HCMC People’s Committee Takes Action: A Turning Point in Petrol Business Management
The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has just issued a strong directive to intensify the inspection and supervision of the implementation of electronic invoices (e-invoices) at all petrol retail stores in the city. This is seen as a strong and decisive move, demonstrating the city’s determination to create a transparent and fair petrol business environment. The ultimate goal is to effectively prevent tax fraud, which is a burning issue, especially in the context of rapidly developing e-commerce.
Worrying Situation: Why Are Petrol Stations Delaying E-Invoices?
Although the policy of deploying e-invoices has been promoted by the HCMC People’s Committee and has brought many practical benefits, contributing to building a more transparent business environment, it has been noted that some petrol stations have not seriously implemented this regulation. This delay not only causes difficulties for tax management by functional agencies but also creates unfair competition among businesses, affecting consumer rights.
Consequences of Delays in Issuing E-Invoices:
- Tax revenue loss: The State has difficulty controlling actual revenue, leading to tax losses, affecting budget revenue.
- Commercial fraud: Creates conditions for fraudulent acts in the petrol business such as tax evasion, smuggling, and selling poor quality goods.
- Unfair competition: Compliant stores are disadvantaged compared to fraudulent stores, creating a distorted business environment.
- Impact on consumer rights: Consumers have difficulty controlling the quality and quantity of petrol, and are easily harmed.
Strong Solutions from HCMC: Ensuring 100% of Petrol Stations Issue E-Invoices
To thoroughly solve the above situation, the HCMC People’s Committee has directed functional units to synchronously and drastically implement the following measures:
1. Strengthen Comprehensive Inspection and Supervision:
- Inter-sectoral petrol inspection team: Established and conducts regular and unscheduled inspections of compliance with regulations on petrol business, with a focus on the issuance of e-invoices at all stores.
- In-depth inspection: The HCMC Tax Department takes the lead in inspecting the management and use of e-invoices at each petrol station, ensuring compliance with legal regulations.
2. Strictly Handle All Violations:
- Revocation of Business License: For cases of intentionally violating regulations on e-invoices, the Tax Department will propose that the HCMC People’s Committee direct the revocation of the petrol business license. This is the highest penalty, showing the seriousness and determination of HCMC.
- Administrative sanctions: Apply strict administrative penalties for other violations related to electronic invoices and petrol business.
3. Closely Monitor the Volume of Petrol Sold to the Market:
- Strengthened market management: The HCMC Market Management Department strengthens management and closely monitors the volume of legal petrol sold in the area, ensuring full and accurate tax collection according to regulations.
- Fight against tax fraud: Resolutely fight and prevent tax fraud and illegal petrol trading, protecting state budget revenue.
Clear Goal: 100% of Petrol Stations Apply E-Invoices Before April 2025
The HCMC People’s Committee has set a specific goal and clear deadline: by the end of March 2025, 100% of retail petrol business stores in the city must complete the application of automatic connection solutions to issue electronic invoices for each sale and directly connect data with tax authorities.
Protecting Consumer Rights: What Benefits Do E-Invoices Bring?
The implementation of electronic invoices is not only aimed at more effective tax management but also brings many practical benefits to consumers:
- Information transparency: Consumers can easily check information on prices, quantity, and quality of petrol, ensuring clear and transparent purchasing rights.
- Anti-measurement fraud: Electronic invoices contribute to limiting measurement fraud, short-fueling, protecting the legitimate rights of buyers.
- Easy monitoring: People can actively monitor sales activities at petrol stations, contributing to creating a healthy business environment.
Strengthen Propaganda and Raise Public Awareness:
- Department of Information and Communications, local newspapers and radio stations: Coordinate with tax authorities to strengthen widespread propaganda about the benefits of e-invoices, relevant legal regulations and penalties for violations.
- Guiding people to monitor: Propagate and inform people about common fraudulent acts at petrol stations such as “number jumping” and measurement fraud. Encourage people to actively monitor and request sales staff to return the display screen to zero before pumping petrol.
Supporting Business Digital Transformation: Accompanying Petrol Stations
The HCMC People’s Committee not only introduces strong measures but also focuses on supporting businesses in the technology transformation process:
- HCMC Department of Science and Technology: Coordinate with relevant units to guide, encourage and create favorable conditions for petrol businesses to transform and apply automatic data connection solutions to issue electronic invoices.
- Creating conditions for technology access: Support businesses in accessing suitable and effective e-invoice technology solutions and software at reasonable costs.
Recommendations on Environmental Protection Tax: Ensuring Resources for HCMC
- HCMC Department of Finance: Assigned to preside over and coordinate with the Tax Department to advise the HCMC People’s Committee to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to develop a mechanism for allocating environmental protection tax revenue from petrol to the HCMC budget.
- Allocation based on consumption and population: Propose an allocation mechanism based on the actual volume of petrol consumed in the area and population criteria, ensuring financial resources for the city in investing in development and environmental protection.
Determination to Rectify, Creating Sustainable Development Steps for HCMC Petrol Market
With drastic and synchronous measures and the involvement of the entire political system, HCMC has shown a high determination to rectify petrol business activities, ensuring strict compliance with regulations on electronic invoices. This is not only a solution to strengthen tax management and combat fraud but also an important step to create a transparent, fair, civilized business environment and protect the legitimate rights of consumers, towards sustainable development for the HCMC petrol market.
