Basic Terms and Definitions
Definition of Terms in the Act on Tax Administration of the Federation of BiH
(1) Taxes, contributions, duties, special fees, membership fees and fines:
· Tax is an amount of money that the taxpayer is liable to pay into the budget in accordance with tax laws;
· Contribution is an amount of money that the taxpayer is liable to pay into extra-budgetary funds in accordance with relevant regulations;
· Duties are monetary obligations that the taxpayer is liable to pay in accordance with laws regulating duties on trade name display and duties on games of chance and entertainment games;
· Special fees are amounts of money that taxpayers are liable to pay pursuant to Article 169 and Article 170 of the Waters Act, Article 60, paragraph 1, subparagraph a) of the Forests Act and Article 180 of the Act on Protection and Rescuing of People and Material Goods From Natural and Other Disasters;
· Tourist board membership fees are monetary obligations that taxpayers are liable to pay in accordance with the Ordinance on Membership Fees in Tourist Boards;
· Membership fees of chambers of trades and crafts are monetary obligations that members of a chamber of trades and crafts are liable to pay pursuant to the Crafts and Related Activities Act;
· Fines are amounts of money entered in the fines register in accordance with tax violations. Fines are collected in the process of enforced collection.
(2) Taxpayer
Taxpayer is any person subject to pay a tax, fine or interest under tax laws. The term taxpayer also refers to any other person that is liable to pay a tax, fine or interest on behalf of the taxpayer in accordance with tax laws.
(3) Taxpayer's agent
A person authorized under law or other enactment to manage in full or in part the taxpayer's transactions with regard to tax compliance in accordance with tax laws.
(4) Tax secret
All taxpayer information or data in possession of tax authorities, excepting:
· Information and data declared by the taxpayer in a written statement not to be tax secret;
· Information and data provided in such a form that they cannot be traced back to any individual taxpayer nor in any other way lead to his identification;
· Tax collection data which are publicly published pursuant to provisions of this law.
Tax information and data considered to be a tax secret may be disclosed to:
· Authorities responsible for undertaking measures and activities with a view to determining tax obligations, liability for tax violations and tax related criminal offenses;
· Foreign tax authorities in accordance with international agreements; and
· Other persons subject to a written consent of the taxpayer.
(5) Working day
Every day excepting Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
(6) Books and records
Documentation about taxpayer's business operations, transactions, payments and income that is relevant for determining taxpayer's tax obligation in accordance with tax laws. Books and records, inter alia, include: memoranda, general ledgers, invoices and all forms of accounting records including computer files, software and description of software for computer file processing.
Unless otherwise provided for in tax laws, the books and records shall be kept in one of the official languages of the Federation.
(7) Organization authorized to effect payment transactions
Any legal person licensed to make payment operations (hereinafter: OAPT)
(8) Person
Any legal person, other organization, natural person – entrepreneur and natural person – citizen.
(9) Tax authority employee
Any person employed at any level within a tax authority.
(10) Transfer order
A document and copies thereof necessary for transferring funds from one OAPT account to another.
(11 Period of execution
A time period required for carrying out certain procedural activities. When the last day prescribed under tax laws for the execution of an activity falls on a non-working day, the activity shall be considered completed in due time if it has been carried out on the first following working day.
(12) Delivery of documents
Document is delivered to:
· a legal person or organization if it has been delivered to an executive (or a person authorized to receive mail) of the legal person or organization or if it has been sent by registered mail to the last known address of the legal person or organization;
· a natural person if the document has been delivered to the natural person or his/her legal representative or attorney, or if it has been sent by registered mail to the last known address or place of residence of that natural person.
(13) International legal aid
The right of the Tax Authority of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: the Tax Administration) to request assistance from or extend assistance to a foreign tax authority, subject to the consent of the Federal Ministry of Finance (hereinafter: the Ministry), with reference to solving certain tax cases
(14) Tax office
An office at any level of the Tax Administration whose competence over the execution of specific activities shall be determined in subordinate legislation or enactments of the Tax Administration.