Source: http://docplayer.net/1339340-Recommendations-on-how-to-apply-the-gdpdu.html
Timestamp: 2016-10-27 19:07:19
Document Index: 80180233

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 50', 'ART 50', 'ART 2', 'ART 2', 'ART 92', 'ART 49', 'Art. 7', 'Art. 77', 'Art. 62', 'Art. 77', 'ARTY 01037']

⭐Recommendations on how to apply the GDPdU
Recommendations on how to apply the GDPdU
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1 Deutschsprachige SAP Anwendergruppe (German-Speaking SAP User Group) Recommendations on how to apply the GDPdU DSAG WORK GROUP GDPdU Editorial Deadline 25 th AUGUST 20082 DSAG Special Interest Group Financials DEVELOPED IN THE WORK GROUP GDPDU RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU VERSION 3.0, AS OF 25TH AUGUST 2008 DSAG e. V. Deutschsprachige SAP-Anwendergruppe RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE PRINCIPLES OF DATA ACCESS AND AUDITING OF DIGITAL DOCUMENTS Page 23 THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED Many people have contributed to this documentation. Our special thanks go to: > the authors for DSAG e. V., SIG Financials, WG GDPdU: Rolf Andres, Rainer Böhle, Henning Burlein, Albert Kraus > for information on the text version: Dr. Christian Recknagel > on behalf of SAP Deutschland AG & Co.KG: Lars Gartenschläger > all other persons, who contributed to the success of this documentation behind the scenes. Work Group GDPdU of the SIG Financials Rainer Böhle Editorial deadline: Disclaimer This publication is protected by copyright. All rights, unless expressly marked otherwise, are owned by: Deutschsprachige SAP-Anwendergruppe e. V. Altrottstraße 34a Walldorf Germany No unauthorised use whatsoever is permitted. This applies in particular for duplication, distribution, translation or use in electronic systems/digital media. Microsoft, WINDOWS, WORD and EXCEL are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IDEA is a registered trademark of CaseWare International Inc, Toronto, Canada. ACL is a registered trademark of ACL Services Ltd., Vancouver, Canada. UNIX is a registered trademark of the Open Group. XML is a brand or registered trademark of W3C, World Wide Web Consortium, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. SAP, R/2, R/3 and ERP 5.0/6.0 and other SAP products and services mentioned in the texts are brands or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and other countries worldwide. All other names of products and services are brands/trademarks of the respective companies. The software products sold by SAP AG or their sales companies can also include software components of other software manufacturers. Page 3 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.4 Outline CONTENTS List of abbreviations 7 List of tables 7 List of figures 7 1 PREAMBLE 9 2 INTRODUCTION 12 3 Regulatory Framework Regulatory framework and administrative concept Tax Reduction Act of BMF Statement dated BMF Frequently Asked Questions (BMF FAQ) and ZVEI Comment Further development of GDPdU Access to tax-relevant data The term tax-relevant data Validity of the data access and scope of application Field audits in terms of 147 AO Direct access (Z1 Access) Indirect access (Z2 Access) Data transfer (Z3 Access) Data specification standard Cumulative access Machine readability 22 4 CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING THE GDPDU Interdisciplinary work group Vague legal concepts Identification of tax-relevant systems and data Procedure to identify systems Special cases - s Tax relevance of s Machine readability Special case - Spreadsheet Files Tax relevance of the spreadsheet file Machine readability of the spreadsheet file Special case - Word Processing Files Tax relevance of the word processing file Machine readability of the word processing file Database outside SAP Electronic documents Commercial letters and accounting documents Tax relevance Does only the EDI file or only the IDOC or both fall under the record retention requirements? Questions/Comments on the access types Z1-Z Optional use of the access types Z1-Z3 33 Page 45 4.4.2 Direct access (Z1) Indirect access (Z2) Data media transfer (Z3) Special topics within the scope of data access Access to archives Indexing/Attribute assignment of stored data/documents Tax relevance Access to tax-relevant data in electronic archives (Z1 / Z2) System changes and system shutdowns Systematisation of system changes and system shutdowns Relief from accounting obligations in acc. with 148 AO Tax audit Auditor s workplace Organisational requirements Data protection for data media 41 5 TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION IN SAP SYSTEMS SAP systems Functional enhancements from third party suppliers Field catalogue of tax-relevant data Technical Z1 / Z2 access Sample authorisation roles for auditors DART access for auditors Company-specific auditor roles Adjustments of auditor roles due to customer developments Protect auditor role Period check (Auditing period) Restricting the access right to a period Tables TPCUSER/TPCUSERN (Transaction TPC2) Table TPCPROGS Table TPCPROG (Transaction TPC4) Table TPCDATEN (Transaction TPC6) Record auditor activities (Action Log) Action Log as new function Evaluation of the Action Log (Transaction SLG1) Display log overview (with Report CA_TAXLOG) Delete log information (Transaction SLG2) Technical Z3 Access DART Data Retention Tool Delivery of the DART versions System-related documentation/assistance for DART DART transactions and reports DART module overview DART segment/field catalogue (Transactions FTWCS/FTWCF) Field catalogue enhancements for customer data fields 73 Page 5 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.6 Outline DART authorisations Total overview of the dart authorisation check DART authorisation objects DART release maintenance Procedure for DART extract creation Separation of included data Periodical extract creation Naming convention for DART extracts Definition of the language for the DART extract DART extract performance optimisation DART log for reconciliation purposes DART browser (Transaction FTWF) Reconciliation and control of extractions Check data checksums (Transactions FTWE/FTWE1) Check the checksums of the data extract (Transaction FTWD) Storage of DART extract files View creation General Naming conventions for views Define views (Transaction FTWY) Create view files (Transaction FTWH) Naming conventions for view files Performance for view execution Transfer of data created by export views Display view contents (Transaction FTWN) Automation of the extract creation - outlook Summary of DART SAP Human Capital Management Direct access (Z1 Access) Data transfer (Z3 Access) Travel expense accounting (FI-TV) Z1 access to data for travel expense accounting Data transfer (Z3 Access) 94 6 OTHER TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS Evaluation system for mass contract invoicing DART enhancements for business solutions Customized solutions 96 7 OUTLOOK 97 8 ANNEX Literature list SAP Notes Links BMF statements and decrees, OFD (Regional Tax Office) decrees and Finance Court resolutions Glossary Index 111 Page 67 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS See 8.5 Glossary LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Overview of the changes in law due to the Tax Reduction Act Table 2: Examples of documents (previous) and data (new) presented for the government tax audit 28 Table 3: Case structure for system switch off/system shutdown cases 39 Table 4: Possible auditing rights for DART 50 Table 5: Scope of transaction/report for the auditor role in DART 50 Table 6: Overview of customized naming conventions for auditor roles 52 Table 7: Proposal for naming convention for auditor roles customer enhancement 55 Table 8: Transaction TPC6: Context-dependent organisational unit 59 Table 9: Segment volume DART data catalogue as of DART Version Table 10: Assignment of the DART delivery to the SAP system 65 Table 11: List of DART transactions (as of DART 2.6) 67 Table 12: DART module overview (as of DART 2.6) 68 Table 13: DART authorisation objects 75 Table 14: Naming convention for a data extract 80 Table 15: Rule for name assignment of view definitions 87 Table 16: Rule for name assignment of view files 89 Table 17 Overview of advantages and disadvantages of DART 92 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Diagram of the system landscape of a company 26 Figure 2: Example of an impact analysis 29 Figure 3: Systematisation of contents acc. to tax relevance 30 Figure 4: Systematisation for system switch off/system shutdown cases 38 Figure 5: Overview of the sample roles for auditors SAP_AUDITOR_TAX_* 46 Figure 6: Breakdown of the sample auditor role for Finance 47 Figure 7: Sample role menu SAP_AUDITOR_TAX_FI 48 Figure 8: Partial breakdown of menu SAP_AUDITOR_TAX_FI 48 Figure 9: Breakdown of submenu DART 49 Figure 10: Maximum scope of the SAP sample auditor roles, as of July Figure 11: Initial screen of Report RSUSR Figure 12: Access to function PFCG with role comparison 53 Figure 13: Selection of the comparative role 53 Figure 14: Results list of the role comparison 54 Figure 15: Maintenance dialogue of the table TPCUSERN, transaction TPC2 56 Figure 16: Extract from table TPCPROGS 57 Figure 17: Extract from table TPCPROG 57 Figure 18: Extract from table TPCDATEN 58 Figure 19: Selection screen for transaction SLG1 60 Figure 20: Result display Transaction SLG1 Auditor access 61 Figure 21: Display of auditor access details (Transaction SLG1) 61 Figure 22: Selection screen of the Report CA_TAXLOG (Transaction SA38) 62 Page 7 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.8 Outline Figure 23: Display of details for auditor access from Report CA_TAXLOG 62 Figure 24: Display customizing of table TXW_C_BUKRS (Transaction SM31) 64 Figure 25: Call the help for DART data segment configuration (Transaction FTWQ) 66 Figure 26: Display the help for DART data segment configuration (Transaction FTWQ) 66 Figure 27: Example to display segment catalogue: Fields for all country versions 70 Figure 28: Example to display segment catalogue: Fields only country version DE 71 Figure 29: Extract for a DART segment with the relevant field catalogue 71 Figure 30: Extract from the DART field catalogue (here segments TXW_FI_*) 72 Figure 31: Extract of the data from a segment table 72 Figure 32: Extract of the data from a reference table 73 Figure 33: Extract from the results list for transaction SU22 74 Figure 34: Extract creation without master data 77 Figure 35: Creation of the pure master data