Russia's Finance Ministry working on implementing digital excise tax on tobacco, beer - Sazanov

MOSCOW. Nov 18 (Interfax) - Russia's Finance Ministry is developing technology for digital excise tax on tobacco and beer, State Secretary and Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Sazanov said at a meeting with foreign businesses at the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, during which the parties discussed tax policy.

Sazanov said that work was being carried out actively. "It is assumed that the tax service will automatically calculate tax liabilities when products are released into circulation, as based on data that is in the information systems for labeling tobacco and beer. This should further reduce the number of disputes between taxpayers and the tax service," he said.

Further digitalizing and expanding the practice of transferring tax-calculation functions to the tax authorities is the main vector of work for simplifying administration, Sazanov emphasized. "This has already been implemented for the majority of property taxes," he added.