THE EGYPTIAN Tax Authority - Tobacco stamped, books checked

Region: Egypt

 

 

THE EGYPTIAN Tax Authority seems to have shifted interest from tax collection to quality control. The authority is now studying the possibility of stamping tobacco and alcoholic products.

At first sight, the initiative is perceived as an attempt to collect additional revenue. However, the authority claims that the main aim is to guarantee the authenticity of these products, to protect the consumer, and to get more information about the taxpaying population in Egypt.

"The authority will observe the number of stamps received by each of these factories. It will be impossible to fake the stamps. This will help eliminate products that do not comply with proper industrial specifications," said Fathi Abdel-Aziz, head of the authority's IT sector.

Meanwhile, orders have been given to tax officers to unify as well as simplify the basis on which small enterprises are examined for tax collection.

Also, tax offices across the country have been requested to speedily complete examining income tax returns from 2004 onwards, after it was found that many returns from then until now have not fully been examined.

Al Ahram Weekly