proiectul prevedea ca aceste companii sunt obligate la plata unei contributii de 50-100% din veniturile suplimentare realizate urmare a liberalizarii pretului la gazele naturale. Prevederile urmau sa fie aplicate odata cu calendarul de liberalizare a preturilor.

Baza impozabila o constituiau veniturile suplimentare pe care operatorul economic le obtine ca efect al dereglementarii pretului, venituri realizate din exploatarea capacitatilor de productie existente, inclusiv din exploatarea investitiilor initiate inainte de intrarea in vigoare a ordonantei si care vor fi puse in functiune ulterior, din care se scade valoarea investitiilor de extindere, retehnologizare sau reabilitare efectuate la capacitatile existente in productie la data intrarii in vigoare a ordonantei de urgenta, dar nu mai mult de 30% din veniturile suplimentare realizate.
Conform art 3 din proiectul de Ordonanta de urgenta privind instituirea contributiei operatorilor economici din sectorul energetic pentru sustinerea financiara a consumatorilor vulnerabili:

„Veniturile suplimentare rezultate din comercializarea gazelor naturale se determina pe baza urmatoarei formule de calcul:
Vs=Qc x (Pc-Pp) + Qnc x (Pnc – Pp) + Qe x (Pe-Pp)
Unde:
Vs – venit suplimentar
Qc – cantitatea de gaze naturale din productia interna, livrata si facturata, destinata consumului casnic (MWh)
Pc – pretul de vanzare al gazelor naturale din productia interna, livrata si facturata, destinate consumului casnic (lei/MWh)
Pp – pretul prag stabilit (45,71 lei/Mwh)
Qnc – cantitatea de gaze naturale din productia interna, livrata si facturata, destinata consumului non casnic (MWh)
Pnc – pretul de vanzare al gazelor naturale din productia interna, livrata si facturata, destinate consumului non casnic (lei/MWh)
Qe – cantitatea de gaze naturale din productia interna, livrata si facturata la export (MWh)
Pe – pretul de vanzare al gazelor naturale din productia interna, livrata si facturata la export (lei/MWh)
Fondurile astfel obtinute se virau intr-un fond special destinat consumatorilor vulnerabili.

 Ideea a preluat-o si Guvernul Ponta, care aproba OG 7/2013 privind Instituirea impozitulul asupra veniturilor suplimentare obtinute ca urmare a dereglementarii preturilor din sectorul gazelor naturale, eliminand obiectul de a constitui un fond pentru clientii vulnerabili si aplicarea supraimpozitarii pentru gazele exportate.

Conform Art. 2 din OG 7/2013 aprobata:
(1)               Operatorii economici, inclusiv filialele acestora si/sau operatorii economici apartinand aceluias grup de interes economic, care desfasoara efectiv atat activitati de extractie, cat si activitati de vanzare a gazelor naturale extrase din Romania pe teritoriul national, in marea teritoriala, in zona economica exclusiva a Romaniei din Marea Neagra, sunt obligati la calcularea, declararea si plata impozitului asupra veniturilor suplimentare obtinute ca urmare a dereglementarii preturilor din sectorul gazelor naturale, impozit stabilit in conditiile prezentei ordonante.
(2) Impozitul prevazut la alin. (1) este de 60% din veniturile suplimentare, asa cum acestea sunt determinate potrivit anexei care face parte integranta din prezenta ordonanta, din care se deduc redeventele aferente acestor venituri, precum si investitile in segmentul upstream.
Modificarea pe ultima suta de metri a textului Ordonantei privind supraimpozitarea veniturilor suplimentare obtinute ca urmare a dereglementarii preturilor din sectorul gazelor naturale a determinat scutirea supraimpozitarii gazelor exportate, ca diferenta intre pretul prag şi pretul gazelor vandut la export.

In anul 2013 s-a desfasurat exportul de gaze intercomunitar spre Ungaria, folosind rezervarea in SNT a capacitatii de backhaul si incheierea unor contracte de vanzare cumparare gaze in Ungaria si Romania. Deoarece ANRE nu a facut public exportul intercomunitar de gaze naturale din Romania spre Ungaria, estimam o cantitate de 60 mil mc de gaze care au fost exportate prin aceasta tehnica in anul 2013.
Backhaul este procedura de rezervare a capacitatii virtuale intr-un punct fizic, pentru a asigura curgerea virtuala a gazelor in sens invers.
Backhaul-ul este doar un serviciu specific activitatii de transport, un instrument comercial care permite curgerea virtuala (comerciala) in sens opus curegrii fizice efective. Dar, acest serviciu este precedat de operatia efectiva de tranzactionare (de export, aşa cum impropriu este folosita in vorbirea curenta) a gazelor din Romania spre Ungaria, el trebuie sa fie insotit de contracte de vanzare cumparare intre companii din tarile respective (in general) şi de o procedura de swap.

