Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek: We are implementing a series of practices to reduce reporting obligations, increase voluntary tax compliance and the fight against the informal economy, and reduce bureaucratic processes.
ANKARA (AA) – DENİZ ÇİÇEK– Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek stated that they will put into effect a series of applications in order to reduce notification obligations and bureaucratic processes, and said, “In this context, we are moving the expense slip to electronic media, popularizing the e-Ledger application, removing Ba-Bs notifications and expanding the scope of electronic notification.”
Şimşek made an assessment to AA correspondent regarding the new practices being prepared by the Revenue Administration.
Şimşek, who gave the information that they were working on a series of draft circulars that would provide convenience to taxpayers, said that they would open the drafts in question for opinion in a short time.
Şimşek stated that they are always on the side of compliant taxpayers and will take any steps to reduce their liabilities and costs, and said, “We are implementing a series of applications in order to reduce reporting obligations, increase voluntary tax compliance and the fight against the informal economy, and reduce bureaucratic processes. In this context, we are moving the expense slip to electronic media, popularizing the e-Ledger application, removing Ba-Bs notifications, and expanding the scope of electronic notification.”
BA-BS NOTIFICATIONS CONCERNING 1.6 MILLION TAXPAYERS WILL BE REMOVED
Providing information on the details of the new applications, Şimşek announced that they will abolish the Ba-Bs notifications that have been received on a monthly basis since 2008 in order to report the purchases and sales of taxpayers who keep books according to the balance sheet principle.
Şimşek pointed out that the need for these forms, which concern approximately 1.6 million taxpayers who keep books on a balance sheet basis, has decreased with the increase in electronic document applications and the activation of data sharing between institutions, and said, “Taking this situation into consideration, we will soon end the practice of receiving these notification forms.”
ALL TAXPAYERS WHO KEEP BOOKS ACCORDING TO BALANCE SHEET PRINCIPLE WILL KEEP E-BOOKS
Emphasizing that they will expand the scope of the e-Ledger application, which is currently used by approximately 720 thousand taxpayers who keep books on the basis of balance sheets, Şimşek stated that with the draft they prepared, it is envisaged that all taxpayers who keep books on the basis of balance sheets will be included in the e-Ledger application.
Şimşek, drawing attention to the fact that approximately 1 million taxpayers will be included in the application, announced that they will also make changes to the sending times of the certificate files related to e-Ledgers. Applications That Will Provide Convenience to Taxpayers Are Being Launched
ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT APPLICATIONS WILL BE MADE VOLUMED
Şimşek stated that 9 documents such as invoices, delivery notes and freelance receipts that must be prepared by taxpayers can be prepared electronically, and continued as follows: Applications That Will Provide Convenience to Taxpayers Are Being Launched
“Since these documents issued electronically are transmitted to their addressees electronically, a great deal of time and expenses such as paper, toner, and postage are saved. We are working on adding an expense slip to these documents. We are focusing on ensuring that this document, which must be signed by both the buyer and the seller, is approved electronically or using communication tools. A similar method is planned to be used in the “e-Producer Receipt”, which is currently given to the addressee as a paper printout. In addition, it is aimed to ensure that invoices issued by taxpayers and falling below the invoice issuance limit of 6,900 liras for this year are issued electronically, thus facilitating accounting and declaration processes.”
9 BILLION LIRA SAVINGS ON POSTAL COSTS WITH E-NOTIFICATION
Reminding that it is possible to access notifications free of charge from anywhere and at any time with internet access through the electronic notification (e-Notification) application, which was launched by the Revenue Administration in 2016 and used by 9.2 million people, Şimşek also said that people who receive e-Notifications are instantly informed via SMS and e-mail.
Şimşek pointed out that the Presidency’s e-Notification System is used by 8 public institutions, primarily the Ministries of Trade, Culture and Tourism and the General Directorate of Security, and that integration studies with 6 different institutions are ongoing.
Şimşek, who informed that approximately 9 billion liras have been saved in postal expenses alone by notifying 166.5 million documents electronically with the e-Notification application, said, “We are working on including those who buy vehicles in the e-Notification application in order to be informed about the notifications quickly, effectively and free of charge. In the first stage, it is planned to include those who buy new vehicles in the application.”
EASE OF AUTHORIZATION FOR FINANCIAL ADVISORS
Minister Şimşek pointed out that a significant portion of taxpayers’ tax obligations, especially the filing of declarations and notifications, are fulfilled by financial advisors, and noted the following:
“With the planned change, taxpayers will be able to authorize their professional members who have an intermediary and responsibility agreement with each other to perform transactions for the services in the Digital Tax Office, for the purposes they determine. Thus, financial advisors will be able to log in to the Digital Tax Office with their own information without needing the taxpayers’ information and perform the transactions they are authorized to on behalf of their taxpayers.”
