Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

Austria will reduce the VAT on certain food items from 10% to 5% mid‑2026, a measure financed by a new tax on non‑recyclable plastics. The specific foodstuffs eligible for the discount are yet to be defined, and the competition authority will enforce the reduction and ensure retailers pass the benefit to consumers.

The VAT Refunds Manual is an HMRC internal guidance document outlining procedures for traders to claim VAT refunds. It covers eligibility, claim requirements, time limits, verification, handling of abusive or unjust enrichment claims, end‑customer refund claims, refusal procedures, appeals, and penalties.

China’s new Value‑Added Tax Law and its Implementing Regulations entered force on 1 January 2026, bringing significant changes to taxable transaction definitions, VAT rates, and taxpayer status thresholds. The law retains the 13 %, 9 %, and 6 % rates, introduces a 3 % levying rate for the simplified tax method, and adjusts the real‑estate VAT rate for individuals to 3 %. Enterprises exceeding RMB 5 million in annual taxable sales must switch to the general taxation method, and the definition of taxable services and intangible assets now focuses on consumption within China or domestic sellers.

Complementary Law No. 227/2026, published on 13 January 2026, formally establishes the Management Committee of the Goods and Services Tax (CGIBS) and sets out governance, litigation, and revenue distribution rules for Brazil’s new IBS tax. The law does not impose immediate obligations on taxpayers but signals a shift to a centralized, standardized administration that will affect audits, enforcement, and data cross‑checking in the future.

Guernsey officials discuss that any future increase to the proposed 5% GST would require a two‑thirds super majority under the island’s Reform Law. The introductory rate would be 5% if retail food sales are included, or 6% otherwise, and a 6% rate would be needed to raise about £50 million net. The proposal aims to keep the tax broad and simple to limit future rate hikes.

The UK Supreme Court ruled on 15 January 2026 that VAT on professional costs incurred in connection with a VAT‑exempt share disposal is not recoverable, rejecting any general fundraising exception. The decision applies to corporate groups where the parent provides taxable management services to a subsidiary, confirming that share sales remain within the scope of VAT but exempt, and that VAT grouping does not alter this treatment. Taxpayers must therefore plan for non‑recoverable transaction costs when restructuring or disposing of subsidiaries.

An Advocate General for the European Court of Justice has opined that transfer price adjustments made by Stellantis Portugal to dealership sales are not subject to VAT, as they are considered alien to VAT law. The opinion, issued Thursday, is not binding on the court, and the ECJ decision remains unscheduled. The case centers on Stellantis's retroactive price adjustments to ensure a basic profit margin for local dealerships.

On December 23, 2025, Hungary enacted Decree No. 45/2025, setting new transfer‑pricing documentation thresholds. The decree requires local files for related‑party transactions above 150 million HUF and master files for those above 500 million HUF, while offering simplified documentation for low‑value services.

The Austrian government will cut the VAT rate on a basket of essential food items from 10% to 5% starting 1 July 2026, a move aimed at easing inflationary pressures. The measure was confirmed on 14 January 2026 and will be counter‑financed by fees on imported parcels from third‑country suppliers such as China.

Advocate General Kokott’s Opinion C‑603/24 clarifies how intra‑group transfer price adjustments interact with VAT. The opinion states that such adjustments are not automatically a separate VAT supply, but may alter the taxable amount under Articles 73 and 90 of the VAT Directive if they reflect a variable purchase price agreed upfront. Only when an actual service for consideration exists is a separate supply considered.

Spain has postponed the implementation of the Verifactu Ordinance to 2027, extending the original July 2025 deadline. An extraordinary opt‑out window for voluntary SII participants runs from 26 December 2025 to 31 January 2026, allowing withdrawal via Form 036/037 effective 1 January 2026. The decree also clarifies that mandatory SII participants cannot opt out and that non‑compliant invoicing software cannot be sold after 29 July 2025.

Denmark’s Digital Bookkeeping Act entered its final rollout phase on 1 January 2026, extending mandatory certified digital bookkeeping to about 118,000 small and foreign entities with turnover above DKK 300,000. The country also cancelled the OIOUBL 3.0 e‑invoice format on 14 January 2026, with new specifications to be clarified on 24 February 2026.

The UAE Peppol Testbed has been upgraded to support service providers preparing for accreditation. Two new inbound test cases – invalid PINT AE invoices due to Schematron and syntax errors – have been added, along with an updated UAE Tax Data Document (TDD) version 1.0.1. Service providers must return a negative Message Level Response and submit a UAE Tax Data Status (TDS) to the Federal Tax Authority Access Point.

The Czech Tax Agency clarified input VAT deduction rules for acquisitions of long‑term assets effective 1 January 2025. The guidance outlines procedures for partial deductions, incorporates the EU cross‑border regime for small enterprises, and sets a deadline for claiming deductions by the end of the second calendar year after the relevant year.

The Austrian government announced that it will halve the VAT rate on essential food items as part of its fiscal policy. The change is expected to provide relief to consumers on basic groceries. No further details on the effective date or specific rates were disclosed in the article.

Poland’s draft law seeks to align the third‑party liability provisions for capital company tax arrears (art. 116 of the Tax Ordinance) with EU Court of Justice rulings C‑277/24 (Adjak) and C‑278/24 (Genzyński). It proposes new rights for third parties to challenge tax determinations and access case files, and to clarify board member responsibilities. The draft is slated for presentation to the Sejm in the first or second quarter of 2026.

This guidance handbook from HMRC explains customs authorisations in detail, covering their purpose, eligibility, application procedures, compliance requirements, guarantee types, authorisation management, appeals, renewal, and the legal framework. It serves as a technical reference for businesses and customs officials to correctly apply for and manage customs authorisations.

The EU Official Gazette published a preliminary ruling from the ECJ on Jan. 12, 2026, concerning Croatian VAT rules for intra‑community supplies of goods. The case involved a Croatian trading company supplying oak logs to Slovenia and claiming a VAT exemption, which was challenged for lack of documentation under Article 45a of Regulation 282/2011. The ECJ held that Directive 2006/112/EC and Regulation 282/2011 must be interpreted accordingly.