BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Azerbaijan plans to introduce a package of tax incentives as it prepares to host the 13th Session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13), Trend reports.
Under the proposed measures, the import of works of art, collectibles, and antiques into the country will be exempt from value-added tax (VAT). The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Azerbaijani Parliament Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship.
The tax exemptions are linked to Azerbaijan’s preparations for WUF13, which is scheduled to take place in Baku in 2026. As part of the arrangements, services provided and works carried out by non-resident individuals and companies under contracts with an authority designated by the relevant executive body will be exempt from VAT.
The same exemption will apply to the import of goods based on official confirming documents. These measures will be in force for one year starting from September 1, 2025.
Officials noted that Azerbaijan’s record in the field of urban development played a key role in securing the forum. The decision to hold WUF13 in Baku was formalized through a host country agreement signed on December 22, 2023, between the Government of Azerbaijan and the United Nations in 2026 and subsequently approved by law.
To ensure the successful organization of WUF13 at the highest international standards, authorities consider it appropriate to grant a range of targeted tax exemptions to nonresident participants involved in the event.
The measures include income tax exemptions for non-resident individuals engaged in supplying goods, carrying out works, or providing services within the framework of WUF13. Profit tax exemptions will apply to royalty payments made to non-resident legal entities for the use or transfer of rights to intellectual property, as well as to income earned by non-resident companies from works and services related to the forum. In addition, services rendered and works performed by non-residents under contractual agreements, along with the import of goods supported by official documentation, will be exempt from value-added tax.
All tax incentives and exemptions will apply only based on official confirming documents and will remain valid for a one-year period beginning on September 1, 2025.
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