YEREVAN. - Armenia’s new manufacturing enterprise need to be exempted from some taxes, including the income tax, for four years.

The proposal was made at the President Serzh Sargsyan’s meeting with over 70 representatives of Armenian enterprises on Friday.

“The head of state said that the Government will assist the enterprises in developing their business and exporting goods,” the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Armenia Martin Sargsyan, told journalists. “We recently conducted monitoring of imported products and selected those that can be manufactured in Armenia.”

He cited the example of clayware, pointing out that 2.9 million sq. meters of clayware were exported to Armenia in 2009-2010. President Serzh Sargsyan approved the proposal.

The Chairman of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen Arsen Ghazaryan pointed out the importance of the president’s message for cooperation between public and government agencies in coordinating business activities.

“The president’s second proposal was to prevent the country from turning into a free trade zone,” he said.

Ghazaryan also stressed the importance of exempting new enterprises from taxes, as well as an agreement on assistance with the President of Armenia.