The tightening of the procedure and deadlines for placing special signs inside Taxiwith which professionals will inform citizens about the obligation to accept payments and through POSprovides for the Joint Ministerial Decision signed by the Deputy Ministers of National Economy and Finance Christos Dimas and Thanos Petralias.
As highlighted by the Ministry of Finance, taxi owners are obliged to install special POS markings within the next 5 weeks.
According to the Ministry of Finance, “the new, stricter framework was deemed necessary because the Panhellenic Taxi Federation (POEIATA) refused to receive the special labels to distribute to its members and then for them to affix to their vehicles”.
The Ministry of the Interior claims that these signs were produced by AADE, at zero cost to taxi owners, and meet the specifications of the corresponding markings that have been installed on taxis in many other European cities (Barcelona, Stockholm, Budapest, Madrid, etc.).
Obligation to distribute appointments also by local unions
In the Joint Ministerial Decision, the obligation to distribute special plates by the Panhellenic Taxi Federation (POEIATA) and in case of further refusal, their distribution by local unions is foreseen.
“For trade unions that refuse to facilitate taxi operators by receiving and distributing to them the signs produced by AADE, then the obligation to produce signs by the responsible taxi owners themselves, at their own expense and in accordance with the specifications has been set by AADE,” the Ministry of Finance notes.
If taxi owners refuse to comply with the law, a fine of 1,000 euros per violation is expected, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The schedule
In detail, the process and deadline for the supply and installation of special markings:
- Taxi professionals are due affixed the label to the taxi vehicle they operate within 3 weeks after receiving it from the Panhellenic Taxi Federation (POEIATA) and the trade unions who are members of it.
- OR AADE sends a written invitation to POIATA to collect the signs, which must, within five working days, notify the person responsible for the collection and the method of collection. signaling by the competent AADE service.
- In case of refusal to receive by the Panhellenic Federation or after the five-day period has elapsed, primary unions have the obligation, within 10 days of notification of non-execution or refusal to receive by the Federation, to inform AADE digitally by email at the address (email protected)who will receive the aforementioned labels for debtors in your district, indicating the person responsible for receiving the payment and the method of collection they wish. The collection methods are at the AADE facilities or by mail at your own expense. In this case, the deadline for affixing the signage to taxi vehicles is 3 weeks from the date of receipt of the signage.
- In the event of refusal of reception by the association or the expiry of the ten-day period, the obligated parties must ensure the production of signage, in accordance with the specifications that have been established and subsequently proceed to affix it to the taxi vehicles, within 3 weeks after its expiry as a period exceeding ten days..
- Within 5 days after the deadline, primary associations that received labels are required to send AADE the list of people likely to receive their labels together with the registration number of these vehicles.
K. Hatzidakis: No one is above the law
In his statement, the Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis stated that “no one is above the law” and added that “taxi representatives were required to collect and then distribute special signs informing customers of the obligation to accept payments also via POS”. The refusal to accept the signs – which were produced free of charge by AADE for taxi professionals – practically means a refusal to apply the legislation”.
“I will not be a simple observer of illegality nor am I willing to turn a blind eye to cases of refusal to apply the law. That is why we are tightening the deadlines and the overall process in order to maximum in 5 weeks From today onwards, taxi professionals have fulfilled their obligation. An obligation that applies to many other European countries.”