E-invoice saves 100,000 trees and 650 mln liras in Turkey

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

AA Photo

The electronic billing system has saved 650 million Turkish Liras ($293 million) of extra costs and prevented 100,000 trees from being cut, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has announced.

The electronic invoicing system, which has been implemented in Turkey since 2010, has reduced costs for the taxpayers, marked an important step in curbing illegal financial activities and contributed to preserving the environment by reducing the need for paper, Şimşek told Anadolu Agency.

Şimşek expects the number of taxpayers using e-invoicing, which was approximately 20,000 as of Oct. 31, to double after the full implementation of the e-archive system, set for Dec. 30, 2014.

Taxpayers that obtain e-archive permission from the Revenue Administration will be able to store invoices electronically.

Şimşek said the goal was to reach 100,000 users within two years, after all public institutions enforce taxpayers in the responsible sectors to use e-bills, adding the government aims to save around 2 billion liras from the electronic billing system.