It was announced last year that all commercial and service units will be obliged to use cash registers that feature an online data connection with the tax authority, NAV. The objective of the measure is largely to fill budget gaps: NAV wishes to expand its control by a “continuous supervision” of the operation of cash registers and taxi meters via the online connection. It is expected that VAT income will significantly increase – by approximately HUF 95 billion – and the economy will be whitened. While the original time frame for replacing cash registers was May 1, NAV has granted a grace period until June 30 for companies to make necessary changes.

But IVSz feels that the new deadline can’t be met either. A global shortage of computer chips means testing would be possible only during operation in the stores. It makes the testing process harder and slows down the launch of series production. At least a few hundred machines should be tested for at least two months in order to be able to manufacture cash registers that operate flawlessly in large quantities. If testing was halted due to the imminent deadline, that would harm government and Hungarian enterprises as well, the association said in a statement. It estimates that after a full transition to volume production, the needed capacity could realistically only be achieved by the end of December 2013.