Egypt's finance ministry has listed 52 commodities and services that will be exempted from a new value-added tax (VAT), which is expected to be applied this year after it is approved by parliament. According to a ministry statement emailed to press on Friday, the exemption list will include all essential food goods and dairy products, in addition to infants’ milk and their nutritional supplements. Foods that are sold to consumers through shops and restaurants without touristic licences will also be free of VAT, the statement said. Crude, natural gas, butane, raw materials extracted from quarries and mines, electricity, mineral water, prosthetic body parts and paper are amongst the tax-exempted commodities. Services that are exempt include banking operations and financial transactions under the state’s financial watchdog EFSA such as leasing. The Ministry added that the exempted services would also include education, scientific research and services provided by religious and cultural establishments. (ahramonline)