China's tax policy has played an important role in supporting scientific and technological innovation, which has effectively promoted the construction of an innovative country. However, there are still some shortcomings. Combining the opportunity of "Overall Plan for Deepening the Reform of Fiscal and Taxation System", we should grasp the overall goal of fiscal and taxation reform and the development strategy of science and technology. By promoting the "inclusive" incentive policy, applying structural tax reduction, summing up the pilot experience in the demonstration area, we can improve the operability of tax policy, encourage long-term investment in science and technology, strengthen the commercialization of innovation achievements, establish the tax incentive mechanism of human capital, improve the related work and coordination mechanism, and improve the incentive mechanism of scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship, so as to better develop the scientific and technological innovation system with enterprises as the main body, market-oriented and Industry-University-Research as the combination.
Keywords: incentive mechanism of tax policy for scientific and technological innovation
Scientific and technological innovation is the main driving force, the key factor and the "first productive force" to promote the economic development of all countries in the world. The national scientific and technological innovation policy has a vital guiding role in improving social productive forces and comprehensive national strength, building a national innovation system and accelerating the process of enterprise innovation. The report of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly puts forward to promote the synchronous development of new industrialization, informationization, urbanization and agricultural modernization, which requires us to fully release the potential of scientific and technological innovation to drive economic growth when we enter the new stage of the "new normal" of the economy, and promote the strategic task of building a well-off society in an all-round way and creating an "upgraded version" of the economy in 2020. In recent years, China's tax policy has played an important role in supporting scientific and technological innovation and achieved results, which has effectively promoted the construction of an innovative country. However, there are still some shortcomings. On the basis of clarifying the relationship between government and market, we should deepen the reform of science and technology investment system, improve the incentive mechanism of science and technology innovation and entrepreneurship, break through the bottleneck of independent innovation system and mechanism, further optimize the design of tax system, implement and apply tax incentive policies to support science and technology innovation, and better develop a science and technology innovation system with enterprises as the main body, market as the guidance and Industry-University-Research as the combination.
First, the current tax policy to support the evaluation of scientific and technological innovation activities
Technological innovation has a certain nature of public goods, and it is inefficient to allocate it completely by the market, which determines that the government must participate in its allocation. Under the condition of market economy, enterprises should be the main body of innovation. The government's intervention in technological innovation activities can mainly correct market failure by using fiscal and taxation policies, promote the internalization of external effects of technological innovation, and encourage technological innovation of enterprises. In the government's fiscal and taxation means, the incentive effect of tax preferential expenditure on enterprise technological innovation is higher than that of direct fiscal expenditure, and its implementation cost is lower than that of direct fiscal expenditure. Because of the high income and high risk of technological innovation activities, the uncertainty and discontinuity of technological innovation income of enterprises are determined, which often inhibits the innovation desire of enterprises. The government's use of tax expenditure incentive policy to share the risk cost of innovation subjects will improve the income expectation of enterprise innovation and enhance the motivation of independent innovation.
(A) the current tax policy has strongly supported the innovation and entrepreneurship activities of the whole society.
By the end of 20 13, there were more than 100 tax incentives and tax incentives in the policy documents issued by the central and local governments to implement the Outline of the National Medium-and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020) and the Twelfth Five-Year Plan for National Science and Technology Development. The tax expenditure of turnover tax covers software, animation, integrated circuits, major technical equipment, IT, pharmaceutical products, scientific research equipment, and technology business incubators. In terms of income tax, it covers eight preferential tax policies, including high-tech enterprises, technologically advanced service enterprises, software and integrated circuit industries, animation industry, technology transfer, venture capital, financial funds obtained by enterprises, and various scientific and technological bonuses. China has initially formed a scientific and technological tax policy system with income tax as the main body and certain innovative institutional characteristics.
1. Support scientific and technological innovation with structural tax reduction.
First of all, measures are introduced to encourage enterprises to innovate in income tax concessions.
The first is to further clarify the relevant preferential provisions for technology transfer to enjoy enterprise income tax reduction and exemption. In 20 10, the Ministry of Finance of People's Republic of China (PRC) and State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China jointly issued the Notice on Enterprise Income Tax Policies on Technology Transfer of Resident Enterprises (Caishui [2065438+00]11), which stipulated the scope of enterprise technology transfer and the implementation procedures of domestic and cross-border technology transfer.