extract 78 Figure 36: Definition of the extraction language 81 Figure 37: Three excerpts from the extract log 83 Figure 38: Excerpt from the extract browser (Transaction FTWF) 83 Figure 39: DART control totals for FI documents 85 Figure 40: Check data checksum (Transaction FTWD) 86 Figure 41: Result of the check Transaction FTWD 86 Figure 42: Possible process chain for DART extraction by means of the Schedule Manager 91 Page 89 1 Preamble The DSAG Work Group GDPdU 1 in the Special Interest Group Financials was formed in September 2001 to develop solutions to implement legal regulations for data access in close cooperation with the Development Departments at SAP AG. After having published recommendations on this topic for the first time in May 2002 and the second version was published in May , the Work Group now presents the third version of the recommendations to apply the GDPdU. This time also, the work was the result of analyses from experts of member companies in the IT, Tax, Finance and Audit Departments of well-known companies. We have extended the report considerably compared with the second version. Comments have been made on the scope of SAP functions, which in the meantime have been distinctly enhanced, and explanations have been given for their practical application. Many suggestions from DSAG member companies and other SAP software application companies have been integrated. We also received information from the ranks of the fiscal authorities which were incorporated into the solution. The WG GDPdU has received practical experience from audits with digital access from several German Federal States. The objective of our documentation is to offer advice from members for members as to how one can cope with the challenges of digital data access in practice. The WG GDPdU would once more like to sensitise all SAP users in general and their members in particular to the topic of data access. We hope that the infor mation will assist all readers to control their individual company implementation in SAP systems and in any upstream and/or downstream systems. Even though a GDPdU implementation project was carried out perhaps a few years ago, new challenges for data access arise every day, so one should not consider this matter closed. The application of the GDPdU involves continuous updating if there are changes to organisation charts/business processes and IT systems. SAP offers a two-day workshop (Name of course: WDE680) directed at employees in the Accounting and Tax Departments as well as at system administrators, who are confronted with or who have to deal with data access by the fiscal authorities as part of tax audits. Our recommendations are mainly based on experiences with the standard scope of functions of the SAP systems. The SAP industry solutions and expansion modules APO, SEM, CRM, SCM, BI, PLM, etc are generally not included in these recommendations. Many SAP systems have been modified in practice and have been upgraded with additional functions by third parties or with troubleshooting solutions which have been developed by the companies themselves. The consequences for the authorisation concept for the auditor s access and for the technical solution of the data media transfer arising from this are also not the purpose of our documentation. We have restricted ourselves to providing information on the options available in the SAP standard for DART so as to also incorporate company-specific changes in the database into the data media transfer. These recommendations have been carefully investigated and developed by the WG GDPdU. Nevertheless, neither DSAG e.v. nor the members of the WG GDPdU, who participated in this development, will assume liability for the accuracy of the contents or for the acceptance of the recommendations or suggestions by the fiscal authorities. A liability is explicitly excluded. We would like to point out that these recommendations should not be seen as tax advice on an individual basis, but as providing food for thought and approaches to solving the problems. Any tax consultancy required has to be ensured by each company either internally or externally. 1 Subsequently abbreviated as WG GDPdU. 2 Recommendations for applying the principles of data access and auditing of digital documents dated , Version 2.0; Page 9 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.10 1 Preamble Please let us know if, in this context, you ever consider improvements necessary or can report on practical experiences during audits both positive and negative ones. Contact address: see details on the spokesperson and the deputy of the WG GDPdU on the website 3. We will revise the DSAG recommendations once more in due course, on the one hand to include the aspects not described in this version and on the other hand to take into account information and suggestions sent to us. Rainer Böhle Spokesman of the Work Group GDPdU of the SIG Financials Page See Special Interest Groups Overview Processes WG GDPdU.11 Page 11 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.12 2 Introduction Since , the fiscal authorities have the right to access the taxpayers computer systems within the scope of tax audits 4 in accordance with 147 Section 6 AO 5, in order to electronically check the accounting records of the taxpayer