Swap-ul de gaze naturale este un schimb de gaze care prezinta caracteristici diferite, intre doua sau mai multe puncte. Deoarece in situatia Romaniei nu se putea realiza transportul propriu-zis al gazului (fizic) din Romania spre Ungaria s-au realizat swap-uri, astfel incat gazul livrat in sistemul de transport din productia interna este „schimbat  virtual” cu o cantitate de gaz din import intercomunitar, considerandu-se ca au intrat in Romania gaze din import şi au ieşit gaze din productia interna.

Schema de aplicare a tranzactilor intercomunitare virtuale se gaseşte detaliata http://dumitruchisalita.ro/2013/12/27/exportul-de-gaze-intercomunitar/

In anul 2013 Producatorul de gaze 1 a vandut gaze catre un Furnizor intermediar A, estimam  o cantitate de gaze de 636.000 MWh/an (60 mil mc/an) cu un pret de 68,2 lei/MWh (pret care este conform Calendarului de liberalizare stabilit de Guvern), astfel Producatorul 1 incaseaza  de la Furnizorul 1 la pretul prag stabilit in Ordonanta de urgenta (45,71 lei/Mwh), 29.071.560 lei si un venit suplimentar anual de 14.367.720 lei (ca diferenta intre pretul de vanzare a gazelor in anul 2013 şi pretul prag stabilit de OG7), din care 8.620.344 lei intra in Bugetul de Stat ca impozit suplimentar conform OG7/2013.

Furnizorul A a realizat un export intercomunitar   prin contracte de vanzare, acord de swap si un contract de backhaul cu   TRANSGAZ, in Ungaria, unde pretul de comercializare pe piata a fost de cca.   108 lei/MWh. Astfel, Furnizorul A a castigat 24.804.000 lei, iar   statul Ungar incaseaza 6.697.080 lei din TVA.

Incepand cu 1 februarie 2014 prin deschiderea sensului de curgere dinspre Romania spre Ungaria, cantitatea de gaze exportata intercomunitar poate sa creasca semnificativ prin incheierea cu TRANSGAZ a unor contracte de reverse flow in regim ferm ( cca. 10.000 mc/h) şi intreruptibil pana  la cantitati de  1 mld mc/an.

In aceste conditii:

– Producatorul 1 va incasa de la Furnizorul A la pretul prag stabilit in Ordonanta de urgenta (45,71 lei/Mwh), 484.526.000 lei si un venit suplimentar anual de 278.674.000 lei (la pretul conform Calendarului de liberalizare stabilit de Guvern), din care 167.204.000 lei intra in Bugetul de Stat ca impozit suplimentar conform OG7/2013.
– Furnizorul A poate sa castige prin plasarea acestor gaze in Ungaria, intr-un an 246.980.000 lei, iar statul Ungar incaseaza 66.684.600 lei din TVA.
Pretul gazelor naturale exportate din Romania pentru piata din Ungaria, la nivelul stabilit prin  Calendarului de liberalizare aprobat de Guvern, este un pret de dumping pentru piata din Ungaria, ceea ce impune luarea unor masuri specifice. Astfel, supraimpozitarea diferentelor de pret intre pretul mediu al ultimului an de vanzare a gazelor in tara de desfacere (am estimat acest pret pentru anul 2013 in Ungaria ca fiind 96 lei/MWh) si pretul de referinta al gazelor din productia interna prevazut de OG 7 (45,71 lei/MWh) exista posibilitatea de a se imparti aceste venituri intre Furnizorul A si Statul Roman.

In realitate Furnizorul A cu sediul in Romania achizitioneaza aceste gaze din Romania si le vinde Furnizorului B din Ungaria (societate care are acelasi actionar ca si Furnizorul A), la un adaus nesemnificativ, estimat la 0,7 lei/Mwh, ceea ce face ca societatea cu sediul in Romania, sa detina o cifra de afaceri mica in Romania si profitul sa fie transferat in Ungaria, la Furnizorul B (este doar un scenariu).
 

