Electronic record-keeping of cash sales from 2016
The Ministry of Finance continues to deal with the problem of the "grey economy", especially the record-keeping of cash sales. It would like to ensure more effective tax collecting without increasing the tax burden. Moreover, the ministry would like to have an overview of current real sales. The system should be simple, and it should use existing technologies.
The inspiration for electronic record-keeping of cash sales has come from Croatia. In this country, the records of sales are immediately sent to the tax administration via an internet connection. No registration is needed (not even for software), and record-keeping can be done using regular equipment.
The subject of the record-keeping will be sales received in cash by individuals or legal entities, and the transactions between business entities as well. The exceptions will be as few as possible, for example, sales via vending machines.
The procedure will be as follows:
1. The business entity sends a data message about the transaction in a defined format to the tax administration
2. The tax administration sends confirmation with a unique code of receipt
3. The business entity prints the receipt (including the unique code that serves as unambiguous identification of the receipt)
4. The customer is obliged to take the receipt
5. The customer can verify the record of the specific sale via a web application of the tax administration (a SMS gateway is also considered)
The sale is recorded on-line. In the event of a connection failure, it will be necessary to renew the connection and send the receipt within 48 hours. The customer will receive a receipt without the unique code but can verify it using the protective code of the receipt.
Exemptions will be permitted by the tax administrators for areas with no mobile signal or for specific cases.
The receipt should contain the following mandatory data:
- Identification of the business entity
- Identification of the business premises and the cash registry
- Number of the receipt
- Date and time of the transaction
- Total amount of the sale
- VAT base and VAT amount (the respective rate)
Introduction of electronic sales
The act is expected to become effective on 1 January 2016. From 1 January 2016, records of cash sales will be sent in electronic form by business entities that provide accommodation and catering services and receive payments in cash. From 1 April 2016, the records will be sent in electronic form by business entities from the retail and whole sale areas, and from 1 July 2016, all business entities that receive payments in cash must record sales (except for designated exemptions).