E-invoice deployment centre officially put into operation

E-invoice deployment centre officially put into operation

Two important milestones

Speaking at the ceremony, Director General of Taxation Cao Anh Tuan said the General Department of Taxation has drastically implemented solutions to reform tax procedures, speeding up the implementation of electronic tax declaration, electronic tax payment and electronic tax refund.

Up to now, the number of businesses making electronic tax declarations has reached 99.72%; electronic tax payment reached 98.71%; electronic tax refund reached 98.64%. This was especially important in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which required limited direct contact. Taxpayers did not need to go directly to the tax office, all procedures could be carried out online.

According to the leader of the General Department of Taxation, regarding invoices for selling goods and services, before 2011, enterprises had to go to tax offices to buy invoices; since 2011, businesses could print their own invoices or use electronic invoices if eligible.

However, some firms have taken advantage to commit law violations on invoices (issue false invoices, rotate invoices to deduct, refund value-added tax or withdraw payment amount from the state budget).

To overcome this situation and continue to promote reform and modernization, the General Department of Taxation has advised the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Government and National Assembly for promulgation of Tax Administration No. 38, Decree No. 123/2020/ND-CP, Circular No. 78/2021/TT-BTC regulating invoices and vouchers.

Accordingly, from July 1, 2022, all enterprises, organizations, business households and individuals shall use e-invoices (except for small and medium enterprises, cooperatives, households and individual businesses which do not transact with tax authorities by electronic devices).

This is an important legal basis for transforming the management and use of e-invoices, helping to save costs for businesses and society, and improve governance and management efficiency for both businesses and tax authorities.

In order to implement regulations and support on invoices and vouchers, the whole tax sector has focused on preparing for the application of e-invoices complying with the provisions of the law on tax administration and the Government's Decree to promptly direct, management, support, answer and handle problems in the process of using e-invoices of organisations and individuals when applying the electronic invoice system.

Based on the requirements and tasks, on October 25, 2021, the General Department of Taxation inaugurated the electronic invoice deployment centers at seven locations. This was one of the important events the General Department of Taxation was urgently implementing to promptly put into operation the phase 1 of the electronic invoice application system from mid-November 2021.

The inauguration ceremony had two important milestones in the e-invoice implementation plan, including the opening ceremony of electronic invoice deployment centers and the handover ceremony of the e-invoice application software. In particular, launching the electronic invoice deployment centers from the General Department of Taxation to six local Tax Departments was of great importance.

Ensuring smooth operation

According to Cao Anh Tuan, in the context of launching the application of e-invoices following the provisions of Decree No. 123/2020/ND-CP and Circular No. 78/2021/TT-BTC with many new contents, problems would certainly arise that need to be answered and promptly handled for both taxpayers, tax officers and employees. Therefore, it was necessary for the Tax sector to set up Deployment Centers in the process of implementing e-invoices to ensure the basic objectives.

The General Department of Taxation said that the Deployment Center was a permanent part to help the Steering Committee and Standing Group in organizing and directing the deployment of electronic invoices from the General Department of Taxation to six Tax Departments (and also in the next stage after the implementation in 57 provinces and cities). Thus, the system of seven centers must ensure smooth, online, timely exchange and sharing of information, experience, solutions, coordination of activities, and proposals for measures to perform assigned tasks, ensuring to follow the set schedule.

Director General Cao Anh Tuan requested the Center's leadership from the General Department of Taxation to the Tax Departments to assign specific tasks to each member of the Center, ensuring a 24/7 hotline. At the same time, organize the receipt and timely support and handling of requests during the implementation of electronic invoices of taxpayers; monitor and supervise the operation of the electronic invoice system to ensure continuity and stability.

The Deployment Center must also be responsible for summarizing and reporting to the Steering Committee, Standing Group at the General Department of Taxation and Tax Department on the progress of the tasks as planned; problems arising during implementation (especially, in the first phase must be reported daily - starting from October 25; the period after stable operation can be reported on a weekly basis).

"Although phase 1 has only been implemented in six provinces and cities, with the number of businesses accounting for about 60% of the total number of operating enterprises and the number of invoices accounting for 70% of invoices nationwide, the successful application of e-invoices in six localities play a decisive role in the implementation of e-invoices nationwide," the leader of the General Department of Taxation affirmed.

In order to successfully deploy e-invoices, Cao Anh Tuan suggested that the members of the Steering Committee, the Standing Group at the General Department of Taxation and the leaders of six local Tax Departments must pay special attention, considering this one of the most important political tasks in the last months of the year to focus on directing, implementing, ensuring success and following the set schedule.