E-commerce platforms can issue invoices on behalf of sellers.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Finance to amend the Decree so that sellers can authorize online retail platforms to create electronic invoices and deliver them to buyers.

In the telegram dated November 25, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed that e-commerce helps businesses and individuals easily introduce and deliver products to consumers. However, the rapid development of this activity poses challenges for management agencies in the face of counterfeit and poor quality goods, violations of intellectual property rights, consumer protection, tax laws, etc.

Therefore, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Finance to promptly submit to the Government amendments to Decree 123/2020 on the application of electronic invoices to e-commerce transactions. In particular, he noted the regulation that sellers can authorize platforms to create electronic invoices for delivery to buyers. At the same time, ministries and branches are responsible for working with the Ministry of Finance to implement these solutions.

Previously, the proposal for sellers to authorize e-commerce platforms to issue invoices on their behalf was also proposed by the General Department of Taxation in the draft amendment to Decree 123. According to the authorities, this regulation will help all online transactions, whether large or small, to be fully invoiced. This also supports tax management, revenue and transaction legality, helping sellers prove the origin of goods.

According to regulations, sellers must issue electronic invoices to buyers. However, in reality, only a few genuine stores of domestic and foreign brands on the platforms issue invoices to customers. The rest of the small sellers have not done so. This poses a potential risk of tax loss to the State budget.

Financial industry requirements for application electronic invoice with e-commerce transactions was raised by the Prime Minister at the conference in early June. At that time, he assigned localities to allocate resources to deploy e-invoices to consumers. For businesses that do not issue e-invoices, he requested strict handling of violations.

E-commerce activities have been growing strongly in recent years. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, e-commerce revenue will reach 30.5 billion USD by 2025. Vietnam is the country with the fastest growth in e-commerce in Southeast Asia.

In addition to the regulations on invoices, the Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to review policies on e-commerce management, including cross-border activities. The Ministry of Finance will soon submit to the Government a Decree on customs management of imported and exported goods traded via e-commerce.

The Ministry of Information and Communications is studying regulations to increase sanctions for handling, suspending, preventing, and revoking operating licenses for violations related to the e-commerce sector. The Ministry of Planning and Investment is proposing regulations on the management of specific business registrations for business models on digital platforms.

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