BEIRUT: Prices are set to rise on numerous basic commodities and goods that will affect all residents of Lebanon after President Michel Aoun signed the public sector salary scale and accompanying tax bills earlier this week.

Despite delays in Aoun signing the bills, due to some concerns about details and the effects they could have on the wider economy, the laws were published Monday as a special appendix to the Official Gazette a rare move so that they have now come into force. The bills were passed after a heated session on July 19.

While the 1 percentage point rise in value added tax from 10 percent to 11 percent has been widely talked about, it is only one of a raft of new taxes on everything from tobacco to shipping container fees and airport departure fees.

The VAT rise will affect numerous consumer goods but also electricity, water, internet and telecommunications bills a contentious issue for opponents to the law given the inability of the state to provide 24-hour power, continuous running water or fast internet to much of the country. There will be an additional LL2,500 tax on internet and telephone bills.

Tax on imported alcoholic drinks has been increased on a sliding scale in three bands above LL60,000 ($40) has been upped to 15 percent, above LL200,000 has increased to 35 percent and above LL400,000 has been hiked to 25 percent tax.

The cost of tobacco products has increased with an additional LL250 charge on a packet of imported cigarettes, loose rolling tobacco and narguile tobacco. Imported cigars will have an additional LL500 charge.

For non-Lebanese travelers entering the country overland from Syria, a new LL5,000 fee will be levied. Meanwhile, at the airport, additional fees will be included in the price of airplane tickets. These are levied depending on the class of travel with the LL60,000 fee for economy passengers remaining the same. For other classes, there has been an increase to LL110,000 for business class passengers and LL150,000 for first-class passengers. Those arriving and departing Beiruts Rafik Hariri International Airport in their own private jet will be charged LL400,000.

Those looking for a flutter will also be taxed with national and overseas lottery tickets over LL10,000 being taxed at 20 percent.

Official stamps for contracts and business have increased 4 percent to LL4,000. For Lebanese nationals wanting to check their judicial record in case one of the tens of thousands of outstanding arrest warrants was in their name, there will now be an additional LL4,000 fee.

For business owners, there will be an increase in taxes on corporate profits from 15 to 17 percent, in addition to a 7 percent tax increase on deposit interest for both depositors and banks.

Importers will see also costs increase as 20-foot containers will be charged at LL80,000 and the larger 40-foot containers will be charged LL120,000.

For property, there will be a 2 percent fee on real estate contracts. There will also be a 1.5 percent fee on every appraised square meter of property.

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