Today the European Commission adopted a proposal to change the VAT Directive 2006/112/EC in respect to the invoicing rules. The aim of the proposal is to increase the use of e-invoicing, reduce burdens on business, support SMEs and help Member States to tackle fraud. The proposal simplifies, modernises and harmonises the VAT invoicing rules. In particular, it eliminates the current barriers to e-invoicing in the VAT Directive by treating paper and electronic invoices equally. László Kovács, Commissioner for Taxation and Customs, said: "(...) Paper and electronic invoices will be treated equally which will allow businesses to move to a 100 % e-invoicing system and to save up to 18 billion euros across the EU". The Commission believes that it is necessary to increase the up-take of e-invoicing, by removing the pre-conditions of advanced electronic signatures or electric data interchange (EDI) for sending invoices electronically. Moreover, the electronic storage of invoices will be allowed, even if the original invoice is in paper format, and common storage periods are set.Other measures to help reduce burdens on business include creating a harmonised set of invoicing rules. To help SMEs, the proposal widens the use of simplified invoicing, notably for small value invoices (up to 200 euros) which will be of particular benefit for smaller businesses. In addition, and of direct benefit to SMEs, is the option for Member States to introduce a cash accounting scheme under which the tax becomes due only when the invoice is paid.More information:EC Press release (28.1.2009)
See also:PricewaterhouseCoopers (2008): Final report on the VAT invoicing rules contained in the VAT Directive (2006/112/EC). The study was carried out for the European Commission.
Nobody in their right mind would do crossborder e-invoicing - if you listen to the seemingly endless listing of different legal, tax and even fraud risks - said DHL's speaker at an e-invoicing conference recently. "But we do it - and it is quite successful" (freely quoted). This is not surprising for us from Nordic countries where (more secure and easier to trace..) e-invoices have been treated in the same way as less secure paper invoices from the outset. Transport mode is irrelevant. This has - not surprisingly - led to faster uptake and less fraud.
EU now: equal treatment
With DG Taxud's Equal Treatment initiative - as requested by enterprises also via the Expert Group - we should now be able to speed up the migration from expensive manual processes both in-country and x-regions faster. It shows the way, removes mental roadblocks and lowers risks from the outset.
Expert Group mission - highest level
The EG mission is very much to make it possible for 24m SMEs to join the networked economy - ahead of their global competitors. When it is easy join, they will also help large enterprises to massively increase producitivity, the public sector to save tax payers' money and all of us together reduce CO2 substantially. Not to talk about the shrinking-workforce-dilemma - huge need for fast "learning-by-doing-digitally" - up to 30 billion pieces of invoices being ideal tool. All this the necessary step to next levels in the Real Time Economy. How can there be any future for manual invoicing?
Make it easier than paper - not more difficult!
With equal treatment we now have the keys to make invoicing easier - it looked like going the other way with technology-specific legislation. The EG will for its part work hard on describing that this will actually be the case in a Code of Practice document.
"E-invoice or NO invoice - you choose."
SME: "I have been told by several of my customers to stop sending paper or e-mail invoices. What should I do?"
Typical answer: "Contact the nearest e-invoicing service provider (any e-bank should also offer it) - and you will have a feed-in portal right away - key in invoice there, or send simple exel file, use simple print-file or ask your accounting service to do it for you - not difficult."
SME: "Butbut - we have heard that VAT and other tax people ask for a lot more - in some countries digital signatures are even in the law -( still most tend to keep sending e-mail invoices just like paper mail before....)."
Answer: "Please be active in your organisations and via politicians who increasingly understand that more competitive business is the base for European wellbeing and sustainable growth. This means - among other things - that the EU directive for equal treatment should now be understood as a fundamental simplification and adopted all over the place right away. It is really important to have laws that actually can be followed in practice."
Now even my suppliers..
SME: "Now even my regular suppliers have started to suggest e-invoices! I usually just call them (just across the border) and the goods arrive and the invoice in the snailmail soon after. Do I now need to change my behavior?
Answer: "No. Just like before you check the invoice (now coming to your e-bank or e-invoice service) - and make up your mind if it is correct - and then you pay it. And just like you (or your accounting service) today store your paper invoices together with the rest of your accounting (in accordance with local legislation), you store your electronic documents. There are several good and cost-efficient methods for storing electronic documents."
Demystify the whole thing - enhance productivity now - futureproof
By demystifying e-invoicing we can take further productivity steps on the widest scale. Investments in the current downturn need to both help enterprises survive - but equally much be directed towards the structural challenges - mainly demographic - awaiting around the corner. If we fail to realize that then we have not only borrowed billions for our children to repay - but consumed the seed potatoes..
YTJ, Finnish Business Information System (BIS) is a joint register of Trade register and Tax Administration. In customers' eyes, BIS unites function..
