Electronic invoices

In July, 2010 the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev signed Federal law No. 229-FZ "About making changes in part one and a part the second the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and some other legal acts of the Russian Federation and also about recognition become invalid for separate legal acts (provisions of legal acts) of the Russian Federation in connection with settlement of the tax arrears, charges, a penalty fee and penalties and some other questions of tax administration".

Adoption of law was preceded by the pilot project on creation of a system of drawing up and drawing of invoices in electronic form which is carried out in 2009 in the Department of FNS of Russia for Moscow. Then officials were positive for effect of implementation of such form of exchange of documents. In the Taxcom company which was taking part in this project, the opinion of officials on advantage of transition to electronic invoices is shared and claim that at exposure them in such type it is possible to reach economy to 80% of a cost amount for formation, processing and storage of invoices.

On April 11, 2012 the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation registered the order of FTS of March 5, 2012 No. MMB-7-6/138. This document approves electronic formats of invoices, the magazine of their accounting, purchase ledgers and sales. Thus, the end is put to formation of the legislation for electronic document management.

Spheres of use

Implementation of electronic document management has a number of obvious advantages to the Russian companies: use of electronic documents will increase efficiency and transparency of work with partners, will help to optimize work of accounting and will allow to automate interaction with tax authorities when checking. The size of the market of paper primary documents (agreements, acts, delivery notes and invoices) is estimated at 45 billion documents.

The law expands the list of the electronic documents which are used in tax legal relationship both with tax authorities, and with banks, registering bodies, suppliers and also notaries and lawyers. So, for example, it will be possible to send in electronic form the statement for registration in the tax inspection, and tax specialists will be able to require to provide documents for check on the Internet and to receive them by the same method. The federal law will become effective after one month from the date of its official publication except for some provisions.

The new law also allows to exchange on the Internet invoices using the electronic signature. It will be possible if the buyer and the seller have compatible technical means and opportunities to accept and process such documents. However, to begin to exchange really electronic invoices, at first it is necessary to develop an order of their exposure and receiving on telecommunication channels. The law assigned this duty to the Ministry of Finance. The ministry of CNews said that they already developed the corresponding project and sent it for consideration in FTS. It is expected that the document will be approved approximately in October, 2010.

Comments of experts

"Introduction of electronic invoices is connected not so much with the aspiration of legislators to facilitate process of document flow in the company, how many with optimization and introduction of additional control of payment and deductions of the VAT what, actually, invoices and are intended for", - Natalya Gasheeva, the head of department of methodology and control of outsourcing division of BDO company in Russia says.

For small and medium business these amendments to the Tax Code will be probably irrelevant as costs for implementation of electronic certificates of signatures for them will be incommensurably above and are inexpedient in comparison with paper option.

According to Alexander Osin, the chief economist of UK "Finam Management", in general amendments in the Tax Code are positioned as a step in the direction of creation of "the electronic government", but so far it is valid only a step in this direction. "Changes because of the amendments made to the Tax Code are not expected yet, - he considers. - Only certain reference points and the purposes of increase in "transparency" of work of official structures, fight against corruption and increase in efficiency of the business are designated".

"There came very interesting moment: the state permitted, in fact, the last especially paper document to become electronic. Now business has a motive to refuse increasing number of paper documents as all communications with partners can be electronic now. We are at the beginning of creation of the new industry in the industry of IT: business users will need the help of operating companies of document flow as earlier mail and courier services which honor in the past now were required for them", – the director of strategic development of SKB Kontur Pyotr Didenko notes.

Influence on ecology

Speaking about invoices it is necessary to consider also an ecological component, especially in present conditions. "The medium-sized Russian company creates and exposes about 1000 invoices a month. Taking into account related documents when drawing one invoice 3 sheets of paper are used. Upon transition to drawing of invoices in electronic form one such company will be able to save 5 trees a year", Mikhail Perederko, the adviser to the chairman of the board of directors of Taxcom says.