Gaze   exportate intercomunitar
Sume   suplimentare la bugetul de stat din impozitul pe venit suplimentar in   situatia in care se prevedea aplicabilitatea si pentru gazele exportate (lei)
Sume   suplimentare la bugetul de stat din impozitul pe profit in situatia in care   se prevedea aplicabilitatea impozitului pe venit suplimentar si pentru gazele   exportate (lei)
Sume   suplimentare la bugetul de stat din TVA obtinut in situatia in care se   prevedea aplicabilitatea impozitului pe venit suplimentar si pentru gazele   exportate (lei)
Sume   suplimentare totale la bugetul de stat in situatia in care se prevedea   aplicabilitatea impozitului pe venit suplimentar si pentru gazele exportate   (lei)

 
In situatia in care nu se elimina din Ordonanta 7/2013 Instituirea impozitulul asupra veniturilor suplimentare obtinute ca urmare a dereglementarii preturilor din sectorul gazelor naturale prin supraimpozitarea gazelor exportate, Romania ar fi putut aduce in anul 2013 in plus cca. 4,4 mil Euro la bugetul de stat, iar in anul 2014 s-ar putea obtine pana la 63,5 mil Euro.One year after the Government Order 7/2013 came into force, ruling the overtaxation of additional income resulting from the deregulation of the natural gas price, we can see that approximately 4.4 million euros were lost just in taxes for gas exports to Hungary, while many other taxes have increased in Romania.

In the spring of 2012, the Government headed by Mr. Razvan Ungureanu drafted an Emergency Order on the overtaxation of exceptional income to be obtained by the gas producers, due to the implementation of the deregulation schedule for the indigenous production of gas, and on the establishment of a fund for vulnerable clients.

Therefore, the Ministry of Finance drafted a preliminary form of an Emergency Ordinance introducing a contribution of energy companies for the financial support to vulnerable customers following the deregulation of gas and electricity prices. According to the bill, these companies had to pay a contribution equivalent to 50-100% of the additional income resulting from the liberalization of the gas price. The provisions should have been enacted in parallel with the price liberalization schedule.

The tax basis was the additional income of the company coming from the deregulation of the price, the operational income from the existing production facilities, including the operation of investments launched before the Order came into force, and to be commissioned subsequently, deducing the investments for development, technology upgrade, or overhaul of existing facilities operating on the applicable date of the Order; the deduction could not exceed 30% of the additional earnings.
According to Article 3 of the Emergency Order draft:

„Additional income resulting from natural gas sales are calculated as follows:
Vs=Qc x (Pc-Pp) + Qnc x (Pnc – Pp) + Qe x (Pe-Pp)
where:
Vs – additional income
Qc – supplied and invoiced amount of indigenous natural gas for household consumption (MWh)
Pc – sale price of supplied and invoiced amount of indigenous natural gas for household consumption (lei/MWh)
Pp – fixed threshold price (45.71 lei/MWh)
Qnc – supplied and invoiced amount of indigenous natural gas for non-household consumption (MWh)
Pnc – sale price of supplied and invoiced amount of indigenous natural gas for non-household consumption (lei/MWh)
Qc – supplied and invoiced amount of indigenous natural gas exports (MWh)
Pe – sale price of supplied and invoiced amount of indigenous natural gas exports (lei/MWh)
The resulting sums were directed to a special fund for the benefit of vulnerable consumers.

Mr. Ponta’s current Government grasped the idea and passed the Government Decision 7/2013 on the taxation of additional income resulting from the deregulation of natural gas price, but eliminated the idea of a fund for the vulnerable clients and the overtaxation of exported gas.

Article 2 of the approved Decision stipulates:
(1) The economic operators, including their subsidiaries and/or economic operators within the same economic interest groups, actually performing both extraction and sales operations of natural gas extracted in Romania, in its territorial waters, in Romania’s exclusive economic zone of the Black Sea must calculate, declare, and pay taxes for additional income resulting from the deregulation of the natural gas price, as established hereby.
(2) The tax mentioned in Paragraph (1) is 60% of the additional income calculated in accordance with the Appendix integral to this Decision, deducing the royalties pertaining to this income and the upstream investments.
A last minute modification of this Decision resulted in the elimination of the overtax for the exported gas, as difference between the threshold price and the export price.