The second is to improve the preferential income tax policies for advanced technology service enterprises. In 20 10, the Ministry of Finance, State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the Notice on Enterprise Income Tax Policies for Technology-Advanced Service Enterprises, which stipulated that from July/0/0/day of 20/kloc-0 to February 3 1 3.
The third is to improve the preferential policies for the transition period of enterprise income tax. In 20 10, State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China issued the Notice on Further Defining the Implementation Scope of Preferential Policies for Enterprise Income Tax Transition Period (Guo [2065 438+00] 157No.), which clarified the relevant provisions on the calculation of enterprise income tax rate for high-tech enterprises that are in the normal transition period of tax reduction or exemption.
The fourth is to further improve the accelerated depreciation policy of fixed assets of strategic emerging industrial enterprises encouraged by the state. On October 20th, 2065438+0410/KLOC-0, the Ministry of Finance of People's Republic of China (PRC) and State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China jointly issued the Notice on Improving the Enterprise Income Tax Policy for Accelerated Depreciation of Fixed Assets, which clarified the relevant policies for accelerated depreciation of fixed assets. Fixed assets purchased after 20 14 years 10 months 10 days by enterprises in six industries, including biopharmaceutical manufacturing, special equipment manufacturing, railway, shipbuilding, aerospace and other transportation equipment manufacturing, computer, communication and other electronic equipment manufacturing, instrumentation manufacturing, information transmission, software and information technology services, are allowed to be no less than the provisions of the enterprise income tax law. Instruments and equipment specially used for R&D activities purchased by enterprises after 20 14 10, whose unit value does not exceed10 million yuan, are allowed to be included in the current costs and expenses at one time, and deducted when calculating taxable income. All these highlight the policy orientation of the state to encourage scientific and technological innovation of enterprises.
Secondly, a number of upcoming tax supporting policies and other preferential tax policies will be supplemented and improved. For example, Notice of the State Council on Printing and Distributing Several Policies to Further Encourage the Development of Software Industry and Integrated Circuit Industry (Guo Fa [201] No.4), Notice of State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China of the Ministry of Finance on Extending the Implementation Period of Tax Policies for National University Science Parks and Technology Business Incubators (Cai Shui [201] No.59), Decision of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce of State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China, People's Republic of China (PRC) on Continuing to Implement the Tax Policy on Equipment Purchase of R&D Institutions (Cai Shui [2011] No.88), Decision of the Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs and State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China on Amending the Interim Provisions on Exemption from Import Tax on Scientific Research Articles and Provisions on Exemption from Import Tax on Scientific Research and Teaching Articles (Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs,)
Third, adjust import and export tax policies to promote industrial technological innovation. In 20 10, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the General Administration of Customs and State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China jointly issued the Notice on Adjusting the Relevant Catalogue of Import Tax Policies for Major Technical Equipment (No.2012]14), which adjusted the import tax policies for major technical equipment (some key parts and raw materials) needed in some fields and encouraged enterprises to carry out technological innovation.
2. All localities have further improved the operability of tax policies.
Various localities have issued documents to enhance the operability of preferential tax policies in the region, and nearly two-thirds of provinces (cities, districts) have issued specific implementation measures to implement the enterprise R&D plus deduction policy. Since the Ministry of Finance, State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China, Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant departments issued the Notice on Preferential Policies for Enterprise Income Tax for Technological Innovation in 2006 (Caishui [2006] No.88), And the Notice of State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China City, People's Republic of China (PRC) on Printing and Distributing the Administrative Measures for Pre-tax Deduction of Research and Development Expenses of Enterprises (Trial) (Guo Shui Fa [2008] No.65438 +0 16) and the Notice of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China of the People's Republic of China on Printing and Distributing the Administrative Measures for the Identification of High-tech Enterprises (Guo Keguo Shui Fa [2008] No.6544) State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China's "Notice on Printing and Distributing the Management Guidelines for the Identification of High-tech Enterprises" (Guo Keguo Shui Fa [2008] No.362) and other documents, which affect the R&D expenses of enterprises.
