VAT & Indirect Tax Intelligence
VAT news digest
Curated from global sources. Twice-weekly digest, free.
Ukraine will abolish its VAT exemption for imported parcels under €150 from 2027, requiring marketplaces to collect 20% VAT at point of sale. Citizen‑to‑citizen parcels under €45 will remain exempt if free and not for resale. The reform, based on draft laws 15112‑D and 12360, is expected to raise about UAH 10 billion annually.
Today's VAT news highlights key developments in Europe and the Americas, with notable rulings from the EU High Court and the French Supreme Court. Updates to VAT regulations in Serbia and guidance on VAT liability for electric vehicle charge points in the UK are also featured. Additionally, a review of Illinois sales tax and recent briefs from Revenue and Customs provide further insight into the evolving tax landscape.
Today's VAT news highlights key developments in the Middle East and Europe, including an extension to the UAE's e-invoicing mandate deadline. Additionally, we examine the intricacies of VAT obligations, deadlines, and requirements in Poland, providing insight for businesses operating in the region. These updates are crucial for companies to ensure compliance with evolving tax regulations in these jurisdictions.
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Egypt’s Tax Authority has issued new executive instructions establishing a unified VAT refund framework. The new system introduces an electronic completion platform, shortens refund processing to 20 days, and sets a two‑day review period with email notifications for missing documents. The framework also prioritises white‑listed companies and requires electronic invoice statements for refund claims.
Egypt’s Tax Authority has issued new executive instructions to streamline VAT refund processing. The reforms cut the refund period to 20 days, shorten review time to two working days, and set clear notification and document‑submission deadlines. The changes aim to improve speed, accuracy and digital integration for taxpayers.
The Delhi government has reduced the VAT on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from 25% to 7% effective 16 May 2026. The change applies to airlines purchasing fuel at Delhi airports, providing significant cost savings for the aviation sector.
Kenya's Finance Bill 2026 expands VAT coverage to include a wide range of digital financial and payment processing services, effective 1 July 2026. Commissions earned by payment service providers on these services will be standard-rated for VAT, replacing previous exemptions. The change requires PSPs to reassess VAT treatment, update invoicing systems, and review contracts and pricing structures.
Morocco’s General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) has launched a new online platform for collecting VAT on remote digital services. Non‑resident companies providing digital services to Moroccan customers must register, obtain a tax ID, file quarterly declarations and maintain transaction registers from 11 June 2026.
Poland’s Ministry of Finance has drafted a regulation aligning foreign VAT refund procedures with the KSeF mandatory e‑invoicing platform. The draft requires foreign businesses to reference KSeF invoice identification numbers in refund claims, with transitional measures for claims before 1 January 2026. EU and non‑EU businesses must provide KSeF references or supporting invoice documentation depending on availability.
Switzerland is considering legislation to extend the 3.8% reduced VAT rate for hotel accommodation until 1 January 2036, while the standard rate is set to rise to 8.8% in 2026. The current reduced rate expires on 1 January 2028 unless extended, and the Federal Assembly recently blocked any increase beyond 3.8%.
France's e-invoicing mandate will enter its first phase on 1 September 2026, requiring large companies to issue and receive electronic invoices and submit e‑reporting to the PPF, while small firms must only receive them. The latest External Specifications v3.2, published 30 April 2026, mandate hourly aggregation of PPF submissions by Accredited Platforms and clarify B2G, G2B, and G2G processing. AFNOR standards are slated for final updates by the end of May 2026 to cover additional use cases such as agriculture and food industry.
The EU's top court ruled that intercompany pricing adjustments between the former General Motors unit and Stellantis do not alter VAT liability, meaning the Portuguese government should not have increased the VAT bill for Stellantis. The decision clarifies that such pricing shifts are not subject to VAT adjustments.
Serbia has introduced significant amendments to its VAT Rulebook, effective from the April 2026 VAT period. Key changes include mandatory SEF self‑invoicing using the “Individual VAT Record – Internal account” document type, new rules for VAT base estimation, adjustments, discounts, and goods returns, and simplified timing and consolidation of adjustment documents. These reforms tighten compliance and digital reporting requirements across the country.
The CJEU ruled that profit margin adjustments in transfer pricing mechanisms do not automatically constitute consideration for a VATable service. The ruling clarifies that such adjustments may be treated as retroactive purchase price adjustments if not remuneration for a service, affecting the taxable amount of the original supply. This decision provides guidance for intra‑group arrangements and the need for a direct link between services and consideration.
The EU Court ruled that Stellantis’s price adjustments with local dealers are not taxable services, meaning the automaker does not owe VAT on those adjustments. The case involved agreements between Stellantis’s Portuguese unit and dealers that included price adjustments based on dealers’ expenditures to ensure a fixed margin. Portugal’s tax authority had challenged the arrangement.
Illinois imposes a statewide sales tax of 6.25% with local jurisdictions able to add additional rates. Remote sellers with over $100,000 in sales must register and collect tax, and exemption claims require an STAX-1 certificate. Filing can be done electronically via My Tax Illinois or on paper using forms ST‑1, ST‑2, and ST‑44.
