Regulatory Analysis

As part of an effort to facilitate a better understanding and increase compliance of taxpayers subject to the Supply of Information System (locally known as SII), which became effective July 1, the Spanish tax administration (AEAT) has updated its content of the Frequently Asked Questions document that explains, using a question and answer format, how […]

The tax administration of Portugal has issued a new regulation (Portaria 221/2017) that will allow taxpayers to pay the VAT due on imports using Portugal's periodic VAT return. The new measure is expected to enter into effect in two stages: September 1, 2017 for most goods contained in Annex C of the VAT Code (except […]

Two major announcements on a modernized system of VAT have been made in the past month, as part of an ongoing discussion among European Union leaders. First, the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union stated its intention to launch negotiations on a definitive cross-border system of VAT, based on the principle of taxation in […]

The European Commission has published its 2017 report on Taxation Trends in the European Union, which is now available online. The Commission notes that consumption taxes grew slightly as a share of total tax revenue in 2015, and that VAT typically composes between two-thirds and three-quarters of the implicit tax rate on consumption. This figure will […]

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has issued recent opinions in two cases involving VAT: In Case C-633/15 (London Borough of Eating), the CJEU held that the UK could not apply a condition to an exemption for services related to sporting facilities only on non-profit organizations governed by public law, without also applying the […]

The Australian Parliament recently amended the GST Act of 1999, to add an additional category of drugs and medicine preparations, which are now included in the list of GST-free goods seen in section 38-50(6)(b) of the Australian GST Act. The new section, 38-50(6)(ba), states that a supply of a drug or medicinal preparation is GST-free, if […]

Effective July 1, 2017, the Minister of Finance in Malaysia announced that four groups of supplies will now be exempt from GST. The supplies that no longer apply GST include: The supply of services directly in connection with goods for export, to an overseas customer who belongs in a country other than Malaysia (for tax purposes), and […]

The Mexican Tax Administration Service (SAT) has published additional AEOI material, including a calendar with relevant deadlines and specifications for CRS transmittals. The AEOI Calendar indicates that the FATCA and CRS testing window will now end on July 14, 2017. At that time, the production period will begin – with reports being due to SAT […]

Getting a VAT refund has become simpler for suppliers registered in Romania under the MOSS scheme. In the past, taxable persons established outside the EU who supplied electronic services in Romania were required to appoint a tax representative. But on July 13th, the Fiscal Administration (ANAF) released a press release announcing that in accordance with […]

The Danish Customs and Tax Administration (SKAT) has announced a limitation on the VAT exemption for supplies of blood plasma. Previously, the SKAT had allowed for exemptions on all deliveries of the human blood plasma. Going forward this exemption will no longer apply to supplies of plasma to companies intending to use the plasma in […]

Hungary has continued to release additional information about its upcoming invoice reporting requirements. Starting on July 1, 2018 VAT registered persons will be required to report B2B invoices of over 100,000 HUF to the government. The National Tax and Customs Authority (NAV) launched the KOBAK program at the beginning of July 2017. Registered persons can use […]

Earlier this month, bill number 34755, which would modify the treatment of vouchers under the Dutch VAT Act, was introduced to the Dutch Parliament. The proposed law would differentiate between single use vouchers, defined as vouchers where the place of supply and amount of VAT on the supply are known at the time of the voucher’s issuance, […]

The Financial Administration of the Czech Republic recently published amended filing instructions for the “Kontrolní hlášení”, or the “Check Report” form, which is a required filing for all taxable persons under the Czech VAT Act. Among the changes to the instructions is, first, a new requirement for contract companies (partnership-structured entities) to now file by individual partner instead […]

The Italian Tax Authorities issued Resolution No. 87/E on July 5, 2017, confirming that a taxable person may amend a previously filed communication even after the 15th day following the day on which the deadline expires. The communication must include sales invoices issued and purchase invoices recorded in the VAT ledger during the period of […]

The Federal Ministry of Finance has released guidance related to a VAT exemption on storage fees for frozen reproductive material. When frozen gametes are stored for therapeutic purposes – such as contributing to a pregnancy as part of fertility treatment – the storage fee is properly VAT exempt. Absent a direct therapeutic purpose, however, storage fees for […]

On July 12, 2017, the Tribunal Administratif de Paris struck down a bill of more than 1 billion euros assessed by the French government against Google for back taxes, including VAT. The Tribunal found in particular that Google did not have sufficient human and technical resources in France to subject the company to VAT; instead, the […]

The Cayman Islands’ Department for International Tax Cooperation has recently announced a “final extension” for reporting under the FATCA and CRS regimes in a “AEOI News & Updates” release. Reporting under both systems will now be due August 31, 2017. Reporting entities must register with the Department by July 31, 2017 to ensure they meet […]

Bahrain has recently published the Competent Authority Arrangement between itself and the United States for the purposes of FATCA reporting.  The agreement is required by the Inter-Governmental Agreement between the two states to facilitate FATCA reporting. The post Bahrain Published Competent Authority Arrangement appeared first on Sovos.