APED wants a simpler tax system

SÉRVULO IN THE PRESS 29 Nov 2019 in Store Magazine

The Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies (APED) wants to make tax compliance faster by proposing 23 simplification measures, including the creation of a general fee schedule and a schedule for financial contributions to public entities, as well as specialised procedure manuals. APED also proposes: the standardisation of information reporting formats, the publication and dissemination of legally allowed response times for binding information and administrative guidance requests, the standardisation of municipal fees and the establishment of a public entity coordinating payments due to the state.

According to APED, Portuguese distribution companies must fulfil an average of 169 tax obligations per year. This number, which is to be found in the “Tax Obligations of the Distribution Sector” report prepared by SÉRVULO, includes payment and ancillary obligations.

Diogo Feio and Teresa Pala Schwalbach, partner and principal associate in SÉRVULO’s Tax department respectively, drew up the report for APED. The report not only aims to highlight the fact that distribution sector companies have a significant number of tax obligations, but also to present potential solutions or alternatives to some of the more burdensome ancillary obligations incumbent on Portuguese corporate taxpayers, with a particular focus on the distribution sector.

APED’s Director-General Gonçalo Lobo Xavier believes that “the report is a contribution from a key sector in the national economy; one that intends to remain competitive. It is also serves as a wakeup call for those who want to make the right decisions and contribute to the growth of the Portuguese economy and society.”