By the end of 20 1 1, 24 provinces (cities, districts) have issued relevant operational documents on the pre-tax deduction policy of R&D expenses. Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan and other places have issued specific implementation measures for the certification management of high-tech enterprises in this region. Some places have carried out pilot projects to improve tax policies in demonstration areas and made breakthroughs. For example, the pilot policy issued by Zhongguancun Science Park-the notice of State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China, Ministry of Finance of People's Republic of China (PRC), on the pilot policy of adding and deducting R&D expenses related to the construction of national independent innovation demonstration zone in Zhongguancun Science Park (Caishui [201] No.81), and the notice of State Taxation Administration of The People's Republic of China, Ministry of Finance, on the pilot policy of pre-tax deduction of education expenses related to the construction of national independent innovation demonstration zone in Zhongguancun Science Park (Caishui) are in
First, the "five insurances and one fund" (basic old-age insurance, basic medical insurance, unemployment insurance, industrial injury insurance, maternity insurance and housing provident fund) paid by scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship enterprises in the demonstration area for on-the-job R&D personnel, and the clinical trial fees for new drug research and development are included in the R&D expenses deduction scope;
The second is to increase the pre-tax deduction ratio of employees' education expenses of scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship enterprises in the demonstration area from 2.5% to 8%, and the excess part is allowed to be carried forward in future tax years. At present, the above policies have been extended to Zhangjiang in Shanghai, Donghu in Wuhan and Hewubeng National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone (comprehensive experimental zone) in Anhui.
Beijing has also formulated and issued the Notice of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau, Beijing Municipal State Taxation Bureau and Beijing Municipal Local Taxation Bureau on Printing and Distributing the Technical Secret Appraisal Method of Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone (Trial) (J.K.F. [2011] No.471) and other supporting documents. The main breakthrough points include:
First, six types of innovations, including national new drugs, national first-class protected varieties of traditional Chinese medicine, varieties after national crop variety approval (identification), new generation information technology, national defense patents and technical secrets, are allowed to declare core independent intellectual property rights, and the scope of core independent intellectual property rights is expanded;
The second is to lower the threshold for identifying high-tech enterprises. Enterprises registered for more than half a year but less than one year may apply for the recognition of high-tech enterprises and issue blue-background certificates (they cannot enjoy tax concessions);
Third, the evaluation content of technical experts in the appraisal organization work has been adjusted and improved, and technical experts no longer organize the evaluation of scientific and technological research and development management level, total assets of enterprises, sales growth rate and other aspects. The specific implementation measures to improve the operability of tax policies in these places enable enterprises to make better use of policies, increase investment in research and development, and promote scientific and technological progress.
3. Progress has been made in the implementation of tax policies.
According to statistics, in 20 1 1 year, more than 20,000 enterprises benefited from the R&D fee deduction policy of local enterprises, and the tax relief exceeded 25.2 billion yuan. The total number of high-tech enterprises recognized and the amount of income tax relief have reached a new high, and policies have played an important role in promoting regional economic transformation and upgrading. During the period from 2008 to 20 1 1, more than 60,000 high-tech enterprises in China received tax reduction and exemption, with a total amount of * * * 225.9 billion yuan. In the same period, the tax paid by these enterprises was 2. 1 trillion yuan, accounting for more than one third of their patents and new products. The favorable policies are very obvious. In the year of 20 10, the national high-tech enterprises enjoyed the preferential tax rate of 15%, and the enterprise income tax was reduced or exempted by 6877 10 billion yuan. The number of high-tech enterprises enjoying the preferential tax rate of 15% in 26 provinces (cities, districts) increased by 43.8% over the previous year. More than 6 provinces (cities, districts) 1000 high-tech enterprises enjoy preferential tax rates, accounting for more than half of the total number of high-tech enterprises in China; 15 provinces (cities, districts) reduced or exempted enterprise income tax by more than 65,438 billion yuan. [1] It can be seen that the identification of high-tech enterprises and preferential tax policies play an important role in accelerating the transformation of economic development mode and become an important force for the development of emerging industries and economic transformation and upgrading.
New progress has been made in the implementation of the pre-tax deduction policy for enterprise employees' education funds. In 20 10, in Jiangsu, Liaoning, Guangdong, Xinjiang, Dalian, Hainan, Ningxia, Anhui, Beijing, Shanxi and other 10 provinces (cities, districts), 94,000 enterprises enjoyed the pre-tax deduction policy for employee education funds. Among them, Jiangsu, Liaoning and Guangdong provinces enjoy more enterprises, accounting for 9 1.49% of the above-mentioned 10 provinces (cities, districts). There are 36 18 enterprises enjoying this policy in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, up 159.7% year-on-year, and the employee education funds in the whole region are deducted from taxable income tax1730,000 yuan, up 159.7% year-on-year. The number of enterprises enjoying policies in Guangdong Province increased by 35.8% year-on-year, and the taxable income before tax was deducted from the employee education funds in Guangdong Province by 654.38+229 million yuan, up by 45.43% year-on-year. There are 32 12 enterprises enjoying this policy in Dalian, and the taxable income before tax after deducting employee education funds is 464 million yuan. The number of enterprises enjoying policies in Liaoning Province (excluding Dalian) increased by 8.4% year-on-year, and the taxable income of employees' education funds in the province was 364 million yuan, up by 8. 1% year-on-year.
