The European Parliament’s ViDA package introduces mandatory e‑invoicing and near real‑time digital reporting for cross‑border EU transactions from 1 July 2030, requiring the EU electronic invoicing format. Businesses must report transaction data within 10 days of the taxable event, and member states may extend domestic e‑invoicing to before, on, or after that date with transitional periods up to 2035. The initiative aims to harmonise VAT rules, reduce fraud, and lower compliance costs across the EU.

Slovakia’s Financial Administration has released accreditation requirements for digital postmen and announced a mandatory e‑invoicing mandate for domestic taxpayers from 1 January 2027, expanding to cross‑border transactions on 1 July 2030. The draft law requires e‑invoices in the EN16931 format and allows voluntary testing with certified providers starting spring 2026.

New Zealand GST invoices must be issued within 27 days of the supply and retained for at least seven years. They must contain specific details such as supplier and customer information, invoice date, description, taxable amount, GST, and gross amount. Invoices below NZD 1,000 may omit customer details and detailed GST calculations, and no tax invoice is required for supplies of NZD 50 or less.

New Zealand’s Inland Revenue explains how e‑invoicing works, the benefits, and the changes to GST record‑keeping that took effect on 1 April 2023. The guidance notes that e‑invoices are exchanged via the Peppol network and that suppliers are encouraged to send them instead of PDFs.

Egypt's tax authority announced a new facilitation package that reduces the VAT rate on medical devices to 5%, fully exempts inputs for kidney dialysis equipment, extends VAT payment suspension up to four years for industrial machinery, and exempts transit services under customs supervision. It also standardizes the 14% VAT rate on soap and industrial detergents for household use, allowing input deductions. These measures aim to support healthcare, manufacturing, and transit trade.

Washington State Department of Revenue has issued updated guidance for businesses seeking a direct pay permit for sales and use tax. The guidance outlines eligibility thresholds ($240,000 cumulative liability or $10M taxable purchases), application process, reporting obligations, and limitations on permit use and transfer. Businesses must comply with these rules to claim a five‑year deduction on retail sales tax.

Missouri's Department of Revenue clarified that contractors who purchase materials for real property improvements are considered the final user, making those sales taxable. Contractors cannot charge sales tax on the lump sum contract price but may pass the cost of sales tax for materials to the homeowner. The ruling, Letter Ruling No. LR 8374, was issued on November 24, 2025.

Austria is modernising its fiscal cash register regime from 2026, raising the small‑seller exemption threshold to €45,000, making the 15‑product‑group recording rule permanent, and allowing optional digital receipts from 1 October 2026. Paper receipts remain available on request, while core security features such as secure recording, digital signatures and QR‑coded receipts stay unchanged.

The Court of Arnhem-Leeuwarden ruled that X BV, G BV and M BV do not form a VAT fiscal unity because there is no financial interconnection – no shareholder holds a majority in X BV and the parties did not act as a single group. The decision cites the 1979 HR precedent on financial control and confirms that VAT adjustments imposed on X BV for services to M BV are valid.

Finland’s Parliament approved a bill on 28 November 2025 that introduces a 13.5% VAT rate on specified services, goods, and imports of collectibles and antiques. The new rate and related provisions take effect on 20 December 2025, covering all tax obligations from that date, including intra‑community acquisitions. The legislation will enter into force on the same day.

The Dutch Ministry of Finance has suspended its plan to impose a €2 customs handling fee on non‑EU parcel imports under €150, pending further EU action. An interim €3 customs levy will take effect from 1 July 2026, and the EU will remove the €150 de‑minimis exemption in 2028. The Dutch motion has passed the House but awaits Senate approval, with a final decision expected soon.

Belgium has mandated electronic invoicing for VAT‑registered organisations since 1 January 2026. However, widespread technical problems with the Peppol platform and accounting software have caused invoices to be lost, duplicated or delayed, threatening to miss the 25 January VAT‑return deadline. Accountants have requested a three‑day extension and exemption from penalties if the issues can be proven.

The European Court of Justice ruled in Case T-363/25 that VAT deductions cannot be claimed on re-invoiced supplies when the underlying transaction structure is deemed fictitious. A Hungarian automotive parts trader was denied input VAT deduction on purchases from German suppliers re-invoiced through a domestic intermediary.

Germany introduces Section 21b to the VAT Act from 1 January 2026, addressing import VAT treatment when customs declarations are filed in one EU Member State but goods are cleared in another. The new rules clarify that import VAT liability arises domestically when goods are presented domestically, with specific provisions for AEO C holders using centralised clearance.

From 1 January 2026, the Netherlands extends its VAT revision regime to costly real estate services exceeding €30,000. The new rules introduce a five-year revision period for qualifying renovation and improvement services, requiring real estate owners and developers to reassess VAT positioning on ongoing projects.

The article argues that structured e-invoicing is essential for real-time compliance, contrasting it with static PDF invoices that are likened to paper maps. It highlights the limitations of PDFs in modern tax and audit contexts and stresses the need for machine‑enforceable, globally standardised data objects. The piece serves as a commentary on the evolving expectations of tax authorities and the strategic importance of real‑time visibility for CFOs.

The EU has agreed an interim €3 customs levy for parcels that will take effect on 1 July 2026. Romania and Italy have already implemented national levies of 25 RON (~€5) and €2 respectively for low‑value parcels, while the Netherlands and France remain in proposal stages. The move aims to curb VAT and customs fraud on low‑value e‑commerce shipments.

The South Korean National Tax Service released a press statement outlining new VAT filing and payment deadlines. The main deadlines are Jan. 26 for filing and paying returns for the July–December 2025 period, and March 26 for an extended payment deadline for certain SMEs. Simplified taxpayers and businesses facing financial difficulties also receive automatic or optional extensions.