POS connected to the electronic cash register: mandatory from 2026

Another about face. After the “realignment” of excise duties on diesel and the increase of tax pressure in stark contrast to the promise to reduce taxes, including on digital taxes Giorgia Meloni she finds herself contradicting herself from her opposition times. In fact, from 1 January 2026, the obligation to prevent tax evasion comes into force digital connection between Pos and telematic cash registera measure that strengthens automatic controls on transactions and which aims to bring to light inconsistencies between electronic payments and issued receipts. Five years ago, when all traders were asked to equip themselves with a recorder capable of communicating their takings to the Revenue Agency, the leader of Brothers of Italy had attacked the Conte II government via social media, speaking of “new madness” and branding the obligation as “an expense borne by those who work, who do not fight real tax evasion, yet another bureaucratic trappings of a spy state“.

The rule was foreseen in Structural budget plan sent to the EU in 2024: it appeared among the reforms which justified the possibility of spreading the cuts required by the new law over seven years – instead of four Stability Pact. The government then kept its promise by including it in the Budget law of last year. Revenue will be able to cross-reference the data in real time and activate targeted and automated controls in case there are significant deviations. There are provisions for merchants who do not comply fines from 100 to 1,000 euros and, in the most serious cases, even the license suspension or the authorization for the activity. According to the technical report, the new system should guarantee 50 million euros of additional revenue between VAT and direct taxes, destined to rise to 65 million when fully operational.