A round table discussion was held in Győr, in the building of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with Zoltán Szalai, the Vice President of the Food Trade Division led by. The theme is new, data provision regulation was.
The first and last point of the discussion was the most important task at the moment, the deadline for which has passed, but the end of the replacement option is also looming. In other words, those who have not fulfilled their obligation to notify by 31 March can do so by 31 October. However, those who have not done so can have their business suspended by the local notary the very next day during an inspection. The notification is closely linked to the registration with the National Tourist Information Centre (NTAK) and is therefore urgent.
The National Tourism Data Centre (NTAK) is preparing to create the largest and most transparent data set in Hungary to help and support Hungarian tourism. The existing law and objectives have been signed and confirmed by the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) and industry leaders.
What is the task?
It is a data reporting obligation that now also applies to catering establishments and tourist attractions. There are hardly any exceptions to this, which is the most important thing:
Anyone with an online cash register is fully covered by this legislation. By NACE number, this concerns activities 56.1; 56.3.
Details of the Regulation: registration of catering businesses in the NTAK will start on 1 November 2021. By law, all catering businesses are obliged to register, however, only those catering establishments which are obliged to use a cash register to fulfil their obligation to issue receipts are required to provide NTAK data on the technical requirements of cash registers, the distribution, use and servicing of cash registers for the issue of receipts and the data recorded on the cash register.on the provision of information to the Hungarian National Audit Office pursuant to Decree No 48/2013 (XI. 15.) NGM..
For example, an ice-cream vendor who is constantly on the move, a tricycle rider, is exempt from providing data, but must also register. The legislation is already in force, but register from 1 NOVEMBER, preceded by the previous mandatory notification.
It's a quick and easy registration, which doesn't require any personal data, only the company's capabilities and licenses. This will be followed by the practical provision of data from July 2022, which will also be immediate. From this point onwards, there will be no more paperwork, i.e. no more administration, because it will be necessary to check both stock and income every day.
Who will see the data?
Hungarian Tourist Agency Zrt.
state tax authority,
local government, and
KSH.
What does this cost for owners and operators?
You will need a software and a hardware. This means that a computer with internet access or even a laptop will be sufficient to install and use the software. The software is free and for the time being it is completely standalone and cannot be integrated with existing software, but it is worth asking for help to install it. The server must be provided at your own cost, but you can install the software on existing devices. Existing NAV-licensed cashier terminals can be connected to the online cash register system. Of course, this also has its risks and drawbacks.
Is there a grant for all this?
NTAK's response was that the software would be provided, but that the hardware and its management would be supported, but this was rejected. The answer was firm and negative, and they said that they did not intend to change this, although there was a lot of opposition.
Participants in the round table discussion included catering operators, restaurant owners, buffet owners, small and large pub owners, as well as managers who run several types of establishments at the same time.
The Regulation is not so clear and straightforward for everyone, as catering and tourist sites have different conditions, so many questions have been and are being asked individually. Summary presentation by Zoltán Szalai, Vice President of the Food Trade Section of the GYMSM KIK then gave way to questions, of which there was no shortage. There were many controversies and problems to be solved:
How do restaurants, tourist attractions benefit from registration??
Zoltán Szalai: If we can see how profitable a place is, we can see how profitable it is. There are areas where they don't sell pizza, for example. There are two reasons for this: either there is no demand for it or there is no one to sell it - so places that are less profitable should take this suggestion and sell pizza. The data is available for download as well as the statistics. This can be used to draw conclusions about the operation of the business, but also to find out what a stock shortage is made up of. This will require the cooperation of employees and will also be more transparent for the owners, making it even more economically viable.
How many people are needed for day-to-day administration?
Zoltán Szalai: It does not involve many new tasks and administration, as the system is already in place and the invoices, thanks to the online cash register, are sent directly to the NAV, who register the unit. True, it will require manpower to do it and a replacement, but I think once the system is in place, the software itself will do most of the work automatically. The recent mandatory notification to the relevant notary that catering activities are actually being carried out by catering establishments was to see, from an economic point of view, that the revenue is actually coming from this activity. We should also think of this regulation as a subsidy, because the aim is that catering and tourist sites will benefit from all this.
Ernő Jankó, the managing director of Rábakész Kft. drew attention to the contradictions:
“We are still getting to know the system, but we can already see that many things will be almost impossible to do in practice. I fear for my staff most of all, because it is difficult to keep track of someone who is thirsty and has had a Coke or a plate of soup in the canteen. For me, it's worth it to stay with us, but I won't be able to “punch” it into a machine every time. However, in a check, if even a pint of coke is missing, we could have a problem.
After a series of related questions and answers, the participants were invited to a a compilation of requests for further tasks was prepared by the chamber for which a response and suggestions for solutions are expected later.
Their questions:
- In the first place, since the software is provided by the state, could support for the hardware be obtained, even in a way similar to cash registers, for example by making the cost tax deductible?
- To request a beta version of the software for the Chamber, which, once tested, could inform members about its content and conclude on the administrative burden it imposes on businesses?
- Is the free software compatible with the restaurant registration systems already purchased and used?
The questions will also be forwarded to the National Tourism Data Centre.
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