Increasing social responsibility from the Ministry of Finance
What happened?
On July 1, 2017, Federal Law 54 came into force. Entrepreneurs struggled to transition to new-style cash register equipment. Devices were updated, fiscal storage units were purchased, enhanced digital signatures were obtained, and agreements were signed with OFD.
What's the issue?
It turned out that the public didn’t need receipts (the official reason for the changes). Businesses installed online cash registers and electronically sent payment data to the tax office. But people didn’t care.
The app released by the Federal Tax Service (FTS) is used by only a small percentage of the population.
Russia is vast. It’s impossible to monitor everyone. There’s a risk that some businesses haven’t switched to online cash registers and are quietly operating "in the shadows." Government agencies were outraged.
What’s the outcome?
People are being actively encouraged to participate in checking businesses for compliance with the law. Attention! A creative initiative from the tax office: "A million rubles for a supermarket receipt."
This campaign has a transparent goal: to make trade more transparent with public help and, in the process, increase tax collection.
Reportedly, the idea was borrowed from the Czech Republic. According to open sources, there was no shortage of participants in the receipt lottery. However, not everyone reacted positively.
František Laudát, head of the Czech parliamentary faction TOP 09: "Such a lottery has no place in the modern world. It infantilizes our society. Anyone with an IQ above 80 wouldn’t participate in this outdated scheme à la Andrej Babiš."
Selling medications online
What happened?
The Ministry of Health wants to see medications sold online—more precisely, to increase drug sales. The department succeeded. The bill was approved by the government on October 6, 2017, and came into force in January 2018. You can review the law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Regarding the Remote Retail Sale of Medicines" on the Government website.
What's the issue?
Pharmacies are now allowed to sell over-the-counter drugs online and deliver them to customers.
However, prescription drugs still require in-person pickup.
Rumors suggest sales will be conducted through egais.ru, but this is unconfirmed.
Minor amendments to the law
What happened?
A busy day yesterday: a press conference was held with the Federal Tax Service and Sberbank. Nothing groundbreaking was announced, except for pleasant exceptions for a small segment of entrepreneurs.
What's the issue?
Daniil Egorov (Federal Tax Service) spoke at the meeting: "To support small businesses, we’ve made minor amendments to 54-FZ. One thing is certain—trade must switch to online cash registers by July next year."
So what?
Three weeks ago, Vladimir Putin agreed with Alexander Kalinin (head of OPORA RUSSIA) to extend the deadline for installing new cash registers for certain businesses. Retailers operating without staff are exempt from the requirement to switch to online cash registers. They now have a deferral until 2019.
According to Kalinin, the current law’s timeline risks businesses being unable to meet all requirements—as will cash register manufacturers. This year alone, 1.2 million cash registers and the same number of fiscal drives were registered.
Next year, another 3 million cash registers must be supplied, alongside 1.2 million replacements for expiring FNs.
What’s the outcome?
The deadline has been extended to 2019 for:
- Self-employed individual entrepreneurs;
- Organizations providing services to the public.
