South Africa’s 2026 Budget lifts the VAT registration threshold from R1 million to R2.3 million, easing compliance for small businesses. The announcement also notes a 21‑cent per litre increase in fuel levies, while the threshold had remained frozen for fifteen years. The move is seen as a relief for SMEs but is framed within broader fiscal and infrastructure challenges.

The Swedish Parliament approved a temporary cut of the food VAT rate from 12% to 6% effective 1 April 2026 until 31 December 2027. A food commission will monitor supermarket prices to ensure savings are passed on, and the measure is part of a broader economic package that includes increased housing allowances for low‑income families.

Croatia has extended its VAT reduction on heating and gas until 31 March 2027. The heating VAT remains at 5% (down from 25%) and gas VAT is temporarily cut to 5% before returning to 13%. The cuts cost about €289 million.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sought to double the VAT exemption for personal online imports to $150, but lawmakers rejected the proposal. He subsequently signed an order raising the exemption to $130, a move that has been appealed to Israel's top court. The change affects the VAT treatment of online purchases by Israeli consumers.

British Columbia will broaden its Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to include a range of professional services from 1 October 2026, maintaining a 7% rate that, combined with the federal 5% GST, brings the total tax on most supplies to 12%. For architectural, engineering and geoscience services, PST will apply to only 30% of the purchase price. Service providers in the new scope must register for PST and prepare to charge, collect and remit the tax, with further administrative guidance to follow.

South Africa’s Finance Minister announced that the VAT registration threshold will rise from R1 million to R2.3 million, and the turnover‑tax limit for very small businesses will also be lifted to R2.3 million. The change, first made in 2009, also removes the restriction on tax year‑end dates, easing compliance burdens for small firms. The adjustment aligns with inflation expectations and aims to encourage entrepreneurship.

Switzerland is considering a 0.8 percentage‑point increase in its standard VAT rate from 8.1% to 8.9% to raise about CHF 31 billion for defence spending over ten years. The proposal, announced by the Federal Council in January 2026, would need parliamentary approval and a 2027 referendum. A separate 0.7 percentage‑point VAT rise to 8.8% for pension reforms was approved in April 2024 and is expected to take effect on 1 January 2028, pending a 2027 referendum.

Argentina’s tax authority ARCA has extended mandatory e‑invoicing to financial institutions, insurance companies and credit card providers effective 1 July 2026, introducing a monthly electronic settlement system and pre‑filled VAT returns. The General Resolution 5824/26 also plans to add prepaid health plans and educational institutions by July 2027, urging businesses to prepare early for the expanded e‑invoicing infrastructure.

Portugal’s Parliament has approved a 6% VAT rate on new residential housing construction for primary permanent residences, effective 1 January 2026. The measure applies to projects with procedural initiatives between 25 September 2025 and 31 December 2029, and includes conditions on residence duration and penalties for non‑compliance. Self‑build projects and investment contracts for lease also benefit from partial VAT refunds.

The Knesset rejected Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s order to double the VAT exemption ceiling on personal imports to $150, voting 59 against and 25 in favor. The order was intended to lower the cost of living and reduce online purchase prices, but critics warned it would harm local businesses.

The Israeli Knesset voted on 24 February 2026 to revoke a ministerial order that would have raised the VAT exemption threshold for online purchases from $75 to $150. The order, which had been in effect since December 24, was defeated 25–59 after Prime Minister Netanyahu allowed a free vote for coalition lawmakers. The revocation removes the exemption for imported packages valued up to $150, restoring the previous $75 threshold.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs released a draft report on 4 February 2026 urging the European Commission to overhaul the outdated 1977 VAT exemption for financial services. The report proposes taxing identifiable charges such as fees and commissions, introduces coordinated temporary windfall taxes on exceptional bank profits, and calls for an alternative to the withdrawn EU-wide Financial Transaction Tax.

Argentina’s tax authority has introduced a new legislative framework that expands mandatory e‑invoicing to additional sectors and introduces a monthly electronic settlement system. The changes, effective 1 July 2026, also link point‑of‑sale terminals to specific economic activities and feed invoicing data into pre‑filled returns for Simplified Tax Regime taxpayers.

The Czech government will reintroduce its Electronic Reporting of Sales (EET) regime from 1 January 2027 under a revised “EET 2.0” format, covering in‑person payments such as cash, card and QR code transactions. Small businesses earning below CZK 1 million can opt for an “EET OFF” exemption or simplified regime, and the Ministry estimates the system could raise an additional CZK 14–15 billion annually in VAT and income tax.

Belgium’s cabinet approved a draft royal decree on 14 February 2026 that raises VAT rates on certain goods and services. The decree increases the rate for pesticide and plant protection product deliveries from 12% to 21% and for furnished accommodation and camping pitch services from 6% to 12%.

Argentina’s tax authority ARCA has introduced General Resolution 5824/26, expanding mandatory e‑invoicing to new sectors and launching a monthly electronic settlement system effective 1 July 2026. The resolution also provides pre‑filled VAT returns for Simplified Tax Regime taxpayers, with invoicing data automatically populating annual returns. Electronic invoices will be available via ARCA’s “My Receipts” portal and integrated into the Digital VAT Ledger.

Moldovan Parliament has raised the VAT registration threshold from 1.2 million lei to 1.7 million lei, effective 1 March 2026. The change reduces the number of companies required to register for VAT and aims to ease administrative burdens for microenterprises.

On 1 January 2026, Dutch law introduces a five‑year revision regime for investment services on real estate. The regime applies to services costing €30,000 or more (excluding VAT) and requires annual testing of 20% of deducted VAT against actual use. It also mandates repayment or additional deduction when the property's use changes between taxable and exempt.

The European Court of Justice issued a preliminary ruling (Case C-475/24) on 16 February 2026, addressing the admissibility of criminal evidence in disputes over Romanian input VAT deductions linked to inactive or unregistered suppliers. The decision interprets EU Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of VAT in conjunction with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Sweden has introduced a new bill to strengthen anti‑VAT fraud enforcement, effective 1 July 2026. The legislation expands the Swedish Tax Agency’s powers, including enhanced scrutiny at registration, refusal or deregistration of VAT registrations, invalidation of Swedish VAT numbers in the EU VIES system, and blocking excess input VAT repayments. These measures aim to disrupt missing‑trader, carousel, and repayment fraud across the EU.