New regulation requires couriers in Romania to report cash payments on delivery

Romania’s Government recently adopted new regulations obliging couriers operating in the country to store data regarding people who paid cash reimbursements for online deliveries, according toEconomedia. The couriers will have to report the data to the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), which oversees the collection of taxes and the enforcement of tax-related laws.

Adopted on Wednesday, May 18, the regulation aims to improve tax collection. In 2020, Romania had one of thelowest tax-revenue-to-GDP ratios in the European Union, 27.2%. Only Ireland (20.8%) had a lower ratio. At the other end of the ranking were Denmark (47.6%), France (47.5%), and Belgium (46.2%).

Every month, couriers in Romania will have to send ANAF the registration number of the parcel, the date of delivery, the sender’s identification data, the full name of the individuals, or the name of the legal entity, and the addresses of both the sender and the receiver of the parcel, and the value of the parcel.

The Government wants the new measure to counter tax avoidance on the part of online businesses, especially small and individual retailers who promote or sell their merchandise through classifieds platforms or social media.

“As we have seen, Romania is experiencing important economic growth, but the challenge posed by tax collection remains,” said Government spokesman Dan Cărbunaru. “The new regulation comes to aid the Romanian state in its efforts to collect the taxes it needs so that the state budget is able to provide the services that Romanian citizens expect,” he added.

Cărbunaru also stated that the buyers’ personal data, which will be collected by courier companies and stored by Romania’s tax authority for five years, will be protected. Specific rules of application that will detail the process of receiving a package are forthcoming.

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