Blog
When European or American companies talk about Europe increasingly adopting VAT reporting solutions based on the OECD SAF-T standard, they are mostly showcasing their ignorance of the revolution in tax controls that is really brewing. Europe is playing catch-up with many other parts of the world which are utilizing the Internet and associated technologies to […]
In the complex and ever-changing landscape of VAT Compliance and Reporting, automation is critical to drive operational simplification, cost reduction, audit risks mitigation and capability acquisition. “Routine tasks do need to be automated, but for the purpose of freeing up people to explore new approaches to create even more value.” This statement from a June […]
International News European Commission Proposes Changes to VAT Regime On January 18, 2018, the European Commission proposed an overhaul of the European VAT System, building on the 2016 VAT Action Plan. The main goal of the proposed changes is to create a European VAT area that operates more efficiently in a globalized world and aids […]
As tax authorities move to technology-driven value-added tax (VAT) reporting requirements, businesses operating in Europe will need to strap on their seat belts and prepare for turbulent times ahead, according to a new study by Sovos that examines the compliance-related disruptions that are sweeping across the globe. In the report – The Evolution of Value-Added […]
VAT compliance and reporting can place a major burden on IT teams. With customizations required for every jurisdiction, constantly changing regulations, necessary integrations with government portals and a variety of data submissions and reports required, compliance can quickly erode IT’s time for other projects and innovation. Constant fire drills are only the tip of the […]
Even though the year is just underway, 2018 is already bringing a flurry of activity around indirect taxation in the United Kingdom. While much of the detail still needs to be sorted, one thing is clear – significant compliance changes are on the horizon and companies operating in the UK will need to adapt. Specifically, […]
Having access to technologies that could render clunky, ineffectual relationships more seamlessly and organically does not mean that they will. As compliance automation professionals, we must play our part to make sure things evolve in the right direction. Can nature provide guidance? Definition: Biomimicry: the imitation of the models, systems and elements of nature for […]
As tax authorities in Latin America, and now Europe, adopt new eInvoicing and eAccounting initiatives, companies are realizing that SAP is not equipped to support the unique needs from country to country. When faced with this challenge, some companies either opt to manage compliance internally or move compliance outside of SAP, both of which are […]
Tax authorities in countries around the world are changing VAT compliance and reporting rules in an effort to minimize tax gaps, improve efficiency and accuracy, simplify auditing and ultimately achieve real-time visibility into companies’ operations. While every country is at a different stage in rolling out these initiatives and they all take slight different approaches, […]
International News EU Council Approves Overhaul of VAT System The Council of the European Union has adopted a legislative package that will substantially modify Europe’s VAT law from 2019. This package – consisting of a Directive and two Regulations – represents the first step towards enacting the European Commission’s 2016 Action Plan on VAT, which […]
Chile’s move to this monthly VAT declaration proposal removes taxpayers’ obligation to submit the ledger of sales and purchases (libros). Instead, the SII is now preparing the Registry of Sales and Purchases, called an RCV, which records information related to all sales and purchases based on electronic invoices and documentation. With this information, the SII […]
UUIDs – or unique identifying codes – are what allow tax authorities to track every single taxpayer document and verify VAT payments and credits based on the original source documents. The specific code structure varies by country. In Mexico, for example, the UUID is a 32-character code formed from the numbers 0-9 and lowercase letters […]
International News OECD Issues New Advice on VAT Administration On Oct 24, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released guidance on how countries can implement effective VAT collection systems for cross-border trade, particularly concerning digital/electronic supplies. The guidance, which is entitled, Mechanisms for the Effective Collection of VAT/GST, relates mostly to design options […]
One of the reforms implemented in 2017 which has had a significant impact for Mexico’s fiscalization is the introduction of ‘proof of payment’. This reform outlines how in certain circumstances, when a buyer’s payment is executed as part of a commercial or financial transaction, the seller has an obligation to issue and deliver an electronic […]
Interview with Christiaan van der Valk, Vice-Chair of the ICC Commission on the Digital Economy. This interview was originally published by the International Chamber of Commerce at: https://iccwbo.org/media-wall/news-speeches/real-time-controls-changing-trade-know/ What ICT trends are currently on your business’s radar? There are many trends, but I’d say that one of the most significant is where companies are increasingly […]
When I read this recent social media initiative by CloudTrade, my first reaction was a wave of nostalgia for the debate about VAT e-invoicing requirements that raged in Europe between 2005 and 2010. During those years, emotions ran high between e-signature haters and e-signature proponents in the context of B2B electronic invoicing. The first group […]
The efforts involved in planning and executing the introduction of VAT is a big task for any one country, let alone for a group of neighboring countries to attempt at the same time. Nonetheless, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), currently Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, have during the last couple of years […]
As businesses consider technology to support compliance, there are two primary types of solutions they can choose: point or scalable. In a recent infographic, we examined how point solutions (which are deployed locally and support a minimal number of regulations) stack up against scalable solutions (which are available globally or regionally for a variety of […]