which have been created with the help of the data processing system. The powers of the fiscal authorities which have been drawn up very comprehensively with regard to data access and which have not always been defined precisely enough for data processing have been presented in a BMF (Federal Ministry of Finance) statement Principles of Data Access and Auditing of Digital Documents (GDPdU) 6, which is binding for them. The implementation of data access, which the auditor can choose optionally in the form > of direct access (Z1 7 ) > of indirect access (Z2) > of data transfer on machine readable data medium (Z3) is associated with a number of critical operational problems, which have to be solved in the company at a considerable effort. The data access means that the taxpayer is obliged to provide the original, digitally-created and tax-relevant data with the corresponding hardware and software without delay, legibly and in a machine readable format. 8 At the same time, the 6 to 10 year record retention requirement in accordance with 257 Sect. 1 HGB (German Commercial Code) and 147 Sect. 1 and 3 AO taking into account the auditing acceptability generally still has to be complied with. It should present the taxpayers with great problems, above all in view of hardware and software changes in the company, to keep original, digitally-created tax-relevant data in a machine readable format and to make it legible at all times. The data access right of the fiscal authorities has been specified more precisely by some judgements passed by the finance courts. 9 The BFH resolution dated is an example, in which the judge commented on the tax relevance of the complete financial accounting 10 and on the access to scanned original accounting receipts, which were originally in paper form. Now after more than seven years of legally binding legislation, the fiscal authorities are actively using the data access. As far as we are aware, auditors are using the auditing software IDEA more and more. We have registered that auditors normally request the digital provision of data for access types Z1, Z2 and/or Z3 from the companies. The course of action taken by the fiscal authorities is different from one Federal State to another. The fiscal authorities have recognised that the training to use the auditing software has to be accompanied by an intensive training of the auditors on SAP software and its functions. Some Federal States have established or are establishing jobs for special computer auditors to support the auditors, while other Federal States are pursuing the objective that the auditors have to cope with data access themselves. Seite 12 4 cf. 193 ff. AO; for explanation see Sect cf. Tax Reduction Act of , Art. 7 and 8, BGBl.(Federal Law Gazette) I Pg BMF statement dated , Ref.: IV D 2 S / 01, BStBl I Pg. 415, Startseite/Aktuelles/BMF Schreiben/Veroffentlichungen zu Steuerarten/ abgabenordnung/006.html. 7 Z stands for type of access. 8 cf. 147 Sect. 6 in conjunction with Sect. 2 No. 2 AO. 9 cf. Overview of the resolutions/judgements in Sect cf. Sect. 4.3.13 Page 13 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.14 3 Regulatory Framework 3.1 Regulatory Framework AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONCEPT TAX REDUCTION ACT OF The German Fiscal Code and the Sales/Purchases Tax Law have been changed as from due to the Tax Reduction Act of The following table shows the changes in the law in keywords: legal foundation Keyword 146 Sect. 5 Cl. 2 and 3 AO To be able to have the data at one s disposal at any time within the retention period and to make it legible without delay 147 Sect. 2 No. 2 AO To be able to have the data at one s disposal at any time within the retention period, to make it legible without delay and to be able to evaluate it automatically. 147 Sect. 5 AO To provide aids to make the documents legible on image carriers. 147 Sect. 6 AO Data Access Law 200 Sect. 1 Cl. 2 AO The obligation to cooperate during the auditor s data access in accordance with 147 Sect. 6 AO. 14 Sect. 4 UStG Electronic invoicing with a digital signature in accordance with the Signature Law of 22nd July 1997 (BGBl. I, Pg. 1870, 1872) is recognised as an invoice. Table 1: Overview of the changes in law due to the Tax Reduction Act 2000 As a reason for the changes in the AO, the fiscal authorities state the increased electronic trading, the intense use of computers in the companies and the introduction of the qualified electronic signature in the companies (permitted for sales/purchase tax in acc. with 41 Sect. 4 Cl 2 UStG). Above all with regard to the last point, the fiscal authorities claim that they have to check electronically created invoices in the same manner, i. e. electronically. From the changes in 147 Sect. 2 No. 2 and Sect. 6 AO, the taxpayer is obliged to provide digitally-created tax-related data or documents immediately, which are legible and automatically processable at all times, and the auditor has the right to inspect this stored data during an audit or to get the data on machine-readable data media (data media transfer). 