GPAIS

What is the GPAIS system and what it is intended for?

As of 2018, all packaging and product producers, importers and intermediaries must use the tool GPAIS, i.e. the Unified Product, Packaging and Waste Record Keeping Information System, developed by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania. The companies importing goods and selling them in Lithuania undertake to keep records of packaging of products, submit reports on the GPAIS, pay due taxes or purchase the waste management service. Records of accumulated waste must also be kept: it also must be declared on the GPAIS and taxes must be paid. In case of a failure to submit a generated document on the GPAIS system at the moment of collection of waste, waste removal is considered as unlawful.

The GPAIS has been developed in implementation of the Operational Programme for the European Union Funds’ Investments “Environment, Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Adaptation to Climate Change”. It has been developed with a view to introducing a functional information system of accounting of generation and management of products, packaging and waste which would meet the requirements of the waste management plan developed by the State, allowed to monitor, control and plan the accounts kept in the companies and collect data for their analysis, control and preparation of annual reports.

GPAIS accounts ensure not only more effective accounts of management of products, packaging and waste but also contributes to environment protection and sustainable use of resources.

How the accounts were kept earlier and what changes are typical of the GPAIS system?

Before development and introduction of the GPAIS system, accounts of waste were kept by submitting paper accounting records or e-mails. In certain cases, they had to be provided not to one institution but to several institutions. This required additional human resources for analysis of the accounts. After introduction of the GPAIS system, the administrative burden was relieved. For example, company can compile a list of their products which will be used in the accounts on the GPAIS system: when a user fills in the registers, he does not need to repeatedly enter the products anymore, he simply has to choose them from the earlier compiled list. Thus, the accounting keeping service has become more convenient. Positive changes are also identified by the officers controlling the accounts: after introduction of the system, the amount of documents which must be analysed has decreased. Furthermore, the GPAIS reduces the workload of waste managers: they can carry out the whole reporting process in one GPAIS system instead of using several different information systems.

After introduction of the afore-mentioned system, control over possible breaches is carried out more effectively, information is provided expeditiously, transparency of the provided data is promoted, i.e. the provided and approved data cannot be changed without specifying the reason of editing. The GPAIS relieves the administrative burden through keeping of accounts of supply of the products to the market and providing accounts of packaging, electric and electronic equipment, vehicles, taxable products, oils to the producers and importers.

Who must provide data to the GPAIS system?

Below is provided information on the companies which must keep accounts on the GPAIS by the activities carried out by them:

Accounts of packaging must be kept by the companies which:

• produce or package products in the territory of Lithuania;
• import packaged products subject to VAT on importation to the Republic of Lithuania;
• produce or import empty packaging to the territory of Lithuania.

Accounts of products must be kept by the companies which produce or import:

• taxable products;
• batteries, accumulators;
• vehicles of M1 and N1 class;
• electricity and electronic equipment;
• oil.

Accounts of waste generation on the GPAIS must be kept by the following waste managers which:

• carry out treatment of waste;
• carry out export or import of waste to/from Lithuania;
• storing hazardous waste in the place of generation of waste generation for more than six months and non-hazardous waste longer than one year;
• collect or carry waste;
• trade in waste or act as intermediaries.

Accounts of packaging and products must be kept on the GPAIS at least once a month in the accounting register and accounts of waste must be provided not later than one working day to the date of the scheduled carriage of waste. The afore-mentioned procedure should be observed because a fine for a failure to fulfil the environmental duties may amount to EUR 10,000 and more. Furthermore, keeping of accounts of packaging, products and waste without using the GPAIS, is considered as a breach of the accounting requirements. In such case, fines may be imposed on the managers of companies or their authorised persons/company as a legal person.

Exception: packaging data providers which issue less than 0.5 tonne of packaging of all types to the Lithuanian market during a calendar year and companies which are not VAT payers are exempted from the duty to provide data in the GPAIS. If no waste was generated or no waste management activities were carried out during the reporting year, the economic operator or its separate unit must provide an annual report which is automatically generated on the basis of the most recent data available in the GPAIS.

What problems arise when completing accounts in the GPAIS and how the SAP integration solution could help?

Despite some advantages, the GPAIS system may raise a lot of challenges. The system may seem confusing and requires constant development so that it could become a convenient working tool in the context of the current events. Furthermore, often companies must organise trainings on the GPAIS so that employees could understand how the accounts of products, packaging and waste should be kept. Entering of data in the GPAIS often becomes complicated due to specific functions of the system. Finally, the GPAIS system is not always compatible with the already existing systems; difficulties in exporting information from own system in the GPAIS may arise.

The solution offered by InnoForce for the systems developed on the basis of the SAP software producer may significantly facilitate submission of accounts on the GPAIS: the afore-mentioned tool allows you to integrate all your business processes at real time. The tool of the GPAIS data file generation in the SAP systems adapted to the Lithuanian market was developed by a professional team of SAP consultants and programmers. First, our SAP system plug-in is easily installed and, second, simple to use.

The InnoForce tool intended for SAP systems allows to smoothly and quickly provide data of products, sales units and their packaging. When installing the above tool, first, details of the packaging on which information is provided in the GPAIS are provided and the transactions from which data will be taken are specified. Such configuration of the solution is carried out once, data is revised only in case of any changes. After installation of the solution, the user generates a file in xml. format which is later on uploaded in the GPAIS when necessary.

Thus, the companies which have our tool may keep daily accounts of supply of products and packaging to the market and generate a file which is fully compatible with the GPAIS, therefore, the companies may upload the entered accounting data in the GPAIS at any time.

Usually, our solution installation and operation process looks as follows:

1. We discuss the specific nature of your activities and identify the challenges which may be faced by your company, business or organisation in the GPAIS context, assess if any modifications of the solution are necessary;
2. Having agreed the formalities, we start the installation stage;
3. After installation of the solution, we are ready to provide all necessary data in due time, in a safe and effective manner.

Why it is worth choosing InnoForce solution for keeping accounts in the GPAIS?

InnoForce has been an official representative of SAP in Lithuania which constantly carries out installation, modification and supervision of the solutions of the SAP software producer since 2013. We have gained significant experience in the afore-mentioned field, this allows to offer the best solutions to the customers of SAP systems. Currently, we can offer not only the GPAIS tool but also i.VAZ, SAF-T and i.SAF solutions for the customers using SAP systems.

The choice of the InnoForce tool for SAP systems for provision of data in the GPAIS will save your time, financial and human resources and you will avoid repeated manual data entering.

Often accounting systems are not adapted for automatic data transfer to the GPAIS. Thus, the need for verification of the quantities of waste several times, distribution and entering of such data in the GPAIS arises. Trust this complex process to the experienced InnoForce specialists: we will ensure control of data meeting the requirements of the legislation in the GPAIS structure, adapt the product to all flows of products and packaging, expeditiously adapt to your current accounting system and answer all questions that concern you arising in the course of installation of the solution and in the course of operation of the solution.

We are ready to provide a consultation on the choice of the most appropriate IT solutions and help in case of any disruptions. If you become our customers, you will receive reliable information and advice for making reasonable decisions. We believe that this will improve your efficiency and ensure effective business growth. A team of GPAIS experts will provide professional consultations, maintenance and expeditious support of the solution. We undertake to be near you in the course of the process of accounting of products, packaging and waste and ensure safe journey of data.