Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

The Ivorian tax authority released the annex to the 2026 Finance Law, introducing several tax changes. Measures include extending a 7.5% withholding tax on non‑commercial profits for certain non‑salaried participants, eliminating VAT exemptions for oil exploration, agriculture, manufacturing and packaging and applying the standard 18% VAT rate, raising the tourism development tax to 2.5% from 1.5%, imposing a tax on foreign digital service platforms without a physical presence, and reducing the property tax to 13% from 15%.

China’s 2026 tax reform will keep domestic service enterprises exempt from VAT and introduce several other incentives. The policy also allows social insurance contributions to be deducted from taxable income, offers preferential corporate income tax rates for eligible firms, and provides personal income tax deductions to spur household demand.

India's GST Council has granted an exemption on individual life and health insurance premiums, removing the 18% GST. The decision, announced in a written reply on 5 February 2026, covers all individual policies including family floater plans. IRDAI confirmed that insurers have passed the benefit to policyholders without raising premiums.

The Advisory Council in Bangladesh has approved a waiver of the 7.5% VAT and 2% advance tax on domestic LPG at local production and trading stages, effective from 5 February 2026. The waiver retains only a 7.5% VAT at the import stage, aiming to reduce the overall tax burden on LPG and potentially lower retail prices.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that Spain cannot impose a stricter “directly and exclusively” requirement on VAT exemptions for services supplied by independent groups of persons. The decision clarifies that services must be directly necessary for the exempt activity, but exclusivity is not required, allowing general services such as cleaning to qualify. The ruling also states that competition distortion must be assessed on a concrete basis, not presumed.