On 10 April 2026, Iceland announced a temporary reduction of fuel VAT from 24% to 11% to curb inflation. The cut applies from 1 May to 31 August 2026 and is backed by enforcement powers for the Competition Authority. The move is part of a broader anti‑inflation package that also includes price monitoring and investment in electric‑vehicle infrastructure.

The Philippine Tax Whiz outlines the VAT exemptions available to natural gas stakeholders under Revenue Regulation No. 2‑2026. The guide explains that indigenous natural gas purchases and sales, as well as electricity generation using indigenous gas, are fully VAT‑exempt, and details the documentary requirements and eligible parties. It also highlights the need to indicate the exemption in the Quarterly VAT Declaration.

Liberia will raise its standard Goods and Services Tax from 12% to 13% effective 1 May 2026, a delay from the originally planned 1 January 2026. The country will also introduce an 18% Value Added Tax regime on 1 January 2027, replacing the existing GST. GST remains zero‑rated for exports and 15% for telecommunications, and businesses cannot deduct GST incurred.

The Canadian federal housing minister’s office retracted earlier claims that the government would cut GST on new homes for a year. The correction follows the introduction of Bill C‑26, which authorises a one‑time payment to provinces and includes a tax‑relief measure that removed the full 13% HST on new homes in Ontario up to $1 million. The measure took effect on 1 April 2026 and expires on 31 March 2027.

Uzbekistan has launched a VAT refund system for foreign tourists effective 1 April 2026, allowing visitors to reclaim 85 % of VAT on purchases of at least 300,000 soums. The scheme will initially operate at all international airports and is planned to extend to railway stations and border checkpoints. The move accompanies a broader privatisation drive aimed at reducing state ownership to 15 %.

Spain has temporarily lowered fuel VAT from 21% to 10% under Real Decreto-ley 7/2026, a measure set to expire on 30 June 2026. The EU Commission warned that the cut breaches EU rules, but no formal infringement has been initiated. The temporary relief is expected to cost Spain about €507 million in revenue loss.

Spain has temporarily lowered fuel VAT from 21% to 10% as part of a €5 billion emergency package, a move that the European Commission says violates the EU VAT Directive. The reduction is set to expire at the end of June 2026, after which the standard 21% rate will resume unless Madrid extends the measure. Brussels has issued a formal warning and warned of potential infringement proceedings if the policy persists.

Malta's tax authority has issued new VAT guidelines for gambling and betting, effective 1 October 2026. The guidelines narrow the VAT exemption to low‑risk games, occasional junket events, and in‑venue sports betting, while treating most operators—including sports betting, live casino, and B2B providers—as taxable. Operators must review pricing, accounting, and billing systems to comply with the new regime.

Philippine lawmakers have introduced House Bill No. 8827 to cap the value‑added tax on petroleum products during a national energy emergency. The bill would limit the VAT base to the Pre‑Emergency Reference Price, excluding any incremental emergency increase, and amend Sections 106(A) and 107(A) of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Spain’s Royal Decree‑Law 7/2026 introduces a temporary 10% reduced VAT rate on selected energy supplies, effective from 22 March 2026 until 30 June 2026, subject to a CPI threshold. The measure covers electricity (for small‑scale and vulnerable consumers), natural gas, biomass briquettes, firewood, and certain fuels and biofuels, and applies to supplies, imports and intra‑Community acquisitions.

The EU has proposed a law allowing governments to temporarily reduce VAT rates to counteract price rises, particularly in fuel, and protect citizens’ standard of living. The proposal is aimed at mitigating inflationary pressures in Montenegro and has broad political support. It follows examples such as Spain’s reduction of fuel VAT from 21% to 10%.