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.

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.

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.

China will scrap value‑added tax rebates on photovoltaic products from April 2026, ending the export rebate for PV modules. Between April and December 2026, battery product rebates will be cut from 9% to 6%, and the full removal of PV rebates will take effect on 1 January 2027. The policy shift follows a November 2024 reduction of solar wafer, cell and module rebates from 13% to 9%.

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance posted a Federal Finance Court decision clarifying liability for standard consumption tax (NoVA) and VAT on cross-border vehicle acquisitions. The ruling addresses the taxpayer’s center of life and the statute of limitations for assessments, upholding the Austrian Tax Office’s assessment in a case involving a German citizen residing in Austria who purchased a vehicle in Germany. The court dismissed the taxpayer’s arguments that the center of vital interests was in Germany and that the assessments were time-barred.

The Romanian National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) has set key filing dates for January 2026, covering VAT registrations, returns, social contributions, withholding tax, and One‑Stop‑Shop (OSS) submissions. The deadlines vary by taxpayer type and transaction profile, with specific dates for quarterly VAT taxpayers, registration changes, and December 2025 related filings.