CERM Macedonia: start of a pilot project for servicing SME's
Based on a similar pilot-project of the ILO on the collection of social contributions in Bulgaria in 2005, the Confederation of Employers’ of the Republic of Macedonia (CERM), with the support of DECP, has started on 1 June a pilot project in 3 towns (Skopje, Prilep and Kavadarci) for servicing the SME-members in the calculation of wages and social and fiscal contributions.
On 1 January 2009, the ministry of Finance has issued a new system of control of calculation of wages and social and fiscal contributions. Before the 10th of each month, each employer has to submit for approval by the National Revenue Agency the calculations of brut and net wages and the corresponding contributions. Only after having received the formal approval, the employer can process with payment of the salaries, etc. Due to lack of information, SME's have difficulties in exactly calculating their duties: it will be the role of the new centers called "SPP", to assist the SME's in performing precise calculations in order to avoid too much time in queuing at the NRA.
Once the 3 pilot centers will perform break-even, it is CERM's intention to extend the SPP service to other towns of Macedonia..
From 10 to 12 June, Mr. Jean-Marie Standaert, special advisor of DECP, visited the 3 pilot centers and gave them advice on how to improve the promotion of the project.