Fiscal and Accounting Issues Concerning the Flat-Rate Tax and its Implications on the Business Environment in Romania

The introduction of flat-rate tax for companies is a novelty in the Romanian tax system, which is why businessmen' reactions were different, most of them criticizing harshly the opportunity for such a measure, arguing that during this crisis period for Romania, it may lead to the bankruptcy of tens of thousands of firms, consequently to an increase of the number of unemployed with several hundred thousands. Although the flat tax for natural persons has been applied for several decades, no legislation which has regulated this type of tax has given a definition of the flat-rate tax. Based on these considerations, in this paper we intend to address the theoretical and practical issues concerning the flat tax, in fiscal and accounting terms, together with its implications on the Romanian business environment.