Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

Marosa announces a webinar on 28 January 2026 covering invoicing and VAT compliance across Europe and Latin America, focusing on regulatory developments up to 2030. The session will feature experts Alexia García, Matt Ayton, and Daniela Lavin, and will provide guidance on integrating invoicing and VAT compliance for businesses operating in both regions.

Bloomberg Tax argues that digital services taxes (DSTs) are ineffective and distort the digital economy, citing low revenue and compliance burdens. The article highlights that several countries—including Canada, India, Malaysia, and France—have moved away from DSTs or are considering alternatives, and it advocates shifting to a VAT framework for digital services.

Japan’s ruling coalition agreed in December 2025 to an outline of 2026 tax reform proposals covering corporate, international, consumption, and individual tax. The proposals include amendments to Pillar Two global minimum tax rules and new measures for consumption tax, R&D credits, and domestic production incentives. The outline is indicative and subject to legislative approval.

Peppol e-invoicing is a key pillar of European digital compliance, with the network based on EN 16931 and Peppol BIS enabling interoperability in Belgium, France, and Germany. New mandates in Belgium (2026) and France (Facture Electronique) will adopt Peppol, and Melasoft serves as a certified Peppol Access Point to automate compliance, integrating with SAP to ensure 100% legal compliance across 30+ countries.

The EU will abolish the EUR 150 customs duty exemption for small parcels from 1 July 2026, replacing it with a fixed EUR 3 duty per item if VAT is paid via IOSS. A Union‑wide customs handling fee will start in November 2026, while several Member States have already introduced national fees from 1 January 2026. Additionally, the EU will incentivise the IOSS mechanism for B2C distance sales from 1 July 2028 and is working to remove the EUR 150 threshold for IOSS.

This manual provides HMRC staff with guidance on cross‑border exchange of information under UK international exchange agreements. It covers core principles, legal framework, specific forms of exchange, country‑by‑country reporting, automatic exchange of financial accounts, guidance on tax rulings, disclosable arrangements, mandatory disclosure rules, crypto‑asset reporting framework, and reporting rules for digital platforms.

The European Data Protection Supervisor has warned that the European Commission’s proposal to grant the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and OLAF direct access to VAT information at EU level needs clearer safeguards to prevent blurring administrative and criminal boundaries. The proposal, aimed at tackling VAT fraud costing the EU €12.5‑32.8 bn annually, would amend an EU regulation to centralise access to VAT data for law‑enforcement purposes.

Spain’s December 2025 draft law transposes the first wave of the EU ViDA directive, tightening OSS rules, clarifying the €10,000 distance‑sales threshold, and expanding non‑Union OSS scope. It also introduces a representative requirement for non‑EU businesses seeking VAT refunds and sets transitional measures for call‑off stock and energy supplies. The draft signals that the most significant e‑invoicing and digital‑reporting mandates will arrive in 2030 and 2035.