In view of the pandemic outbreak caused by COVID-19, Angola has been taking several measures to protect not only citizens but also the functioning of the economy and finance.
On 9 April 2020, the following legal documents were published:
• Presidential Decree No. 96/20, dated 9 April 2020, which approved transitional measures to respond to the drop in oil prices and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the General Budget Law for FY 2020, which aim to adapt the financing structure and the trajectory of public expenditure to the current context.
• Presidential Decree No. 97/20, dated 9 April 2020, that extended the State of Emergency for a period of 15 days until 25 April 2020. The main measures adopted were:
– The public services of the central and local Administration of the State will be closed;
– Prohibition of the population on public roads, under penalty of offence of disobedience, with the exception of urgent trips to purchase essential goods and services, economic activities, obtaining health care, assisting people, transporting goods, seeking banking services;
– All persons entering the country are subject to mandatory tests;
– Citizens, under penalty of offence of disobedience, cannot refuse to perform mandatory tests;
– Fixation of a national and provincial sanitary fence, being prohibited all entries and exits from national territory except in case of basic goods and services, humanitarian help and entry and exit of patients;
– Closure of all private commercial establishments, with the exception of the wholesale and retail food trade, banks and payment services, telecommunications, hotels, catering for external services, gas stations, funeral agencies, car maintenance and repair. These establishments can only operate from 8am to 4pm;
– The industrial units are closed except for the production of goods, health services, oil production, mining and other that cannot stop production.
• Presidential Decree No. 98/20, dated 9 April 2020, which approved immediate measures to relief the negative Economic and Financial Effects caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The main measures adopted decree were:
– Extension until 29 May 2020 of the deadline for the final settlement of the Industrial Income Tax return for companies belonging to Group B; and extension until 30 June 2020 for companies belonging to Group A;
– Postponement of the payment of Social Security Contributions regarding the 2nd quarter of 2020, for payment in six monthly instalments, from July to December 2020, without interest;
– The issuance of a commercial license is now required only for the sale of food, medicines, car sales, fuels, lubricants, and chemicals. All other commercial service activities only need to apply for authorization to open an establishment in the respective municipal administration;
– Employers from the private sector must transfer the amount of the social security contribution to the workers’ wages (discount of 3% of the worker’s wages) in the months of April, May and June 2020 to improve family income;
– The obligation of companies to license management contracts, rendering services and foreign technical assistance or management with National Bank of Angola and with the Ministry of Economy and Planning is suppressed
