Federal Taxes: 530 outlets and shops, including 20 field trips for awareness and inspection during August

Abu Dhabi 07-09-2019
The Federal Tax Authority announced the implementation of two simultaneous awareness-raising and inspection campaigns to verify compliance with the decision to prevent the circulation of cigarettes packs not known as “digital tax stamps” in local markets, which came into force mandatory this year, and aims to track cigarette packs electronically from production until they reach the end consumer. Consumers of inferior products, combating tax evasion, and ensuring full compliance with the selective tax due, pursuant to the Council of Ministers’ Decision No. 42 of 2018 on “Marking of Tobacco and Tobacco Products” No. 3 of 2018 in the same matter.
The Authority pointed out that a number of violations were monitored during the month of August (the first month of implementation of the decision), through more than 20 joint field trips carried out by the Federal Tax Authority in the UAE markets in cooperation with the economic departments in the UAE, and included more than 530 outlets and shops , As part of the awareness and inspection campaigns.
The Authority confirmed that during these rounds – which started from the beginning of August last and continue during the coming period – take the necessary measures regarding violators for not repeat violations.
She pointed out that as of the first of last May began to ban the import of all types of cigarettes to the country without the presence of “digital tax stamps” on them, and as of August 1 last began to prevent the sale / circulation / possession of all types of cigarettes without tax stamps in the market As part of the timetable that came into effect on January 1st, two types of “digital tax stamps” were adopted, the first being the red stamps that are fixed on cigarette packs which are allowed to be circulated in all local markets in the UAE. , As well as the The second type is the green stamps that are fixed on cigarette packs which are allowed to be sold in the duty-free shops for those leaving the country.
HE Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the Federal Tax Authority, said that the new campaign aims to communicate directly with traders and consumers in local markets to raise awareness of the importance of full commitment to the application of the system of “marking distinctive tobacco and tobacco products,” stressing the Authority’s keenness to strengthen cooperation and coordination with the federal and local government authorities concerned. , Ensuring the best levels of tax compliance, while ensuring the stability and regularity of trade movement in local markets.
He stressed that the Federal Tax Authority always puts on top of its priorities to raise awareness of taxpayers and consumers about their tax rights and duties, and intensify their efforts to help business sectors to comply with tax regulations and procedures as strategic partners to enable them to self-comply and deal efficiently and consciously with the tax system, explaining his happiness that the implementation of the two campaigns As part of the Authority’s efforts to contribute with the competent authorities in tightening control over the markets to protect consumers and combat tax evasion.
He said: The campaign includes all emirates of the country, where joint teams of specialists in the Authority and the economic departments to tour daily to raise the level of tax awareness in general and the importance of adhering to the system of “marking distinctive tobacco and its products” in particular, and clarify the administrative fines imposed in cases of non-compliance Tax laws.
During the campaign, specialized teams are conducting awareness tours in malls, shops and retail markets in general. Consumers are introduced to the importance of making sure that digital tax stamps on cigarette packs are in place to ensure that they are not inferior or counterfeit products. Knowledge of tax stamps to avoid the application of fines in case of any violations.
It is noteworthy that under the Cabinet’s decision on violating the procedures related to the application of the distinctive mark on the selective goods and the marking of tobacco and its products, which are digital stamps that are fixed on the packs of tobacco products before being supplied to local markets, fines are imposed on violations of the “distinctive mark”, including a fine In the event that a person owns or trades certain selective commodities in the country that do not bear the distinctive mark, and if the person intentionally permits the use of his premises to sell certain selective goods in the Ululation do not carry the distinctive emblem, shall be subject to a fine of 25 thousand dirhams for the first offense, and 50 thousand dirhams in the case of repetition.
Among the fines is also when a person changes or prints on the distinctive markings fixed on certain selective goods, he will be fined AED 50,000 in addition to 50% of the selective tax due on the selected selective goods. If the person does not comply with the requirements for the safe storage of the distinctive signs specified by the Federal Tax Authority, he will be fined AED 50,000 for each time the violation has been committed.