The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has announced a new initiative that broadens the range of construction costs eligible for VAT refunds for UAE nationals building new homes. Effective 1 January 2026, citizens can claim refunds on a variety of items—including staff quarters, home gyms, smart security systems, and complete reconstruction projects—provided they meet all conditions and documentation requirements. The digital VAT refund platform has been updated to reflect these new categories.

HMRC has introduced a mandatory online registration portal for tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of clients. The portal becomes operational from 18 May 2026 and must be fully functional by 31 March 2027. Advisers have three months from the opening of the registration window to apply for an Agent Services Account (ASA).

The UAE Ministry of Finance released version 1.1 of its Electronic Invoicing Guidelines on 1 June 2026, clarifying data storage responsibilities, advance payment invoicing, and sample invoice calculations to support the country’s digital tax infrastructure.

HMRC has confirmed that VAT‑registered companies in Dorset can donate goods to registered charities without incurring VAT, provided the goods are used to support people in need or deliver charitable services. This removes a barrier that previously required businesses to pay VAT on donated goods. Businesses should keep accurate records of donated items, especially high‑value goods.

Manila Bulletin reports that the Philippine BIR has clarified that bilateral tax treaties do not exempt foreign digital service providers from the country's 12% VAT. The new guidance, issued in RMC No. 59‑2026 on June 2, 2026, requires non‑resident providers to register and file VAT returns, and outlines reverse‑charge rules for cross‑border B2B services. It also details how online booking platforms and pre‑existing subscriptions are taxed.

UAE Ministry of Finance has issued updated e‑invoicing guidelines ahead of the July 2026 pilot, detailing the launch timetable, transition periods, and storage responsibilities. The guidelines confirm that all UAE businesses must adopt e‑invoicing, with a 24‑month transition for VAT groups and specific turnover thresholds for phased compliance. Taxpayers remain responsible for archiving invoices even when using accredited service providers, and advance payment invoicing must be linked within the Peppol PINT‑AE framework.

HMRC has updated Notice 742A to clarify the treatment of opted land and buildings, including the requirement to account for output tax on assets remaining on hand at the point of VAT registration cancellation and the removal of a temporary change to the notification time limit. The notice also outlines whether optors need HMRC permission before exercising the option and how to notify HMRC of the decision.

Boardroom Singapore’s press release outlines common pitfalls in Singapore’s GST filing process and offers a practical checklist to improve accuracy. It stresses the importance of timely filing, proper documentation, and the use of the myTax Portal and IRAS’s Assisted Self‑help Kit to mitigate errors and penalties.

Spain’s tax authority released technical guidance for the upcoming SPFE e‑invoicing mandate, detailing a phased rollout: large companies by Oct 2027, small businesses by Oct 2028, and self‑employed by Oct 2029. The guidance covers the EN 16931:2026 UBL 2.5 standard, API and security requirements, and a developer sandbox available from Oct 2026.

Ukraine's tax authorities have issued guidance clarifying that SaaS, software licences, and digital content are treated as services for VAT purposes. Non‑resident providers and marketplaces must register for VAT in Ukraine from 1 January 2022, with a UAH 1 million threshold, and file simplified quarterly returns within 40 days of each quarter. The standard VAT rate is 20%, and VAT due can be paid in USD or Euro if opted at registration.

The German Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) issued revised template forms for VAT reverse‑charge and registration purposes effective 9–23 April 2026. The updates remove the service‑seal field and the phrase “This letter was machine‑generated and is valid without signature,” and set a maximum validity of three years for the certificates. Forms USt 1 TH, USt 1 TG and USt 1 TQ can be issued on application or by authority; USt 1 TS and USt 1 TN only on application.

Germany's Federal Ministry of Finance has issued a new guidance letter effective 1 April 2026 that narrows the scope of intra‑group VAT exemptions for Organschaft. The update expands situations where intra‑group transactions may trigger VAT, particularly for supplies linked to non‑economic activities, and allows taxpayers to use the old approach until 31 December 2026. Businesses must reassess charging models, input VAT recovery and ERP logic for German VAT groups.

Spain's tax authority AEAT has outlined technical details for the upcoming Crea y Crece B2B e‑invoicing rollout, including a hybrid 5‑corner architecture and multi‑layer validation requirements. The order will enter force in October 2026, with the public platform live in August 2027 and mandatory e‑invoicing for high‑turnover firms from October 2027, expanding to all businesses by October 2028. Payment status reporting will extend to smaller entities in October 2029.

Egypt’s Tax Authority has issued new executive instructions establishing a unified VAT refund framework. The new system introduces an electronic completion platform, shortens refund processing to 20 days, and sets a two‑day review period with email notifications for missing documents. The framework also prioritises white‑listed companies and requires electronic invoice statements for refund claims.

Belgium’s FPS BOSA has released updated guidance on its mandatory 2026 B2B e-invoicing regime, clarifying invoice rejection, reverse charge wording, and Peppol delivery monitoring. The update introduces new rules for handling incorrect recipients, softens automatic rejection of reverse charge invoices, and confirms that suppliers must be registered in Peppol to receive self‑billing documents.

Egypt’s Tax Authority has issued new executive instructions to streamline VAT refund processing. The reforms cut the refund period to 20 days, shorten review time to two working days, and set clear notification and document‑submission deadlines. The changes aim to improve speed, accuracy and digital integration for taxpayers.

This UK government brief outlines HMRC’s position on the VAT treatment of electricity supplied at public electric vehicle charge points, following a First‑tier Tribunal decision involving Charge My Street Limited. It clarifies how such supplies are treated for VAT purposes and provides guidance for suppliers and users.

Kenya Revenue Authority will automatically link export records from the customs platform iCMS to VAT returns in iTax starting May 2026, requiring exporters to have verified export values linked to their PIN and valid electronic tax invoices. This eliminates manual zero‑rated sales declaration, blocks unsupported refund claims at source, and extends oversight to services exports prefilled via electronic invoices.

UAE has launched a Peppol-based 4‑corner e‑invoicing model with a phased rollout. Large businesses must appoint an Accredited Service Provider by 31 July 2026 and begin mandatory e‑invoicing on 1 January 2027, while smaller businesses and government entities follow later dates. The mandate requires PINT AE format invoices transmitted via Peppol, with penalties up to AED 5,000 per month for non‑compliance.

The Kenya Revenue Authority will integrate export VAT return data from its integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) with the iTax filing platform effective May 2026. Exporters will see validated export values automatically prefilled in their VAT returns, but must capture their PIN and a valid TIMS/eTIMS zero‑rated invoice number when lodging export documents in iCMS. Only transactions validated and linked to the taxpayer’s PIN and invoice will be accepted in VAT returns.