11 l.c. Page 1415 3.1.2 BMF STATEMENT DATED The Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) published the Principles of Data Access and Auditing of Digital Documents (GDPdU) in its statement dated The powers, which the fiscal authorities have been granted through the change in the AO, above all in 147 Section 6 AO, have been substantiated in it. The data access of the auditor during a tax audit is explained in more detail from the point of view of the fiscal authorities in the BMF statement dated The auditor can access all the original digitallycreated tax-related data of a company. To do this, he/she has the three types of access (Z1, Z2 or Z3) 14 at his/ her disposal. S/he can also use several of the options cumulatively. At the same time however, s/he also has to take the principle of proportionality into account. This means, s/he may not demand anything impossible and has to choose the manner and scope of access such that the taxpayer is the least burdened. 15 It has to be pointed out in this connection that during an audit, the fiscal authorities can still demand that the tax-related data is presented to them as up to now e.g. in paper form or in the respective form of storage. This option can be chosen solely at the discretion of the auditor. It can be assumed that in the near future this alternative will be used less and less. Each taxpayer has to decide for himself/herself how to handle the data access, whether s/he contacts the tax authorities or his/her tax consultant at an early stage to avoid misunderstandings in the procedure to carry out the audit and to discuss it, if possible, with the auditor himself/herself. The BMF statement dated represents an implementation or interpretation of the legal regulation for data access which is solely binding for the fiscal authorities. To what extent the interpretation of the legal norms by the fiscal authorities and the measures on which they are based can be met and are conforming to the law, can only be decided bindingly by the system of the finance courts 16. Each company has to decide for itself whether it is prepared to comply with the principles demanded by the fiscal authorities or whether it seeks final clarification through the finance courts. Furthermore, this document will comment on the digital verifiability of electronic billings (qualified electronic signature) in terms of 14 Sect. 4 Cl 2 UStG. The electronic signature is an additional element in favour of an unlimited input tax deduction for incoming invoices. This new form of transmission and control of invoices, whose auditing acceptability should be ensured by the qualified signature, was not the purpose of our deliberations within the WG GDPdU. 12 l.c. 13 l.c. 14 cf. Sect ff. 15 cf. 5 AO, BMF statement dated , Sect. III 3, l.c. 16 Some court judgements have specified the right to access more precisely, c.f. Sect Page 15 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.16 3 Regulatory Framework BMF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIOS (FAQ) AND ZVEI COMMENTS The fiscal authorities have published frequently asked questions (BMF FAQ) on the internet dealing with questions associated with the right to data access. 17 The current version is dated , previously versions dated , , and were available on the internet. 18 It should provide a guideline for the practical implementation of the right to data access from the point of view of the fiscal authorities. We have to point out the legally non-binding nature of the BMF FAQ. It is solely a guideline. As stated by the BMF in a statement dated to ZVEI Zentralverband Elektrotechnikund Elektronikindustrie e. V., Frankfurt, the catalogue of questions does not have the legal quality of an administrative directive. It is up to both the fiscal authorities as well as the economy to comply with it. In the meantime, several court judgments have made reference to the BMF FAQ, its legal quality rating however has in spite of this not improved. In cooperation with its members, ZVEI has published on its internet homepage a comment on the version of the BMF FAQ dated from the point of view of the companies. 19 ZVEI views this as an argumentation aid for companies. The important conclusions of the comment can also be applied to the current status of the BMF FAQ dated In the BMF statement dated it mentions furthermore that the remaining provisions of the GoBS 20 remain unaffected. At the same time however it has to be taken into consideration that the GDPdU, which are seen as an enhancement to the GoBS by the BMF, partly contradict it. In case of doubt, the GDPdU have priority over the GoBS, this is the opinion of the fiscal authorities (cf. BMF-FAQ, Sect. III, Answer to Question 5 and 7) 21. This is the opinion also in the comments on 146 AO 22, while ZVEI has a different opinion FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF GDPDU The BMF is of the opinion that they only want to deal with and examine the substantial change requests regarding the right to data access both by the fiscal authorities and also by companies or trade associations in due course, in particular only once they have acquired a representative amount of practical experience. With regard to the state of the preparations for this recommendation (Editorial deadline: ) we were not aware of any official initiative to change the GDPdU, apart from the initiative to reduce bureaucracy 24, see the annual report of the AWV Arbeitsgemeinschaft für wirtschaftliche Verwaltung e. V., Eschborn, to the Bundeswirtschaftsministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie (Federal Ministry of Economics for the Economy and Technology) 25. It remains to be seen to what extent the discussions on the new tax compliance models within the fiscal authorities (Keyword: annual government tax audit) will develop. Here there would be the opportunity for the fiscal authorities to give companies the desired relief in terms of the GDPdU with clear definitions and stipulations. The WG GDPdU will continue the dialogue with the fiscal authorities, which commenced years ago, to clarify doubtful matters within the scope of SAP applications. 