Brazil will roll out an intelligent split payment system for VAT starting 1 January 2026 to curb fraud. Pilot testing begins on 6 April 2026, with the production version following on 4 April. The mechanism requires payment service providers to verify supplier VAT credits before transferring funds, and buyers can only claim credits after the supplier has paid the tax.

The Swedish Finance Department has issued Directive Dir. 2026:9 to modernise VAT rules and strengthen anti‑fraud measures. It mandates a special investigator to assess how EU VAT rules for the digital age will be implemented in Swedish law, including digital reporting based on electronic invoicing for cross‑border transactions. The investigation must be reported by 30 November 2027.

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 Chinese Ministry of Finance issued Announcement No. 15/2026 on Feb 2 2026, outlining interim measures for input VAT deductions on long‑term assets. The measures clarify the scope of long‑term fixed assets, set a 5 million‑yuan threshold for mixed‑use assets, and define the adjustment period for deduction. These rules apply to assets acquired from Jan 1 2026 or recognized before Dec 31 2025.

China’s Ministry of Finance issued Announcement No. 11 on 31 January 2026, establishing new VAT and consumption tax rules for exported goods and cross‑border services. The announcement, effective 1 January 2026, sets criteria for VAT exemption, outlines refund rates and formulas, specifies consumption‑tax exemptions, and requires export tax refunds to be claimed within 36 months. It also repeals earlier notices.

The 2026 Finance Bill passed on 2 February 2026 establishes mandatory B2B e‑invoicing and B2C e‑reporting in France from 1 September 2026. Article 28 details the platform model, penalties, data transmission requirements and clarifies the roles of approved partner dematerialisation platforms and the Chorus Pro portal.

China’s government has reclassified mobile data, broadband access, SMS and MMS as basic telecom services, raising the VAT rate from 6% to 9%. HSBC estimates the hike will reduce China Mobile’s 2026 net profit by 6%, China Telecom’s by 12% and China Unicom’s by 13%, with overall earnings for operators falling 6% to 13%. The change is expected to affect mobile operators’ revenue streams significantly in 2026.

Italy’s 2026 Budget Law introduces a €2 handling fee for low‑value shipments (≤ €150) from non‑EU countries, effective 1 January 2026. The fee applies to all business models and is collected by the Customs and Monopolies Agency upon final importation, with a transitional payment deferral for January and February 2026. Businesses must adjust customs declarations, accounting, and documentation to comply.

Poland is set to roll back its Mandatory Disclosure Rules and simplify VAT compliance from 1 October 2026, while tightening enforcement through new limitation rules and faster overpayment recovery. The third‑party liability threshold will rise to PLN 5,000 and authorities may remit tax before the due date or determine property tax liabilities from existing data. These changes aim to reduce administrative burden and enhance enforcement against VAT abuse.

The French 2026 Finance Bill introduces a €2 customs charge on low‑value imports (≤€150) from non‑EU countries, effective 2026, targeting e‑commerce parcels. The measure is expected to raise about €400 million annually and is part of broader EU customs reforms, including a €3 interim levy from 1 July 2026 and a planned €2 levy across the EU by 2028.

Poland has submitted a draft digital services tax to the legislative programme. The proposal would levy a 3% compensatory tax on digital services in Poland, applying to entities with global revenue over EUR 1 billion and Polish taxable revenue over PLN 25 million. Public consultations are set to start 2 Feb 2026, with no implementation date yet announced.

Croatia's Official Gazette published Ordinance No. 90, amending the VAT Ordinance. The ordinance introduces new reporting requirements for food donations, updates vehicle registration procedures to require proof of VAT payment, simplifies VAT documentation for nonresidents, clarifies invoice issuance rules, extends filing deadlines, and amends information reporting for specified goods.

China’s Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration has reclassified certain telecom services, raising the VAT rate from 6% to 9% on mobile data, SMS, MMS, and broadband access. The change takes effect from the beginning of 2026, prompting operators to consider price adjustments or bundle redesigns to mitigate revenue impacts.

The Guyanese Ministry of Finance announced the 2026 budget speech on Jan. 26, outlining several VAT and tax changes. Key measures include removing VAT on locally made furniture, jewelry, security equipment, and specific vehicles, maintaining a zero excise tax on petroleum, extending the end date for adjusted freight charges to Dec. 31, and increasing the monthly old‑age pension to 46,000 GYD effective Jan. 1.

Latvia has increased its Intrastat reporting thresholds for 2024, raising the Arrivals threshold to €380,000 and the Dispatches threshold to €220,000. These new thresholds will take effect on 1 January 2026, aligning Latvia with updated EU Intrastat reporting requirements.

Poland has made B2B e‑invoicing mandatory with the launch of KSeF 2.0 on 1 February 2026. Large firms (turnover > PLN 200 million) must use the new platform, while the previous KSeF 1.0 and MCU are shut down. The mandate will extend to all other VAT‑registered businesses on 1 April 2026, with micro‑entrepreneurs exempt until 1 January 2027.

China Telecom and China Unicom will be subject to a 9% VAT rate on core telecom services, as announced on 1 February 2026. This marks a change in the VAT treatment for these services. The announcement highlights the new rate for the companies' core telecom operations.

Romania has extended its eFactură e‑invoicing regime, delaying full enforcement for SMEs until 1 July 2026 and adding new obligations for non‑resident customers under Emergency Ordinance 89/2025. B2C transactions will be mandatory from 1 January 2025, with simplified invoices required, while penalties for non‑compliance are postponed until 31 March 2025. The country also launched full pre‑clearance submissions in July 2024 and introduced e‑transport reporting in July 2022.

Romania has extended the enforcement deadline for the mandatory RO e‑Factura e‑invoicing system for small taxpayers. Businesses with annual turnover below EUR 500,000 now have until 1 July 2026 to fully comply, giving them an extra 18 months beyond the original date. They must still prepare by testing uploads, cleaning data, working with software providers, and understanding XML requirements.

Venezuela’s official gazette published Decree No. 5,207 on Jan. 9, extending the temporary VAT exemption for import and sale of hydrocarbon fuels and additives until Jan. 11, 2027, effective from Jan. 12, 2026. The decree applies to state, state‑owned, mixed‑ownership, and private companies under the Organic Hydrocarbons Law, establishes documentation requirements, outlines customs procedures, and mandates semi‑annual evaluation by SENIAT.