In 2013, gas was exported to Hungary as internal EU trade, using the reservation of the backhaul capacity in the National Transmission System (NTS) and signing sales agreements between Hungary and Romania. Since the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) did not publicly disclose the internal EU trade of gas from Romania to Hungary, we estimate this amount to 60 million cubic meters in 2013.
The term ‘backhaul’ refers to the procedure for reserving virtual capacity at a physical point to ensure virtual flowing of gas in the opposite direction.
The backhaul is merely a specific service of the transmission, a commercial instrument allowing the virtual (commercial) flowing of gas in the opposite direction to the actual physical flow. But this service is preceded by the actual gas trading operation (export, as improperly called usually) from Romania to Hungary; it must be supported (generally) by sale contracts between companies in the two countries and by a swap procedure.

The natural gas swap is a trade of gases with different characteristics between two or more points. As Romania’s conditions did not allow actual (physical) transmission of gas to Hungary, swap operations were carried out, to „virtually exchange” the gas supplied from domestic production into the transmission system with gas from internal EU imports, considering import gas as entering Romania and indigenous gas as exiting the country.

The scheme for the application of virtual trading within the EU is detailed at http://dumitruchisalita.ro/2013/12/27/exportul-de-gaze-intercomunitar/

In 2013, Gas Producer #1 sold gas to the Intermediary Supplier A; we estimate the amount of gas to 636,00 MWh/year (60 million cubic meters / year) at a price of 68.2 lei/MWh (according to the Liberalization Schedule set by the Government); thus, Producer #1 is paid by Supplier A at the threshold price set in the Emergency Order (45.71 lei/MW) with 29,071,560 lei, and an additional income of 14,368,720 lei results (as the difference between the sale price of gas in 2013 and the threshold price set in the Emergency Order No. 8); of this, 8,620,344 lei go to the State Budget as additional tax in accordance with the Emergency Order 7/2003.

Supplier A performed an export within the EU through sale contracts, a swap agreement, and a backhaul contract with Transgaz, to Hungary, where the market price was approximately 108 lei/MWh. Thus, Supplier A earns 24,804,000 lei, while the Hungarian state rakes in 6,697,080 lei as VAT.

Starting on February 1, 2014, when the flow direction from Romania to Hungary opens, the amount of gas exported within the EU can increase significantly, by signing firm reverse flow contracts with Transgaz (approximately 10,000 cubic meters per hour), and intermittent contracts up to 1 billion cubic meters per year.

Thus:

– Producer 1 is paid by Supplier A at the threshold price set in the Emergency Order (45.71 lei/MWh) 484,526,000 lei and a yearly additional income of 278,674,000 lei (at the price in the Liberalization Schedule approved by the Government), of which 167,204,000 lei go to the State Budget as additional income in accordance with Emergency Order 7/2013.
– Supplier A can make 246,980,000 lei over one year by selling this gas in Hungary, while the Hungarian state receives 66,684,600 lei of VAT.
The price of natural gas exports from Romania to the Hungarian market at the level set in the Liberalization Schedule approved by the government is a dumping price for the Hungarian market, which requires specific measures. Therefore, by an overtaxation of the difference between the average gas price for the last year on the destination market (for 2013, we estimated that in Hungary it was 96 lei/MWh) and the benchmark price of indigenous gas, set by Government Decision (45.71 lei/MWh), this income could be split between Supplier A and the Romanian state.

In practice, Supplier A having its registered office in Romania purchases the gas here and sells it to Supplier B in Hungary (a company owned by the same stockholders as Supplier A), with a negligible trade margin estimated at 0.7 lei/MWh, which leaves the company in Romania with a small turnover and transfers the profit to Hungary, to Supplier B (this being just one scenario).

The heading of the table below reads:
Column B: Gas exports within the EU
Column C: Additional income to the state budget from additional income tax if it would have been applied to gas exports, too (lei)
Column D: Additional income to the state budget from corporate tax if the additional income tax would have been applied to gas exports, too (lei)
Column E: Additional income to the state budget from VAT if the additional income tax would have been applied to gas exports, too (lei)
Column F: Additional income to the state budget if the additional income tax would have been applied to gas exports, too (lei)

If Government Order 7/2013 wouldn’t have eliminated the overtaxation of gas exports, Romania’s budget could have earned 4.4 million euros in 2013, and up to 63.5 million euros could enter in 2014.