With the opening of the last chapters, Serbia, which has taken very significant steps in EU membership, is an essential part of the EU integration process. Serbia bases its entry on eInvoicing on the law dated 29.04.2021. The law regulates the issuance, sending, receipt, processing, storage, content and elements of electronic invoices and other issues related to electronic invoices in transactions between public sector entities, private sector entities, that is, between public and private sector entities. Again, in the relevant law, the obligation of e-invoicing and the eInvoicing system have been included and “Serbian standard of electronic invoicing” has been defined.
Accordingly, the recipient of the electronic invoice checks the electronic invoice sent by accessing the electronic invoice system directly or through an information tool and accepts or rejects it within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the electronic invoice.
Functioning of Serbia eInvoice System
According to the Serbian Invoice Management System, the public institution responsible for the design, harmonization, development and operation of the e-Government system establishes and manages the invoice management system. The Central Information Agent manages the electronic invoicing system and is responsible for its operation. The Central Information Agent maintains the Registry of Information Agents approved by the ministry responsible for finance. The mandate of the Minister of Finance regulates in more detail the way the Central Information Agent performs the tasks referred to in the paragraph.
Storage of electronic invoices
According to the Serbian eInvoice standard, the retention period also varies according to the institution or organization that issues the invoice. An electronic invoice issued or received by public institutions is permanently stored in the electronic invoice system. The electronic invoice issued and received by the private sector organization is kept for ten years from the end of the year in which the electronic invoice is issued. An electronic invoice issued and received by a private sector entity is stored in an electronic invoice system or in an information tool system that is held by a private sector entity. In unforeseen cases, electronic invoices are transferred to the Central Information Agent.
Control of eInvoicing
The originality of the electronic invoice and the integrity of its content are ensured from the moment it is issued until the end of the period of the retention obligation. The originality of the electronic invoice and the integrity of its content are ensured by issuing it in the format stipulated in this Law and keeping the document in a format suitable for electronic storage. The supervision of the implementation of this law in terms of compliance of electronic invoices with the Serbian electronic invoicing standard is carried out by the Ministry of Finance.
Dates related to the obligation to issue eInvoices
The Serbian electronic invoice system is designed to be used by a public sector organization and a private sector organization, provided that technical and technological conditions are met.
The obligation of public institutions to receive and store electronic invoices and to issue electronic invoices to another public sector institution will begin on May 1, 2022. According to the Law, the obligation of the public sector to issue electronic invoices to private sector organizations will be effective as of 1 July 2022.
The obligation of public institutions to record the calculation of value-added tax in electronic form will be valid as of May 1, 2022.
The obligation of private sector organizations to issue electronic invoices to a public sector organization according to the aforementioned Law will be effective as of 1 May 2022.
The obligation of the private sector organization to receive and keep the electronic invoice issued by the public sector organization and the electronic invoice issued by the private sector organization will be effective as of 1 July 2022.
However, the provisions of the Law on the obligation to issue and keep electronic invoices in transactions between private sector organizations and the obligation to record them electronically will be implemented as of January 1, 2023.
Penal Provisions
The Serbian government has given some penal provisions about public institutions or organizations and private sector organizations that do not comply with the obligation to issue eInvoice.
According to this,
Breaches its obligation to issue electronic invoices
Does not record the value-added tax electronically under this law
If he uses the data available in the electronic invoice system for purposes not foreseen in the law
If he does not receive an electronic invoice according to the aforementioned law
It is stated that a private sector entity or a public company — violating the regulatory obligation — will be fined between 200,000 (ca.1700 Euro) and 2,000,000 (ca. 17.000 Euro) dinars. For the misdemeanour specified in Article 1, the entrepreneur — private sector organization is fined between 50,000 (ca. 425 Euro) and 500,000 (ca. 4250 Euro) dinars. The responsible person of the violating public company is fined from 50,000 (ca.425 Euro) dinars to 150,000 (ca.1275 Euro) dinars.
Melasoft e-Faktura Solution
With Melasoft e-Faktura Solution for Serbia, you can prepare invoice documents following the infrastructure requirements of the SUF system and Serbian legislation, which is required for companies that do or will trade in Serbia. You can manage your B2G and B2B invoice processes entirely within the eFaktura System, create invoice documents and automatically archive them, and complete the legal signature process.
Melasoft e-Faktura Solution for Serbia includes a review of accounting processes for companies trading with Serbia and preparation and analysis for integration with SUF (e-Invoice System). In addition, the Melasoft solution provides the identification of areas requiring changes, mandatory data entry, policies and procedures for responsible persons, internal controls, integration of the Serbian electronic invoicing standard with the SAP system, electronic invoicing for XML and JSON and UBL standards.