Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

Croatia has announced it will extend the reduced 5% VAT rate on certain energy products until March 31, 2027, to help curb inflation. The measure covers natural gas, district heating, and various wood fuels, and the extension is expected to forgo about €47 million in revenue. Without the extension, the rate would revert to 13% at the end of March 2026.

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.

The European Court of Justice ruled that Croatian VAT authorities cannot deny intra‑Community supply exemptions solely because a trader has not supplied the specific evidence required under Article 45a of Implementing Regulation No 282/2011. The court requires a full assessment of all evidence to determine whether goods were dispatched or transported between Member States. Businesses can still claim the exemption if alternative evidence demonstrates transport between Croatia and Slovenia.

The EU Official Gazette published a preliminary ruling from the ECJ on Jan. 12, 2026, concerning Croatian VAT rules for intra‑community supplies of goods. The case involved a Croatian trading company supplying oak logs to Slovenia and claiming a VAT exemption, which was challenged for lack of documentation under Article 45a of Regulation 282/2011. The ECJ held that Directive 2006/112/EC and Regulation 282/2011 must be interpreted accordingly.

Croatia has made e-invoicing mandatory for B2B and B2C transactions for all VAT-registered businesses from 1 January 2026, with a second stage extending the requirement to non‑VAT entities on 1 January 2027. The mandate, known as “Fiscalization 2.0”, was implemented in two stages and follows the ordinance published on 17 December 2025. The Croatian Tax Authority has denied reports of system instability and will not grant a grace period.

Croatia’s new Fiscalization Act will require all VAT‑registered businesses to issue electronic invoices for domestic B2B transactions from 1 January 2026, using EN 16931‑1:2017 standards and real‑time transmission to the tax authority. Paper invoices will only be allowed in exceptional cases, and non‑VAT‑registered businesses must accept and issue e‑invoices by 1 January 2027. Penalties apply for non‑compliance.

The CJEU’s Flo Veneer judgment (C‑639/24) clarifies that Article 45a of the EU VAT Implementing Regulation does not require a closed list of documents to prove intra‑Community transport. Tax authorities must consider all available evidence and cannot deny the exemption solely on missing standard documents. The ruling reinforces fiscal neutrality and will shape member‑state audit practices.