Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

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 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.

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.

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.