26 Page BMF FAQ, current status: , Source: Wirtschaft und Verwaltung Steuern Veröffentlichungen zu Steuerarten Betriebsprüfung Datenzugriff (GDPdU), (Economy and Administration, Taxes, Publications on Tax Types, Audits, Data Access (GDPdU).) Startseite/Service/Downloads/Abt IV/09,templateId=raw,property=publicationFile.pdf. 18 All versions of the BMF FAQ are available under: 19 Search term GDPdU. 20 BMF statement dated GoBS - Generally accepted principles of computer-assisted accounting systems, Ref.: IV A 8 S /95, BStBl. I, Pg l.c. 22 cf. Tipke/Kruse, Commentary on the AO and FGO, Comments on 146, 147 AO. 23 ZVEI Comment, Chapter III, to Question 7. l.c. 24 cf. KMU Project (Small and medium-sized companies project) of the AWV commissioned by the BMWA to optimise the record retention requirements, 25 Source: 26 cf. status of the discussions with the fiscal authorities:17 3.2 ACCESS TO TAX-RELEVANT DATA THE TERM TAX-RELEVANT DATA The term tax-related data has not been defined nor specified respectively within the scope of the legal provisions for data access. The statutory record retention requirements and the data access refer to the documents mentioned in 147 Sect. 1 AO: > Accounts and records, inventories, financial statements, management reports, the opening balance sheet as well as the instructions required for their comprehension and other organisational documents > The received commercial or business letters > Reproduction of the sent commercial or business letters > Accounting records > Documents, which have to be attached to a customs declaration, which has been submitted with data processing media in accordance with Art. 77 Sect. 1 in connection with Art. 62 Sect. 2 Customs Code, provided that the customs authorities in accordance with Art. 77 Sect. 2 Cl. 1 Customs Code have dispensed with the submission of originals or has returned the originals after submission > Other documents if they are significant for taxation. In accordance with 147 Sect. 1 No. 5 AO other documents have to be stored, if they are of significance for taxation. This applies also to original digitally-created data. In the BMF statement dated the fiscal authorities are of the opinion that the data for financial accounting, asset accounting as well as payroll accounting comes under this regulation and is thus completely tax-relevant. The BFH has confirmed this in its resolution dated concerning the data for financial accounting. The taxpayer did not want to allow access to the accounts for provisions set up for impending losses, for commercial tax assessments and for non-deductible operating expenses. The BFH rejected this with the justification that the financial accounting accounts are accounts in terms of 147 Sect. 1 Cl. 1 No. 1 AO and that commercial accounting as a whole is suitable for determining the examination of the tax basis. For this reason, accounting as a whole is of significance for taxation in accordance with 140 AO 29. According to the BFH, tax relevance may not be set on an equal footing with effect on tax. If there is original digitally-created tax-relevant data in other areas of the data processing systems, then in the opinion of the fiscal authorities the taxpayer has to qualify it in accordance with the recording and retention requirements and to make it available in a suitable manner for data access. From the point of view of the fiscal authorities, the taxpayers have the obligation to check in detail their procedure environment for tax relevance of the data. This is basically also affirmed in the final judgment of the Finance Court Rhineland-Palatinate dated According to this, data from cost centres are tax relevant if they refer to the evaluation of e.g. participations, assets or provisions. In addition, the Finance Court has specified high requirements for further access to other cost centres, in which the auditors assume tax-relevant data. If the data required by the auditors should not only be found in the cost centre accounting, but as in the case under judgement also be completely contained in the financial accounting, then according to the judge, the auditor has to use the options available to him/her to check the financial accounting within the scope of the access types Z1 and Z3. 27 Section I 1, Para. 2, l.c. 28 BFH Resolution dated , I B / 07, BFH / NV 2008, Page cf. Sect Financial Court Rhineland-Palatinate, Judgement of , Ref. 1-K-1743 / 05, legally binding, EFG 2006, Page Page 17 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.18 3 Regulatory Framework Only then may they specifically access additional data of the cost centre accounting (Keyword Implementation of the auditor s inquiry). 