The latest electronic tax wave
It is only a matter of time for electronic invoicing and computerized accounting. The 2018 Appropriations Bill has enshrined this obligation for taxpayers before integrating it into the General Tax Code (CGI). Taxpayers “ must keep accounts in an electronic format” and submit invoices “generated by a computer system ”, according to Article 145 of the CGI.
“ The implementation of this system depends on implementing decrees. A commission is working on it. It is made up of the Directorate of Public Enterprises and Privatization (D.E.P.P.), the Tax Administration, the Association of Chartered Accountants, and the National Accounting Council ,” says the Ministry of Finance.
The future regulations will thus further expand the scope of electronic payments and electronic tax returns to individuals and businesses.
In 2021, these services account for approximately 72% of electronic operations. The tax authorities launched this project 15 years ago. There are currently 15 online services. Since 2022, the tax administration issues electronic certificates except for VAT exemption.
All-digital procedures for 2024
“ The Directorate General of Taxes wishes to digitize 100% of its services by 2024. This goal will be achieved by adding electronic invoicing and computer accounting. Portugal and France have set themselves the same deadline. But the general movement in the European Union does not include the electronic invoice”, confides a senior finance official who wished to remain anonymous.
The second stage is already underway. It consists of “ exploiting data via artificial intelligence and Big Data”.
The ‘2023 Appropriations Bill plans to strengthen the exchange of information between the tax authorities and other administrations and public bodies (see “L’Economiste” issue No. 6382 of November 03, 2022). Do these projects comply with law No. 08-09 on the protection of personal data? The authority in charge of the protection of data privacy (the National Commission for the control of the protection of personal data, CNDP) must in principle be contacted in advance for an opinion. No deliberations were held in 2022, according to the CNDP’s official website.
The trend will go crescendo. More than 90% of tax returns are made electronically by both natural and legal persons. Thus, 186,231 new taxpayers were identified in 2021, according to the activity report of the General Tax Directorate. “Computer accounting will consolidate this gigantic digital leap and facilitate tax audits even more”, predicted the Association of Chartered Accountants, on October 20, 2022 in Casablanca, during a meeting on “The challenges of digitalization for accounting professions”.
Faiçal FAQUIHI
