AADE: Expansion of functional specifications and timetable for interconnection of POS with Cash Systems

The regulatory framework for the complete interconnection of POS and Cash Systems of businesses with the information systems of the Independent Authority of Public Revenues (AADE), complete the AADE and the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, after consultation with the agencies involved, incorporating into it the new technological possibilities for issuing documents through electronic invoicing and POS that work through software (softPOS).

At the same time, determines the schedule of the individual upgrade steps of the POS and cash systems and the interconnection between them.

In particular, by a decision of the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Haris Theoharis, the obligation of Electronic Invoicing Providers to apply the operational specifications of AADE is determined, in order to ensure their connection with the cash systems they serve with the POS that accept payments for documents issued by these.

At the same time, with a series of Decisions by the Governor of AADE, George Pitsilis:

• facilitates the interconnection of businesses that use electronic invoicing or complex cash systems
• determines the obligation of Payment Service Providers (Acquirers) and Payment Means Providers (NSPs) to submit a Declaration of Conformity to the operational specifications of AADE, in order for the POS they have in the Greek market to continue to operate legally
• times and procedures are clearly defined for the upgrade of POS and their connection with the cash systems of businesses

Based on the above decisions, the process of connecting POS and cash systems takes place in three stages:

Stage 1

Submission of a Declaration of Conformity by the Payment Service Providers (Acquirers) and the Payment Means Providers (NSPs) involved in the operation of the POS, by which it is declared that their specific POS models are harmonized with the specifications of the AADE and can be upgraded

For the POS models currently operating in the Greek market, Declarations of Conformity must be submitted:

• for domestic Providers, until 24/10/2023 or 24 November 2023, depending on the type of POS and cash register interface
• for foreign Providers, until 24/10/2023

In these Declarations, deadlines for POS compliance with the AADE specifications are set, which are formulated as follows:

• until 17/11/2023, for the interconnection of simple cash registers with wired or wireless POS in a local network by domestic Providers
• until 8/12/2023, for the interconnection of simple cash registers with mobilePOS (4G) and softPOS from national Providers
• until 8/1/2024, for the interconnection of POS with all complex cash systems from domestic Providers, as well as any interconnection from foreign Providers

Stage 2

Upgrading of POS by the Providers and informing AADE by the Providers about the updates on a daily basis

The Providers have an obligation to immediately upgrade the POS they manage and to inform the AADE every day about the upgrades they carried out the previous day.

Stage 3

Upgrade of the cash systems, if required and their interconnection with the POS, under the responsibility of the businesses that use them after being notified by the AADE

Businesses are notified by AADE by email about the completion of the upgrade process by the Providers of all the POS they have, as they are recorded in the POS Registry.

From this notification, they are required, within 30 days, to upgrade their cash register, if required, and to complete the interface with their POS, by calling a certified FIM technician.

Instead of upgrading their existing POS, businesses can declare in the POS Registry, no later than 1/15/2024, that they intend to replace them with new ones, already in line with AADE specifications.

In any case, and regardless of the time in which they will receive individual notification, businesses must have completed the interconnection of cash systems with their POS or have acquired new systems that meet the relevant specifications at the latest by 2/29/2024.

In the near future, in cooperation with the Information Society, they will relaunch the support programs for acquisition or replacement of POS, old tax mechanisms, etc., and will also be enriched with the new technological solutions covered by the relevant decisions of the Governor of AADE.