31 The BMF decree dated expands the requirements to include documents for customs purposes VALIDITY OF THE DATA ACCESS AND scope OF APPLICATION The German fiscal authorities basically have the right to access the taxpayers data electronically for audits starting after This right also includes the access to data of previous financial years within the scope of the record retention requirements according to 147 AO, if the data was still located on the production system at the time of the audits. I.e. the auditor has to be given access to data which a company has archived and reorganised after for financial years before On the other hand, in the case of archiving carried out before , the data does not have to be reloaded into the production system, if this means an unreasonably high expense for the company. 34 However in this case it has to be pointed out that for the terms Archiving, Reloading and Reorganisation used by the fiscal authorities there is no common understanding even in the IT world. 35 The new regulations on data access in accordance with 146, 147 and 200 AO only have to be taken into consideration for domestic companies and the business premises of foreign companies covered by the German Fiscal Code. The accounting data has to remain within the scope of the Fiscal Code (Germany). 36 In our opinion, this legal regulation no longer corresponds to the current business requirements on companies, which have introduced business/corporate processes crossing the frontiers of different countries as part of globalisation, e.g. Shared Service Center. To implement the EU invoice guidelines into the German Sales/Purchases Tax Law (UstG), the BMF in its statement dated has indeed allowed the storage of electronic invoices with digitally qualified signature in the EU, if an electronic access by the fiscal authorities on this data, which is located in the EU, can be ensured. 38 However this applies only to the sales/purchase tax. With regard to income tax, the data still has to be stored in Germany. 39 Data access by the fiscal authorities also applies in various forms in other countries (e.g. Austria, France, Switzerland, Portugal and USA). No comment is made in these recommendations on the regulations in other countries. Page cf. BMF FAQ, Sect. I. Question 7, l.c., and ZVEI comment l.c. 32 BMF decree dated , Principles of data access and auditing of digital documents for the area of responsibility of the customs authorities (GDPdUZ), Ref.: III A 3 S 1445 / 06 / 0029, 33 BMF statement dated , Section 3 b, l.c. 34 BMF statement dated , Section 3 a, l.c. 35 cf. also Sect cf. 146 Sect. 2 Cl. 1 AO as well as identical OFD (Regional Tax Office) decree Munich / Nuremberg dated , Ref. Munich: S St 312, Ref. Nuremberg: S St BMF statement dated , Implementation of the Directive 2001 / 115 / EC (Directive on Invoicing) and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and the Supreme Tax Court (BFH) on the incorrect and unauthorised tax statement by the second law to change tax regulations, Ref. IV B 7 S / 04, Startseite/Aktuelles/BMF Schreiben/Veroffentlichungen zu_steuerarten/umsatzsteuer/024.html. 38 Lit. 74, l.c. 39 Lit. 77, l.c.19 3.2.3 Field audits IN TERMS OF 147 AO Audits, for which the regulations of the GDPdU apply, are primarily based on the following tax areas: > GENERAL GOVERNMENT TAX AUDIT (OR INCOME TAX AUDIT) It includes the tax types: corporate income tax, personal income tax, capital gains tax, trade tax, solidarity surcharge and sales/purchases tax. The focus is on the balance sheet and income statement, statements for individual P&L items, general ledger accounts, sub-ledger accounts of accounts receivables and accounts payables, asset accounting data, securities (portfolio overviews, portfolio growth overview, acquisition/retirement lists, portfolio cash flows), inventory write-offs and depreciations for insurance accounting. The fiscal authorities also expect a better control of the internal transfer prices with the help of the electronic data access. On the one hand, the BMF 40 assumes that 147 Sect. 6 AO is applicable as part of the tightening of the transfer price documentation. On the other hand, the records on profit splitting in terms of 90 Sect. 3 AO are a documentation of the suitability, while 147 Sect. 6 AO refers to the documentation of the facts. The relationship of these two provisions to one another is still not clear. > GOVERNMENT TAX AUDIT ON INSURANCE TAX/FIRE PROTECTION TAX The subject matter of this audit is amongst others the balance sheet/p&l statement, general ledger accounts, accounting journals (in particular with ref. to the contribution income) as well as statements for individual balance sheet and P&L items, which e.g. could be based on individual computer analyses. > AUDIT ON EMPLOYMENT TAX This refers to payroll accounts, salary statements and travel expense accounting, balance sheet and P&L statement, general ledger accounts etc. as well as statements for individual P&L items such as corporate events, entertainment expenses, voluntary fringe benefits and gifts. > SPECIAL AUDIT ON SALES/PURCHASES TAX It includes, above all, the examination of all sales, sales/purchase tax and input tax accounts as well as other operating income accounts, if they are of significance