Only 16% of companies have filed single statement online

181,674 companies, accounting for 40% of the total, had submitted the single statement for social contributions and the income tax due by yesterday, but only 16% sent the form via the Internet, according to the ANAF (tax authority) head Sorin Blejnar.
"166,116 statements were valid. We are waiting for taxpayers to correct the invalid statements. 5% of the statements submitted to ANAF offices were declared invalid, as were 15% of those submitted via the Internet," Blejnar told a press conference.
Ziarul Financiar wrote in its Friday edition that by Friday February 18th, only a quarter of the around 470,000 companies that have to file the single statement have sent the form, so long queues are to be expected this week considering that the legal deadline is February 25th.
Until July 1st 2011, companies can opt between submission of the new form online, via the e-Romania portal, or at the tax administration offices. Starting in the second half of the year, all employers will have to submit the statements online. This entails acquiring a digital certificate with an electronic signature application, which allows for an electronic document to be authenticated. The certificate can be bought from one of the authorised suppliers (CertSign, DigiSign or TransSped) and must be registered with the fiscal authorities. A digital certificate costs around 50 euros.