Tax authorities, CBR not prepared to allow tax payments in digital rubles - MP
MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) - The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) and Federal Tax Service are not prepared at this point to equate the digital ruble to the conventional ruble when it comes to paying taxes, so amendments to the Tax Code are being made now only as regards the possibility of forced collection of taxes from digital ruble accounts, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Budget Committee, Olga Anufriyeva said.
"As you know, the main, basic law on the digital ruble has already been passed, it is already beginning to be introduced, slowly, in all other legal relations that are related to financial flows, this is how it will be introduced," she said at a committee meeting Monday that considered Tax Code amendments (No. 384598-8) concerning the introduction of the digital ruble.
Since the CBR is the operator of the digital ruble platform, all requirements for banks to inform the Tax Service about ruble accounts must also be stipulated as regards provision of information from the CBR, Anufriyeva said. This was done, with the exception of the issue of paying taxes in digital rubles.
"At this point neither the CBR nor the Tax Service is prepared to equate the digital ruble and the ruble as regards payment of taxes, but as regards collection of taxes this has already been spelled out, such a technological possibility exists," Anufriyeva said.
The document, which was submitted to parliament by a group of lawmakers at the end of June, supplements Russia's Tax Code with the concept of a "digital ruble account"; spells out the possibility of collecting debt from taxpayers (tax agents) out of their digital ruble assets if they have insufficient or no money in their conventional accounts; and gives the tax authorities the right to freeze transactions on digital ruble accounts.
The bill is scheduled to be considered in the first reading in the Duma's plenary session on September 20.
However, the committee noted two issues. The first concerns recognition of company income/expenses on digital ruble accounts by the tax authorities when determining profit tax. "The committee notes the need to additionally work out the issue regarding making similar changes to provisions concerning the application of special tax regimes," the committee said in its conclusion.
The second issue concerns when the bill would go into effect. It is proposed that the Tax Code changes go into effect as of January 1, 2025, although the changes to introduce the digital ruble in settlements went into effect on August 1, 2023.