to the validation of the turnover tax. > CUSTOMS AUDIT In accordance with the announcement of the BMF decree dated in terms of 193 AO, 33 Law to implement the Common Market Organisation and 12 Market Regulation Act, it primarily includes customs audits for import duties for procurements from third countries, customs monitoring, market regulation audits or audits in accordance with 44 Law on Foreign Trade and Payments. > ADDITIONAL AUDITS The digital data access also applies to audits connected with excise duty (electricity tax, petroleum tax, tax on beer, tax on spirits etc). The sales/purchases tax inspection ( 27 b UStG) is not an audit in terms of 193 AO. It does not fall under the scope of application of the GDPdU. In accordance with 27 b Section 3 UStG, it can however turn into an audit. 40 cf. BMF statement dated , Principles on the auditing of income allocation between affiliated persons with cross border business relations regarding the obligation to investigate and cooperate, adjustments as well as the mutual agreement procedure and EU arbitration procedure (Administrative Principles Procedure), Ref.: IV B 4 S / 05, Tz , ministerium.de/nn_58004/de/bmf Startseite/Aktuelles/BMF Schreiben/Veroffentlichungen zu Steuerarten/internationales steuerrecht/001.html.28 BFH Resolution dated , I B / 07, BFH / NV 2008, Page l.c. Page 19 RECOMMENDATIONS on how to apply THE GDPDU, Editorial Deadline , DSAG e. V.20 3 Regulatory Framework DIRECT ACCESS (Z1 ACCESS) The auditor has the right to access independently the taxpayer s computer systems which contain tax-relevant data, by using a user role that has been set up for him/her. The taxpayer has to provide the hardware and software, so that the auditor can inspect the data and evaluate it automatically. The direct data access includes the Read-Only access including a sorting and filtering function on the taxpayer s computer systems by the auditor to examine > transaction data (e.g. accounting records in the financial accounting) > master data (e.g. vendor master) and > links (for example between the tables of a relational database, e.g. between document header and document line of the financial accounting document). The evaluation options available in the system are subject to the right of access. Only the evaluation programs and evaluation types actually used by the company in the computer system can be meant when speaking of existing evaluation options. These include also customer developments of the company to evaluate tax data, which has to be made accessible to the auditor. Amongst others, custom-developed evaluations have to be pointed out, in whose programme code is specified that they are only executable for one specific company code. In the BMF FAQ, Section II, Question 1 in conjunction with Section III, Question 13, the term available evaluation options is interpreted very broadly. 42 According to this the taxpayer should also provide standardised evaluation programs, which are not installed on the computer system, but which are included in the scope of functions of the software. Taking the principle of proportionality of the means into account, the taxpayer can certainly not be expected to have to install or activate evaluation options, which are neither used by himself/herself nor approved for productive use, just for audit purposes. When checking the principle of proportionality, the technical realisation and the required personnel effort have to be taken into account. In addition, the fiscal authorities interpret the term existing evaluation options to the effect that they also include application programs which are indeed available in the company but which are not used by the taxpayer himself/herself. In the BMF FAQ the term standard software is used and the spreadsheet programme is named as an example. 43 ZVEI has applied its comments on the BMF FAQ in this respect to the system landscape which the taxpayers actually use. 44 The fiscal authorities interpreted the use of available evaluation options very broadly even before the resolution of the BFH dated If postings have a link to a document in electronic form, then in their opinion the right to data access includes the release of this linked document. The BFH has not dealt with the question whether the right to inspect such linked documents in electronic form arises from the GDPdU (although the Finance Courts 46 tried to justify this extensively). The BFH has already derived the obligation to present the data in electronic form from 145 Sect. 5 AO, which regulates the making legible of documents to be stored and to be presented (e.g. commercial letters, invoices, etc.) The auditor thus does not have to be content with a print output, but can demand the taxpayer to provide him/her with the equipment to display the data electronically. The BFH, however, has not specified any specific manner. Page l.c.; cf. also ZVEI comment, Sect. I. Question 2 in conjunction with III., Question 12 (BMF FAQ ), c.l. 43 Section III, Question 12, c.l. 44 cf. ZVEI comment, Section III, Question 12 (BMF FAQ ), c.l..; for the auditors workplace see also Section l.c. 46 cf. Finance Court Düsseldorf, Resolution dated , 16 V 3454 / 06, not legally binding, EFG 2007, Page 892. View more
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