The interconnection of the payment terminals with the cash registers of the businesses subject to interconnection is being completed. Already, 90% of the businesses have either interconnected their systems or will do so by the end of April, as they have committed to making the scheduled appointments with the installation technicians.

At the same time, fines have already started to be imposed on those businesses that have not taken any action. It is noted that no further extension will be granted. The project is in the final phase of implementation, with the vast majority of businesses having complied.

AUDITS BEGUN

Since last week, the AADE (Ιndepend Authority for Public Revenue) has already been implementing checks on businesses with a turnover of more than €1 million that have not proceeded with the interconnection of POS with their cash registers, nor scheduled appointments during April. It is noted that the first 5 fines of €10,000 and €20,000 have already been launched in the context of these controls. Within the next few days the checks are expected to be extended to other businesses, regardless of turnover. Already, the Hellenic Revenue Service has made telephone calls to 2,900 businesses with a turnover of less than €1 million that have not complied with the timetables, in order to establish whether the delay in the interconnection procedures is due to force majeure or negligence. Unsatisfactory excuses have been identified in 10% of cases and audits are expected to follow.

At the same time, checks have also been launched on professionals and businesses in 35 retail sectors (taxis, farmers' markets, kiosks, etc.), which are required to have POS installed and accept card transactions. In the checks already implemented by ADSE it was found that:

In 1,132 taxis, 27 taxis were identified that did not have POS.

In 1,592 stalls of popular markets 102 did not have POS or had not booked an interconnection appointment. At the same time, the ADSE is constantly sending mass e-mails to businesses that have not interconnected their systems in order to comply within the timeframe. A similar e-mail is to be sent today.

In addition, in the informative e-mails it is noted that "if the technician contacts you in order to make the appointment on a date earlier than the one originally scheduled, please proceed to the immediate realization of the appointment and the interconnection as early as possible, as in the event of failure of the technician to respond on the originally scheduled day, especially if it is the last days of April, there is a risk of not fulfilling the obligation of interconnection within the

DEADLINES

Reminder that they have until 30 April 2024 to interconnect:

Businesses that did not proceed with the interconnection of their systems within March, but have a scheduled appointment with an installation technician within April.

Businesses that have indicated in the POS Registry that they are going to replace their POS system with one of the new all-in-one solutions available , which requires no additional interconnection actions, rather than making transactions. NOTE: Those who have purchased an all in one solution but have not made a transaction are considered "not connected"! Note that seven e-invoicing providers with such solutions have been approved. -

Businesses using a cash register system with ERP software and who must follow the basic interconnection rule of A.1155/2023 for their POS are reminded that they have until May31 and, in case of a scheduled appointment for interconnection in June 2024, until the end of that month. -Finally, cash registers of businesses that are closed for any reason (e.g. seasonality) and will open after the end of the above schedule will have to be interconnected with their POS terminals from the first day of the reopening of the businesses.

Fines are activated As a reminder, obligated businesses that have not interconnected their systems or proceeded with scheduling appointments in April face the imposition of fines if they cannot justify that they did not do so for reasons of force majeure. In particular, a fine is foreseen:  €10,000 if they keep a simple accounting system, € 20,000 for a double-entry bookkeeping system. These fines are halved for companies established in settlements with a population of up to 500 inhabitants and on islands with a population of up to 3,100 inhabitants (except for tourist settlements). In the event of a repeat offence within five years, the fines are doubled and tripled for each subsequent offence. Finally, it is recalled that from1 April, 35 retail outlets are required to have POS installed and accept card transactions. Otherwise, a fine of €1,500 per infringement is foreseen.