Three days ago, the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization disseminated information that 241 Moldovan citizens have already benefited from the new regime for independent entrepreneurs or freelancers. They registered their activities with the Public Services Agency or the EVO app in the first days after the introduction of the new tax regime.
As previously reported by Logos Press with reference to the State Services Agency, “to register in the Register of Legal Entities, entrepreneurs apply exclusively online, through the State Services Portal, using the service “State Registration of Independent Entrepreneur”. This requires a valid electronic signature.
The procedure is automated, free of charge and is carried out without the participation of registrars of the State Services Agency. The application process is simplified and data is automatically verified in real time, thanks to interaction with government platforms MPass, MSign, MConnect and other information systems.
Once the application is processed, the system automatically generates the name of the independent entrepreneur, assigns a state identification number (IDNO), and sends notifications of registration with the State Register of Legal Entities both to the e-mail address specified in the application and to the government portal of legal entities. If necessary, an extract on registration in the State Register of Legal Entities can be requested online.
According to one of the registered freelancers who posted a post in the social network, the Agency could not answer the question about what the entrepreneur should do next and redirected him to the office of the State Tax Service. The hotline specialist there was also unable to clarify the further procedure, redirecting him to the territorial office of the State Tax Service, which theoretically should have already received information about registration.
However, even in the territorial office, in the department serving individuals, the entrepreneur was not instructed, as he now represents a different category of taxpayers. “I was redirected to another specialist, who after several of my attempts to call him never picked up the phone,” said the freelancer. – It is clear that this is a new regime and it is not easy to launch, but I expected different answers from the specialists.”
According to experts, at first freelancers had problems with registration, as it became possible online only after January 5 this year. And before that, the information system of the Agency of State Services was not ready, although the new tax regime came into force at the beginning of this year.
“The other day a citizen contacted our company, and we helped him to register as a freelancer online,” explains auditor Andrei Zhizdan on a concrete example of the procedure. – Then we ordered an extract of registration in the State Register of Legal Entities, having paid a state duty of 110 lei. At the moment, the freelancer has already submitted documents to the bank to open accounts. All he has to do is to sign contracts and register his income”.
In addition to the emerging problems with information and communication, experts also point out some legislative difficulties and limitations, including technical ones, which may hinder the attraction of freelancers to the new regime.
