Bancherul - BANCI / ENGLISH / Visa: The value of Romanian tax payments by card almost doubled

Visa Europe, together with member banks from Romania, develops for the third year in a row, between January and March 2012, the national campaign to promote card usage for paying local taxes, said Visa in a press release.

At present, Visa cardholders can pay taxes by card at POS installed at the desks of tax administration offices in 145 municipalities and online for 36 cities. The network of municipalities accepting tax payments by card has significantly increased over the past two years, as in 2009 only 30 towns accepted cards payments at POS and 5 towns offered the possibility of online payments.

“We developed and promoted campaigns to support the increase in the number of local administrations accepting tax payment by card and to inform Romanians about this service and we soon achieved results. We are glad that Romanians easily embraced the possibility of tax payments by card and, in the first 11 months of 2011, made almost 204,000 transactions for paying local taxes by card, 1.7 times more than the previous year,” stated Catalin Cretu, General Manager Romania, Visa Europe.

The total value of taxes paid by card almost doubled in the first 11 months of 2011 compared to the same period of the previous year, to RON 69.4 million, according to data reported by the Romanian banks member of Visa Europe.

“We noticed that the online card payments segment was by far the most dynamic, as the number and value of the transactions increased more than seven times. We hope the number of town halls accepting the online tax payment by card, without a fee, will increase significantly, as this possibility allows of avoiding the long lines at desks and enables citizens to pay anytime, from wherever they may be, in the country or abroad,” said Catalin Cretu.

The average value of a local tax paid by card increased from RON 301 in the first 11 months of 2010 to RON 340 last year.
The Visa Europe’s campaign includes promotions activities in the written and online press, on TV, radio, outdoor and social media, as well as promotional and BTL activities.

Every person paying their local taxes by Visa card between January 2nd and March 31st 2012 will be able to participate in a promotion granting 1,500 prizes through a draw, consisting of reimbursing the value of the local taxes paid by Visa card up to a limit of RON 250.
Visa Europe and its member banks will continue discussions with the local authorities to introduce local tax payments by card until at least all county capitals in Romania provide this service, either at POS or online.
The complete and updated list of town halls accepting tax payments by card is available at the following address: http://www.visa.ro/ro/taramuldeaur/promotii/impozitele/castiga_cu_visa.aspx.