Tax memory goes online

As of January 9, 2003, no trading company will be set up or registered with the Trade Registry without the partners, shareholders or legal representatives of the respective legal entity producing a clean bill of fiscal health first.
This mandatory requirement also goes for the establishment of associations and foundations, for partners or founding members, as well as for freelancers applying for a licence to work.
At the same time, the cession of shares in a trading company is tied to a fiscal certificate verifying the payment or undertaking of possible debts to the state budget by the new partners or shareholders.
Law 410/2002 regulating the organisation and operation of tax records is due to come into force next week. This law introduces a system to register and track taxpayers – either natural or legal persons, who have broken the fiscal-financial and customs legislation or the fiscal discipline laws.
The tax record will include information about the penalties and forced execution measures taken against taxpayers for such wrongdoings. The data are introduced into the record according to final and irrevocable documents. Until the penalties enforced by the Exchequer become final, the Finance Ministry will keep a separate record tracking the various procedural stages.
The tax record certificate shall be issued in no more than ten days from receipt of the application and is valid for 30 days from the date when it was issued. It may be used solely for the purpose for which it was issued.
The certificate may be issued in a simplified form to show whether or not the applicants are included in the tax record database.
The new regulations cover all the infringements of the fiscal-financial or customs laws verified by tax control documents drawn up after September 8, 2002, when Ordinance 75/2001 on the organisation and operation of the tax record came into force.