Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

The Supreme Court’s December 2025 ruling reaffirmed the BLP barrier, stating that VAT incurred on fees for share sales remains non‑deductible because of a direct and immediate link to an exempt supply. The decision effectively ends the argument that share‑sale proceeds can be used to recover VAT on overheads. Businesses must therefore plan VAT recovery strategies early and seek specialist advice before raising capital through share sales.

China has removed the 9% export VAT rebate on PV modules, marking a shift from price‑led subsidies to value‑based competition. The change is expected to raise costs for manufacturers and influence module pricing across markets. The policy reflects industry maturity and a focus on quality, efficiency, and long‑term bankability.

This HMRC internal manual provides guidance on the VAT cost sharing exemption, detailing the conditions, interpretation, and procedural aspects for applying the exemption. It serves as a reference for HMRC staff and VAT professionals on how to apply the exemption in practice.

EN 16931‑1, the EU e‑invoicing standard, is being updated to a mid‑2026 release that expands B2B functionality and aligns with the ViDA initiative. The revision is not backward compatible, requiring migration for existing version 3 implementations, and will be formally approved in late January 2026 with publication concluding within six months. Key national roll‑outs include Germany’s XRechnung 4.0 and France’s CTC extensions.

Slovakia is implementing significant amendments to its VAT Act effective 1 April 2026, targeting high‑risk taxpayers. The changes grant the tax authority expanded powers, including extended registration deadlines, mandatory record‑keeping, and a presumption of cessation of activity. From 1 January 2027, a VAT guarantee mechanism will allow the authority to require customers to pay VAT directly to a special account, with guarantees ranging from €5,000 to €500,000.

France's 2026 Finance Law introduces several VAT changes, including extending the 5.5% reduced rate to refrigeration energy and air transport in overseas departments, proroguing the 10% forestry rate until 2028, and tightening e‑invoicing sanctions. It also mandates electronic invoice reception for all VAT‑registered entities from 1 September 2026 and replaces the CGI with the new CIBS code for VAT from the same date.

Vietnam’s 2025 VAT Law expands refund eligibility to investment projects, exporters, and 5%‑rate businesses with at least VND 300 million in accumulated input VAT, while tightening documentation and audit requirements. Key changes include removal of refunds for ownership or structural changes, stricter rules for deferred payments, and new limits on import‑export refund eligibility.

The article outlines five marketing shifts reshaping e‑invoicing vendor strategies in 2026, highlighting the importance of compliance thought leadership, real‑time compliance intelligence, and digital discovery tools. It provides market growth projections and the increasing need for structured, cross‑functional reference data.

Turkey’s new 19‑article bill introduces a 0.3% transaction tax on crypto trades and a 20% special consumption tax on diamonds, while explicitly exempting crypto transactions from VAT. The proposal also removes certain tax deductions and adjusts other tax exemptions, marking a significant shift in the country’s fiscal framework.

This guidance handbook provides technical instructions for traders and businesses on using the Simplified Customs Declaration Process (SCDP). It outlines procedures for simplified declarations, frontier declarations, transit movements, supplementary declarations, and other related customs processes, while emphasizing that users remain liable to meet all legal requirements.

The UAE Ministry of Finance has issued new Electronic Invoicing Guidelines, mandating B2B and B2G transactions to use Peppol-based XML invoices from 2027. The rollout is phased: businesses with ≥ AED 50 million revenue go live on 1 January 2027, smaller businesses on 1 July 2027, and government entities on 1 October 2027. The system requires 51 mandatory data elements and real‑time reporting via accredited service providers.

In Romania, any cash or card payment to individuals triggers the requirement to use an electronic fiscal cash register, regardless of how often the transaction occurs. The only exemption is when all receipts and payments are made exclusively through bank accounts. Certain entities must also accept card payments via POS terminals unless they rely solely on bank transfers. B2B cash receipts can be documented by invoice and receipt without a fiscal receipt.

Japan is considering a temporary withdrawal of the 8% reduced consumption tax on food for up to two years, with the bill slated for the Autumn 2026 Diet session. The move would cut annual tax revenue by about ¥5 trillion, while the current standard rate remains 10% with an 8% reduced rate for food. The ruling LDP has resisted the cut, citing the tax's importance for funding social security.

The article discusses how AI is now being integrated into VAT tax engines, emphasizing that the real benefit comes from smarter workflow design rather than just smarter models. It highlights reliability as the key constraint and advocates a human‑in‑the‑loop operating model to ensure accurate, auditable VAT determinations. It also outlines near‑term applications such as faster coding, ERP reconciliation, anomaly flagging, and regulatory change monitoring.

India’s GST rationalisation introduced a two‑tiered rate structure of 5% and 18% in September 2025, boosting domestic consumption. However, February 2026 saw a sharp rise in import IGST collections—up 17% YoY—driven by a weaker rupee and higher import costs, which may erode the price relief from the new rates.

A UK tax tribunal has ruled that VAT on public electric vehicle charging should be reduced to 5%, matching the rate already applied to home charging. The decision covers charging at service stations, supermarkets and residential streets, replacing the current 20% rate for public chargers.

A UK First‑tier Tribunal has ruled that public EV charging can qualify for the 5% reduced VAT rate if the supply does not exceed 1,000 kWh per customer per month at a specific location, overturning HMRC’s earlier stance. The decision could lower charging costs and may influence the Treasury’s consideration to cut VAT on public charging to 5% ahead of the 2028 pay‑per‑mile levy. HMRC’s 2021 guidance still applies a 20% rate to public charge points, and the Treasury is reviewing VAT reforms to offset the levy’s impact.

The UK First‑Tier Tribunal Tax Chamber ruled that public electric‑vehicle charging supplies qualify for the reduced 5% VAT rate, not the standard 20% rate, if the electricity supplied does not exceed 1,000 kWh per customer per month. The decision, delivered in late February 2026, could lower charging costs and requires HMRC to update guidance if the government does not appeal.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered Overland Airways to refund passengers who were incorrectly charged Value Added Tax (VAT) on flight tickets purchased before the Finance Act’s exemption took effect on 1 January 2026. The directive underscores the NCAA’s role in enforcing consumer protection and ensuring compliance with the new VAT exemption for commercial flight tickets. The order requires immediate action from the carrier to reimburse affected passengers.

Singapore’s GST InvoiceNow e‑invoicing mandate will extend to all GST‑registered businesses with a phased rollout from 1 April 2028 to 1 April 2031, based on annual supply thresholds. Early adopter windows for voluntary registrants began in May 2025, with mandatory transmission required for new registrants by April 2026. The requirement uses the Peppol standard and exempts overseas entities and reverse‑charge‑only registrants.