Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

The Supreme Court of India clarified that a 'part' of machinery must functionally participate in the machine’s operation, while structures that merely support do not qualify. It reaffirmed that tariff classification is a rule‑based exercise grounded in the Customs Tariff and HSN, and that end‑use is not determinative unless the tariff allows it. The ruling also confirmed that HSN explanatory notes carry binding interpretive value.

The Deloitte TaxScape weekly VAT news update covers a First‑tier Tribunal ruling that allows Littlewoods to recover full input tax on photography costs, the withdrawal of HMRC’s linked‑goods concession under the ESC, and significant changes to the EU Deforestation Regulation effective 30 December 2026 for large and medium businesses. It also notes the removal of printed materials from the EUDR scope and the publication of these changes in the Official Journal on 23 December 2025.

The OECD released a report on 10 January 2026 outlining Digital Continuous Transactional Reporting (DCTR) for VAT, aiming to standardise e‑invoicing and e‑reporting across jurisdictions. The guidance covers planning, digital invoicing foundations, compliance support, data security, interoperability, and long‑term sustainability. It seeks to reduce compliance costs and fraud while promoting cross‑border consistency.

Baker Tilly outlines the key filing and payment deadlines for Dutch VAT returns in 2026, including special rules for months that fall on weekends, annual returns for small income‑tax entrepreneurs, and new requirements for supplementary returns and foreign VAT refunds. The article also highlights 2026 changes such as the abolition of the low lodging rate and new review periods for large real‑estate investments.

Turkey’s Presidential Decree No. 10813, published 7 January 2026, abolishes simplified customs declarations for B2C e‑commerce shipments, effective 6 February 2026. All shipments, even those valued at €30 or less, must now use regular customs procedures, with specific exceptions for medicines and food supplements under prescription. The decree also imposes fixed customs duties of 30% for EU and 60% for non‑EU shipments for certain products and adds a 20% Special Consumption Tax where applicable.

China’s Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation announced that the VAT export tax rebate for photovoltaic (PV) and other products will be cancelled from April 2024. The rebate for battery products will be reduced from 9% to 6% from April 2024 until the end of 2026, after which it will be fully cancelled in 2025. The move aims to rationalise overseas prices, reduce trade friction and ease the national financial burden.

The China State Council adopted a new VAT Implementing Regulation on 19 December 2025, which came into force on 1 January 2026. The regulation, comprising 54 articles across six chapters, provides detailed enforcement procedures and clarifications on taxable goods, services, intangible assets, taxable persons, VAT rates, zero‑rated and exempt supplies, tax calculation, and cross‑border collection responsibilities, complementing the updated VAT law enacted in December 2024.

The EU has abolished the VAT de‑minimis rule, making VAT applicable to all commercial goods. Starting 1 July 2026, a €3 fixed duty per product type will apply to low‑value e‑commerce consignments, with a separate handling fee expected from late 2026 and the €150 duty‑free threshold slated to disappear by mid‑2028. Member states such as Romania have already introduced €5 logistics fees from 1 January 2026.

China will abolish VAT export rebates for photovoltaic products from 1 April 2026 and phase out battery rebates by 1 January 2027. The policy aims to curb aggressive price discounting and reduce trade friction risks. Consumption tax rebates for these products will remain unchanged.

Turkiye’s Presidential Decree No. 10813, published 7 January 2026, abolishes simplified customs declarations for B2C e‑commerce shipments valued at €30 or less, effective 6 February 2026. All such imports must now use regular customs procedures, and products up to €1500 that are not of commercial quantity require full duty declaration and necessary permits. Medicines and food supplements under prescription up to €1500 remain exempt from the €30 limit but are subject to fixed duty rates and potential special consumption tax.

The EU General Court clarified that simplified triangulation can be used in four-party supply chains if the third party has disposal power, even when goods are delivered to a fourth party. Dutch policy confirms this but adds an establishment requirement for party C, which may be overridden by the EU VAT Directive. The ruling also allows Member States to refuse the scheme in cases of VAT fraud.