(B) the current tax policy to support the defects of scientific and technological innovation
1. The standardization of government taxes and fees is not enough, and the mechanism and policies to promote enterprises to become the main body of innovation need to be improved. The problems of excessive burden, overweight and arbitrariness, such as extra-tax charges and fines, still exist in China. Although it has been improved after years of rectification, it is still not ideal. When the government formulates and implements preferential tax policies, it needs to standardize all kinds of fees charged to enterprises to truly reduce the pressure of innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, in formulating policies and practice, government departments at all levels often have insufficient understanding of enterprises as the main body of investment. It is necessary to further draw a clear line between the government and the market, and activate the enthusiasm of enterprises for scientific and technological investment by means of less income and more incentives.
2. Lack of incentives for human capital, the core element of innovation. Scientific and technological innovation, people are the first element. However, for a long time, the relevant systems have not fully reflected the full compensation and effective incentives for human capital, and the current science and technology tax policy has defects and deficiencies in the incentives for human capital, lacking a perfect tax incentive mechanism for scientific and technological talents. Whether it is corporate income tax or personal income tax, there is room for optimization of human capital tax preferential mechanism.
3. There are too many tax incentives for the region, mainly based on the identification of enterprise qualifications, and insufficient tax support for focusing on enterprise innovation activities. In the pattern of tax preferential support accumulated by the preferential tax policies introduced one after another for many years, there are many preferential tax policies for different regions (such as the high-end approval of regional strategies) and different enterprise qualifications (such as whether they are recognized as "high-tech enterprises"), but it is not enough to focus only on the innovative activities of enterprises, especially the innovative activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, and then effectively exercise tax means.
Second, further implement and apply preferential tax policies to support scientific and technological innovation.
(a) seize the opportunity to deepen the overall plan for the reform of the fiscal and taxation system, speed up the tax reform, and form a tax system environment conducive to scientific and technological innovation.
On June 30th, 20 14, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee deliberated and passed the overall plan for deepening the reform of fiscal and taxation system, and defined a new round of fiscal and taxation system reform. In 20 16, key tasks will be basically completed, and a modern fiscal system will be basically established in 2020. The master plan identifies three key reform areas: budget, taxation and financial system. The institutional environment has a vital influence on the process of technological innovation. As the provider of institutional environment, the laws, regulations and policies formulated by the government have an important impact on technological innovation. In order to give full play to the tax policy supporting scientific and technological innovation, it is necessary to deepen the tax reform, effectively clean up, rectify, merge and reduce the extra-tax burden, and optimize the tax framework and environment supporting scientific and technological innovation with enterprises as the main body from the institutional system.
(2) Sum up experience, make persistent efforts, and further implement tax incentive policies according to the characteristics of innovative activities.
1. Promote the implementation of "inclusive" incentive policies in the innovation policy system. The "inclusive" incentive policy is helpful to give full play to the guiding role of the market in technology research and development direction, path selection, factor price and allocation of various innovation factors, and guide enterprises to become the main body of technological innovation decision-making, investment, organization and achievement transformation. It is necessary to continue to promote the tax-based tax incentive policy, mobilize the enthusiasm of enterprises for scientific and technological innovation, fully reflect the government's policy intention of supporting scientific and technological innovation, fully implement inclusive measures such as adding and deducting R&D expenses of enterprises, and focus on implementing enterprise operation plans and implementation rules.
2. Further support scientific and technological innovation with structural tax cuts. Accelerate the pace of "reform of the camp", reduce double taxation by introducing the VAT deduction mechanism in telecommunications and other industries, support the professional subdivision and "endogenous" upgrading efforts of related industries, actively develop the network economic chain characterized by commodity circulation and logistics distribution in the Internet era, and further promote the structural tax reduction policy with the cultivation of emerging industries as the main line.
