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.

China’s Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration announced a phased rollback of the 13% export VAT rebate for lithium‑ion batteries, cutting it to 6% on April 1 2026 and abolishing it by January 1 2027. The move has spurred a sharp rise in lithium prices and a front‑loading of exports, reshaping the global battery supply chain and leveling the playing field for non‑Chinese manufacturers.

The article discusses how adopting Article 59 bis of Directive 2006/112/EC would allow Spain to exclude from VAT the portion of charter fees earned in international waters, aligning its rules with France and Italy. Currently Spain applies a flat 21 % VAT to all charter fees regardless of itinerary. The author highlights the feasibility of implementing this measure using satellite geolocation for accurate itinerary certification.

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.