Today, fair and transparent business is reporting non-competitive conditions due to understatement of customs goods value by certain importers by several times. Serhii Badritdinov, Chairman of SUP Retail Committee, also says that this issue is common for “white” retail, too. According to him, sector is facing two key challenges today: the cost of imported goods is extremely understated and not every company issuess a fiscal sales receipt at goods sale. While we can witness certain steps taken for introducing fiscal cash registers, there appears to be no actions in respect of customs cost understatement.
In order to get things moving, Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs suggests cancelling artificial obstacles in the Tax Code of Ukraine on disclosing anonymised information on customs goods cost. SUP believes that creation of anonymised database of customs cost will help public organisations, law enforcement bodies, journalists, business and citizens combat the corruption schemes and smuggling. It will facilitate creation of competitive market environment, reduce corruption levels, enhance society’s confidence in state authorities and consumer’s confidence in goods.
“We have to provide business with access to anonymised database of customs goods cost. Under these circumstances, business will be able to own real information and thereby help law enforcement bodies detect violations and abusive practices, since legally operating business is interested in equal business rules and conditions,” says Serhii Badritdinov, CEO INTERTOP, Chairman of SUP Retail Committee.
It should be reminded that draft Law on Amending the Tax Code of Ukraine (concerning customs goods cost) No. 3085, which, inter alia, suggested disclosing anonymised information on customs goods cost, was registered by MPs back in September 2015. However, the draft law has not yet been reviewed by a special-purpose committee. SUP urges the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine to consider proposals made by business community and include a relevant initiative in Article 56 when developing legislative initiatives on amending the Tax Code of Ukraine.
