Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

On 8 October 2025, Irish Revenue released a roadmap for implementing the EU's ViDA e‑invoicing and real‑time reporting requirements. The plan phases the rollout, with large corporates required to adopt the system in November 2028, all VAT‑registered businesses in intra‑EU B2B trade by November 2029, and full compliance for all cross‑border EU B2B transactions by 1 July 2030. The definition of a large corporate was clarified on 10 February 2026.

Greek authorities have postponed the mandatory B2B e‑invoicing go‑live to 2 March 2026, with a two‑month soft‑launch ending in early May. The first wave targets resident large businesses (turnover €1 million+) and covers domestic B2B supplies and exports outside the EU, while EU B2B remains optional. Penalties for non‑compliance include VAT‑based fines and fixed €500/€1,000 penalties, and businesses must submit a commencement declaration to AADE before issuing e‑invoices.

On 13 February 2026 CEN approved updates to EN 16931‑1, modernising the standard for B2B e‑invoicing and ViDA‑driven reporting across the EU. The revision adds mandatory fields such as IBAN details, early‑payment discount and late‑payment charge indicators, and clarifies syntax bindings to UBL and UN/CEFACT CII, requiring businesses to adapt validation and mapping processes for automated compliance.

The article examines how transfer pricing adjustments can trigger VAT when they are considered payment for goods or services, citing the recent Stellantis Portugal Advocate General opinion. It highlights the need for multinationals to conduct structured reviews, document economic rationale, and maintain evidence to mitigate VAT risks, especially in finance and insurance sectors.

Poland’s Ministry of Digitalization has launched a public consultation on a new 3 % digital services tax (DST) that would broaden the existing 1.5 % rate to cover targeted advertising, multilateral digital interfaces and monetisation of user data, while exempting regulated financial services, direct online sales and publishing. The proposal would apply to companies with global revenue of €1 bn and Polish revenue above €6 m (PLN 25 m), and the government expects to raise about €400 m (PLN 1.7 bn) in 2027, roughly 0.3 % of total tax revenue. The article argues that the DST would impose a heavy burden on large multinationals, trigger potential US retaliation, and that a VAT reform would be a more efficient alternative.

Bloomberg Tax’s commentary discusses how transfer pricing adjustments can create VAT exposure, citing recent ECJ cases and a Stellantis Portugal Advocate General opinion. It explains that adjustments tied to specific goods or services may be subject to VAT, while purely profit‑based adjustments may not. The article advises multinationals to conduct structured reviews and maintain documentation to mitigate risks.

The Advocate General opinion in the Stellantis Portugal case highlights uncertainty over whether transfer pricing adjustments constitute separate supplies of services and thus trigger VAT. The article reviews recent ECJ cases, outlines the need for structured VAT reviews, and stresses the importance of documentation for multinationals, especially those in finance and insurance sectors.

France has rolled out a comprehensive e‑invoicing and e‑reporting regime that applies to all VAT‑registered businesses. Large and intermediate enterprises must send and receive structured e‑invoices from September 2026, with the sending obligation extended to all businesses by September 2027. The system requires real‑time reporting via Approved Platforms and imposes penalties of up to €15,000 per year for non‑compliance.

The Danish Customs and Tax Administration issued a Tax Council Binding Answer (No. SKM2026.87.SR) on Feb. 17, 2026, clarifying the VAT treatment of insurance activities and business transfers for Danish branches of nonresident insurance groups. The answer addresses joint VAT registration conditions, agency agreements between branches, and employee transfer VAT implications, providing much-needed guidance for taxpayers in Denmark’s insurance sector.