Regulatory Analysis
The Spanish Tax Administration (AEAT) recently released a comprehensive set of files, tools, and documents necessary for the full implementation of the Immediate Information Remittance System (SII Version 1.0). As a final test step before actual go-live, AEAT announced that from June 21 through June 29 taxpayers and solution providers may begin submitting SII reports […]
On June 8, 2017, twenty European Union Member States voted to establish a new European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which will be given broad powers to combat cross-border VAT fraud. The EPPO is envisioned as an independent body with the power to investigate fraud in all participating Member States; it will also be able to […]
On June 12 of 2017, the Italian Tax Authorities (ITA) issued Protocol No. 110418, to further implement the principles of EU administrative cooperation and combating fraud in the field of VAT. The purpose of the new rules is not only to identify potential VAT Fraud, but also to empower the ITA to cancel VAT numbers […]
According to a report from Reuters, the German Economic Ministry has recently been analyzing a possible reduction in the country’s 19% VAT rate, as part of a larger analysis of German trade surpluses. A ministry spokesperson did not deny the report, but stated that a VAT reduction would have a minimal effect on existing surpluses, and that […]
By a vote of 590 to 8, with 10 abstentions, the European Parliament has formally agreed to allow Member States the option of applying reduced VAT rates on electronic books, newspapers and periodicals. This proposal, as put forth by the European Commission, is designed to bring the VAT treatment of e-publications in line with the […]
After nearly two years of negotiations, representatives from the European Commission and Norway initialed an agreement on VAT cooperation in May of 2017. The agreement will facilitate administrative cooperation between the parties, and will provide a legal framework to combat VAT fraud and assist in the recovery of VAT claims. The initialed agreement will officially […]
The Croatian Tax Administration has recently published its response to a query about place of supply rules and VAT liability on a Dutch taxpayer’s sales. The Dutch taxpayer holds a VAT identification number in Croatia but does not have physical presence within the country. The conclusions made in this guidance by the Tax Administration are […]
On June 8th, the Republic of Croatia submitted a final proposal to the European Commission, requesting a derogation from the EU VAT Directive regarding threshold amounts for tax application on small enterprises. This derogation would allow Croatia to exempt from VAT taxable persons whose annual turnover is EUR 45 000, effective January 1, 2018. Under Article […]
On Thursday, June 8, 2017, the United Kingdom held its general election for Parliamentary seats, and the election concluded with shocking results, leaving the U.K. with no overall majority in the House of Commons. The report of the results was a disappointment for Prime Minister Theresa May, who was hoping to increase her Conservative Party’s majority, […]
The UK government has introduced draft legislation that would apply VAT to telecommunications services used outside of the European Union by private UK customers. Under current “use and enjoyment” provisions, such services are not subject to VAT when used outside of the EU. The government claims that this change will remove any ambiguity about place […]
Spain has issued Ministerial Order HFP/2017, which establishes the technical requirements for the implementation of the Immediate Remittance of Information system, locally known as SII. According to this new order, the effective date of the mandate is July 1, 2017. The order officially describes the information that should be sent to the Spanish tax authorities for […]
The Finnish parliament (the Riksdag) is presently considering Bill No. 45/2017, which would change the way VAT is collected on imports into the country. Under section 3.3 of the bill, the responsibility for import VAT collection would shift from the customs authority to the tax administration. Importers would account for import VAT via their tax […]
On May 16, Sweden’s Supreme Administrative Court ruled that a “parent company is allowed to deduct input VAT in respect of consultancy services acquired in connection with the sale of shares in subsidiaries during the restructuring of operations,” on the grounds that “the costs of the services [are] considered to have a direct and immediate link with […]
The Estonian Ministry of Finance has issued draft amendments to the VAT Act. The amendments affect the treatment of motor vehicles that are used for both business and non-business purposes. The draft law, 17-0510, can be viewed at Estonia’s online database, Eelnõude infosüsteem (EIS). The post Estonia: Draft VAT Law Amendments appeared first on Sovos.
On May 16 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled against Luxembourgian tax authorities in an appeal from taxpayer Berlioz Investment Fund SA in Case C-682/15. The Luxembourg authorities had demanded certain documents that Berlioz failed to produce in the requested detail, resulting in the imposition of a €250 000 fine. Berlioz appealed […]
The lower house of the Italian parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, is considering Bill No. 4477 which, if enacted, would reduce the VAT rate on certain childcare items to 4%. Specified items include diapers, high chairs and strollers. This measure seeks to reduce the tax burden faced by young families: the bill’s preamble links Italy’s […]
The Dutch government has initiated public consultations on new VAT rules that would allow adjustments, similar to those which currently apply to capital goods, to apply to “valuable” services, i.e., services which are capitalized and depreciated by companies over a period of time. These rules, if approved, would take effect in January of 2018. Comments […]
Latvia has adopted several amendments to its VAT Act. Included among these amendments are adjustments to the timing of VAT input deductions, adjustments to the section on the deductions of bad debts, and updated references to European Council Regulations. Additional amendments eliminate the exemption for services provided by cooperative societies, and specify that non-Latvian EU […]