Venezuela's National Assembly Approves New Mining Law to Attract Foreign Investment

Venezuela's National Assembly unanimously passed a new mining law on Thursday, which includes 131 articles aimed at garnering support from the United States and attracting foreign investment. According to Jin10, the law features provisions that support foreign investment, such as an 'economic balance' clause and international arbitration options, differing from the 1999 framework that restricted disputes to local courts. The legislation introduces a simplified tax system, with royalties up to 13% of production and a new mining tax up to 6% of total revenue, while exempting several existing taxes. The maximum concession period is extended to 30 years, up from the previous 20 years, with the possibility of two 10-year extensions. Officials stated that the reform aims to attract investment in projects involving gold, bauxite, and other strategic minerals. However, the government retains the authority to designate certain resources or areas as national interests and impose special conditions.