The Inland Revenue Department of Cyprus began to examine its taxpayers.

11.05.2012

“Recently, the new amendments to the Law on personal data were submitted to the Parliament of Cyprus for consideration, allowing the Inland Revenue Department ( IRD) to use all available data about a taxpayer without coordination with the Personal Data Commissioner.

These amendments are aimed to the accretion of power of the Revenue Department and increase of effectiveness of the fight with tax evasion. 

Expert’s opinion

“Nowadays,  the area of law dealing with the protection of civil rights in processing of personal data comes forward  in Europe.

The provisions, regulating the main issues with regard to personal data of citizens are written in the European Directive 95/46/EU on “Protection of personal data dated October 24, 1995”. Besides, we shouldn’t forget about the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which prescribes to respect mandatorily a private and family life of citizens, their personal property and correspondence.

As a matter of fact, any system of data processing is created for the purpose of protection of interest of each citizen.
The government of Cyprus has made a step aside the conventions of EU. But it is a compulsory measure. New amendments to the Law on personal data were submitted to the Parliament for the purpose of improvement of the tax policy of Cyprus. It will give the Inland Revenue Department the possibility to search for data in different archives for the purpose of fight with tax evaders in the future.

Furthermore, the House Legal Affairs Committee of Cyprus proposes an amendment allowing political parties access to the electoral roll, as it happens in other countries. Up till now, the parties were doing it illegally ”.

On the basis: www.cyprus-mail.com

Irina Lomakina ( Director of the Moscow office of Honest & Bright)