The head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, has published a decision on de-shadowing the electronics market. It mentions «tens of billions of hryvnias» of losses per year from the «shadow» market for technology, in particular Apple gadgets.
The head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, has published a decision on de-shadowing the electronics market. It mentions «tens of billions of hryvnias» of losses per year from the «shadow» market for technology, in particular Apple gadgets.
«Despite the increase in revenue and VAT payments by the household appliances and electronics trade sector in 2024 compared to 2023 (VAT payments for 9 months of 2023 to 9 months of 2024 increased by UAH 700 million or 85%), the share of the „shadow“ electronics market remains high,» the decision of the Finance Committee, published by Danylo Hetmantsev, states.
It states that experts have estimated that budget losses from the functioning of the «shadow» electronics market (import into the customs territory of Ukraine without paying VAT and import duty and subsequent sale through a network of individual entrepreneurs) reach tens of billions of hryvnias per year.
The document also mentions the scandal with the sale of Apple iPhone 16 smartphones, the official launch of which was scheduled for September 27. At that time, Igor Khyzhnyak, CEO of the COMFY electronics store chain, said that he was able to purchase the iPhone 16 in Ukraine before the start of official sales. According to him, «not a single penny» was paid to the state budget for these gadgets.
After that, the tax authorities conducted 170 actual inspections of stores that sold Apple products. Among them were the Yabko, Yabluka, and Techno Izhak chains. The decision of the financial committee notes that these gadgets were probably imported into Ukraine illegally.
«A feature of the purchase of such illegal equipment was the possibility of paying with the USDT cryptocurrency with the issuance of an invoice in hryvnias and the non-issuance of a fiscal receipt,» the document states.
It also mentions discussing combating such tax evasion methods as selling electronics through «controlled individual entrepreneurs» and including goods exempt from VAT, including e-books, in receipts.
«Following the discussions during the hearing at the Committee meeting
People’s Deputies-members of the Committee came to the conclusion that there was insufficient
the result of the work of law enforcement agencies in the fight against the „shadow“
electronics market,» the Finance Committee of the Verkhovna Rada noted.
It recommends that the Bureau of Economic Security «ensure compliance» and take response measures against sellers of electronics, including Apple gadgets. The BEB and the State Tax Service are advised to check sellers who operate under the FOP model, as well as check their suitability for the simplified taxation system.
