Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

The Canada Revenue Agency has reversed its long‑standing position, declaring that trailing commissions paid by fund managers to dealers are taxable under GST/HST, effective July 1. Dealers and advisors may need to register for GST/HST if their taxable revenues exceed $30,000 over four consecutive quarters, and will have to adjust accounting systems to collect and remit the tax. The CRA will publish a formal technical interpretation in the coming weeks, clarifying the taxable status of trailing commissions and confirming that upfront commissions remain exempt.

The blog explains that even when e-invoices pass technical validation, tax authorities may reject them due to jurisdiction‑specific enrichment requirements. It outlines nine enrichment types—formatting, sequencing, tax calculation, address, digital signatures, regulatory compliance, classification, completeness, and content sanitization—across multiple countries. Common pitfalls highlighted include missing VAT exemption text, improper rounding, and lack of cryptographic proofs.

The Czech Tax Agency clarified its VAT rules for real estate effective July 1, 2025. The guidance redefines key concepts, expands exemptions for completed immovable property, introduces a new substantial‑change definition requiring costs above 30% of the tax base, and adds new classifications for residential and social housing. These changes align Czech VAT with EU case law and modify when and how VAT is applied to real‑estate transactions.

Slovakia will expand its special method of tax payment from 1 January 2027, allowing tax authorities to mandate split payments when there is a reasonable concern a supplier will not remit VAT. The new rule requires customers to pay the VAT directly to the tax authority and imposes penalties equal to the full VAT amount for non‑compliance. It is part of Act No. 385/2025 Coll. and aligns with the 2027 e‑invoicing mandate.

Deloitte and Thomson Reuters announced a strategic alliance on 21 January 2026 to provide managed e‑invoicing and e‑reporting services worldwide, leveraging Thomson Reuters ONESOURCE Pagero. The partnership offers global coverage across more than 80 jurisdictions, aiming to reduce compliance risk, improve operational efficiency, and deliver data‑driven insights for indirect tax compliance.

Bosnia and Herzegovina MPs have tabled a proposal to abolish the gambling sector's VAT exemption, aiming to bring the activity under standard VAT rules. The amendment would raise Federation revenue to at least KM 150 million annually, with an extra KM 50 million for local communities, and redirect funds to healthcare and social initiatives. The move follows a 2025 proposal that allocated 60% of gambling tax to the treasury, 20% to social initiatives, and 20% to specialised healthcare.

The Danish National Tax Court confirmed that extraordinary VAT reassessment is permissible when gross negligence is proven. In a case involving a Danish airline, the court upheld the tax authorities’ findings that the company used incorrect input VAT deduction percentages, failed mandatory year‑end adjustments, and understated its liability. The decision clarifies that repeated errors and prohibited energy‑tax deductions justify extraordinary reassessment.

The article outlines e-invoicing considerations for businesses operating in Luxembourg and across the EU. It highlights the regulatory landscape and compliance requirements that companies need to address when implementing electronic invoicing solutions.

Brazil’s 2026‑2032 VAT reform introduces a targeted “Cashback” mechanism that refunds part of the new CBS and IBS taxes to low‑income families. The scheme will reimburse 100% of CBS and 20% of IBS on essential utilities (draft figures) and is expected to start in 2027 with a phased rollout. Refunds will be transferred electronically to families’ bank accounts linked to their CPF.

The UK government will introduce a new electric vehicle excise duty (eVED) from April 2028, charging 3p per mile for electric cars and 1.5p per mile for plug‑in hybrids. The levy will be administered by the DVLA and integrated into the existing VED system, with a consultation deadline of 18 March 2026.

The ViDA directive amends Article 217 of the EU VAT Directive, requiring electronic invoices to be issued, transmitted, and received in structured formats such as XML, EDI, or Factur‑X. Effective 31 December 2030, the directive also removes the need for recipient acceptance and will trigger automatic pre‑filling of tax data, creating a velocity mismatch for businesses that still park invoices. Companies must transition to structured formats and reconcile pre‑filled data with their own books to avoid audit issues.

A UK court upheld HMRC's assessment and imposed a penalty of over £1 million on a private healthcare company that filed a VAT appeal late. The ruling confirms that companies must meet strict conditions to challenge VAT assessments and that late appeals can trigger significant penalties.

The Philippine Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) issued a decision on Jan. 7 clarifying that a VAT deficiency assessment is void if the preliminary assessment notice (PAN) and formal letter of demand (FLD) lack the required annexes detailing the factual basis of the findings. The ruling applies to a domestic corporation’s assessment covering July 1 2013‑June 30 2014, underscoring the importance of proper documentation in BIR assessments.

Indonesia's Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced plans to inspect a Chinese‑owned steel company suspected of VAT evasion next week. The Ministry has identified 40 steel firms, with the two largest slated for inspection, and estimates that VAT avoidance could cost the state over Rp 4 trillion annually. The investigation will involve tracing tax reports, company registrations, ownership, and detaining tax‑related personnel.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has revealed that one in three of its VAT fraud investigations involve Slovakia, highlighting the country as a major transit point for criminal money flows. The report estimates VAT fraud costs the EU €50 billion annually and notes that tax fraud up to €20,000 is no longer a criminal offence in Slovakia.

Malaysia has postponed the mandatory MyInvois e‑invoicing requirement for businesses with annual turnover between RM1 million and RM5 million to 1 January 2027, extending the penalty‑free transition period. The RM500 000–RM1 million threshold was raised to RM1 million, cancelling that rollout wave, while larger taxpayers remain on the original schedule. Consolidated e‑invoicing will also expand to retail and building‑materials sectors.

China’s State Taxation Administration announced new mandatory VAT registration rules effective 1 January 2026, requiring businesses with annual taxable sales above RMB 5 million to register as general VAT taxpayers. The announcement introduces retroactive compliance, mandatory registration for specific sectors, and automatic reclassification for late registrants, increasing compliance risk for businesses near the threshold.

France's DGFiP has released the first official list of definitively certified Approved Platforms for e‑invoicing, with just over 100 platforms now certified. The list will be updated as platforms complete audits, and the mandatory e‑invoicing go‑live is set for 1 September 2026, following a pilot phase in February 2026. Companies must use an Approved Platform and submit an audit report within a year of certification to maintain a renewable three‑year period.

The European Commission’s ViDA strategy outlines a phased reform of VAT systems across the EU, introducing real‑time digital reporting, mandatory e‑invoicing, and platform‑economy rules. Key milestones include legislative clarifications (2025‑2027), platform rules for accommodation and transport (2028), mandatory e‑invoicing for intra‑EU B2B (2030), and full harmonisation of digital reporting (2035). The reforms aim to save businesses €51 billion and reduce fraud by up to €11 billion annually.