3. Summarize the pilot experience in the demonstration area, and gradually push forward the new policy of adding and deducting R&D expenses throughout the country. The range of R&D expenses that can be added and deducted is narrow, which inhibits the enthusiasm of enterprises to engage in R&D to a certain extent and is not conducive to encouraging enterprises to increase R&D investment. It is necessary to actively summarize and evaluate the finance and taxation of Zhongguancun, Beijing, Zhangjiang, Shanghai, Donghu, Wuhan and Anhui Hewubeng National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zones (comprehensive experimental zones) [201] No.81,and finance and taxation [201].
4. According to the characteristics of innovative activities, continue to improve the operability of tax policies. It is necessary to further analyze and understand the characteristics of innovative activities, further refine the scope of application, conditions, procedures and supporting requirements of the current policies in deepening the reform of the fiscal and taxation system, and improve the operability of tax policies. Promote the effective implementation of existing policies. For example, local governments should formulate specific operating rules specifically for accelerated depreciation of R&D instruments and equipment and pre-tax deduction of employee education funds as soon as possible. We will continue to make good use of tax reduction and exemption policies for technology transfer, preferential policies for advanced technology enterprise income tax and preferential policies for transitional enterprises income tax, sum up practical experience in time, and improve and perfect the expiration policy.
5. Use tax policies to encourage long-term investment in science and technology, especially to explore preferential tax policies for specific innovation activities such as Industry-University-Research's combination and integrated innovation research and development. Under normal circumstances, this kind of scientific and technological innovation activity has a large investment and a long cycle, and the actual risks faced by enterprises are relatively high. On the one hand, it is necessary to rely on the enterprise's own technology and financial means to resolve risks; On the other hand, it is necessary for the government to adopt tax policies to support Industry-University-Research's scientific and technological R&D innovation activities, long-term step-by-step achievement transformation strategy and step-by-step training of scientific and technological talents, so as to reduce comprehensive risks and encourage enterprises and partners to innovate.
6. Strengthen the policy incentives for the commercialization of enterprise innovation achievements. Formulate preferential tax policies that are conducive to the transfer of scientific research achievements from scientific research institutions and universities to enterprises. At the same time, we should consider further improving the laws and regulations defining the property rights of scientific research achievements.
7. Strengthen and optimize the human capital tax incentive mechanism. To establish and improve the full compensation and effective incentive mechanism of human capital, we need to start with corporate income tax and personal income tax, adjust and optimize the preferential tax policies that are beneficial to human capital, stimulate the innovative activities of scientific and technological talents, and promote the cultivation and promotion of the awareness of innovation and entrepreneurship in the whole society. We can learn from France's 30-year fruitful agreement system of industry, university and education. (CIFRE) The French government subsidizes doctoral students to finish their doctoral thesis in enterprises, and enterprises usually sign a three-year employment contract with doctoral students to finish their thesis. Every time an enterprise hires a doctoral student, it will receive an annual subsidy of10.4 million euros from the government for three consecutive years, and at the same time enjoy an annual tax reduction of10.4 million euros (but the enterprise must pay the doctoral student an annual salary of not less than 23,000 euros), and explore similar feasible schemes in light of the actual situation in China.
8. Improve relevant working mechanisms and coordination mechanisms. It is necessary to improve the working mechanism of tax preferential management, improve the transparency of tax policies, optimize information exchange with enterprises, relevant institutions and institutions, and objectively evaluate the implementation effect of tax preferential policies in a timely manner. At the same time, establish a joint working mechanism between the tax department and the science and technology department, strengthen policy propaganda and consulting services, and strengthen coordination and cooperation with the judicial department in legal affairs in combination with intellectual property protection and other matters.
refer to
[1] Zhong Fang: research on the correlation between independent innovation of enterprises and tax policy, doctoral thesis of Hefei university of technology, 20 10.
[2], He Wei: "Tax Incentive Technology Innovation: Theory and Practice", "Financial Research",No. 10, 2006.
[3] Zhang: Analysis of the role and mechanism of tax policy in promoting the development of high-tech industries, Journal of China Renmin University,No. 1 period, 2006.
[4] Zhao Zhigeng: Tax Policies for Promoting Independent Innovation, China Taxation, No.5, 2006.
[5] Han Jie, He Yuxin, Cheng Shihua: "Supporting the overall situation and focusing on the long term: a review of deepening the reform of the fiscal and taxation system."
Brief introduction of the author
Kang Jia, Director of Institute of Fiscal Science, Ministry of Finance
Liu Wei, a researcher at Huaxia Institute of New Supply Economics.