Entrepreneurs: Time to Prepare for New e-Invoicing System Is Too Short

Bratislava, 25 August (TASR) - The state is underestimating the costs and impacts of the e-invoicing system planned to be launched as early as in 2027, with no legislation approved to date and with exact conditions for its functioning still unknown, the Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia (ZPS) informed on Monday, adding that the deadline is too short for businesses and the state to prepare themselves. ZPS said Slovakia has already had experience with the hasty rollout of the e-Kasa system for electronic cash registers which, for the most part, ended in failure. Launch dates were repeatedly postponed, suitable cash registers were not available on the market, software was not ready, and there were not enough technicians to set up the devices. "Real costs for entrepreneurs turned out to be several times higher than the original estimates," recalled Jan Solik from the ZPS. In order to avoid a similar scenario, he said the launch date must be postponed to provide enough time to entrepreneurs and state institutions. Based on foreign experience, a smooth rollout requires 500 to 1,000 days. Introduction of the e-invoice system, which is aimed at combating tax fraud, will require significant changes to the existing accounting and economic software, as well as to internal company processes. ZPS considers the costs for businesses, as envisaged by the Finance Ministry, to be unrealistic. "We demand that the e-invoice system be introduced only to the minimum extent required by the European Union, without Slovakia going beyond European rules, which is a commitment that the government has made in its manifesto," Solik added. jrg/mcs