Global VAT & Indirect Tax News

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Economic and Monetary Affairs released a draft report on 4 February 2026 urging the European Commission to overhaul the outdated 1977 VAT exemption for financial services.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introduces coordinated temporary windfall taxes on exceptional bank profits, and calls for an alternative to the withdrawn EU-wide Financial Transaction Tax.

The Peppol network will enforce a mandatory switch from G2 to G3 digital certificates on 1 April 2026. Failure to migrate will revoke the G2 trust chain and disconnect Access Points from the network. OpenPeppol has issued detailed guidelines to help providers become dual‑capable during the transition.

Poland's KSeF e-invoicing system requires all VAT‑registered businesses to submit B2B invoices via a centralized platform using the FA(3) XML format. Large taxpayers must comply from February 2026, others from April 2026, with a grace period through 2026 and penalties starting in 2027. The system assigns unique identifiers, stores invoices for ten years, and imposes up to 100 % VAT penalties for non‑compliance after the grace period.

The blog explains how embedding tax automation into marketplace platforms can unlock revenue, reduce risk, and support compliance across multiple jurisdictions. It outlines platform reporting obligations in the EU (DAC7), UK, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and other countries, and highlights the benefits of integrated tax services for sellers and platform operators.

Ethiopian judges on 21 February 2026 rejected a bid by lawyers to freeze a controversial VAT directive, leaving the directive in effect. The decision centers on whether VAT compliance can be compelled without a threshold, a question that has implications for legal professionals and businesses. The ruling clarifies that the current VAT registration requirements remain unchanged.

The EU will eliminate the €150 customs and VAT threshold for low‑value consignments from March 2028, making e‑commerce platforms the de‑emed importers responsible for all duties and VAT. A single EU Customs Authority and a Customs Data Hub will be established to centralise and simplify customs procedures, with the new regime expected to raise €1 billion in revenue annually.

South Africa’s National Treasury is unlikely to raise the VAT rate for Budget 2026/27, citing political resistance. Instead, the focus will shift to enforcement and administrative reforms to strengthen the VAT system. A R20 bn tax increase pencilled in for 2026/27 is also expected to be reconsidered based on Sars performance.

Federal Decree‑Law No. 16 of 2025 introduced a five‑year limitation period for VAT refund claims in the UAE, effective 1 January 2026. Businesses must now file returns strategically to avoid permanent loss of input‑VAT credits, with transitional relief until 31 December 2026 for credits older than five years. The change turns VAT compliance into a cash‑flow optimisation tool.

The article examines the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme (TOMS), highlighting its intended simplification for travel agents and the significant challenges it poses, such as blocked input VAT and inconsistent application across EU Member States. It discusses the scheme’s impact on profitability, competitive distortions, and the European Commission’s public consultation on reforms launched in 2025.

In Poland, when a business vehicle is transferred from commercial use to private ownership, the transfer is treated as a taxable supply and VAT must be charged. The rule applies regardless of whether the original purchase allowed a 100% or 50% VAT deduction, as confirmed by a 2025 tax authority interpretation.

On 8 October 2025, Irish Revenue released a roadmap for implementing the EU's ViDA e‑invoicing and real‑time reporting requirements. The plan phases the rollout, with large corporates required to adopt the system in November 2028, all VAT‑registered businesses in intra‑EU B2B trade by November 2029, and full compliance for all cross‑border EU B2B transactions by 1 July 2030. The definition of a large corporate was clarified on 10 February 2026.

Brazil's new IBS/CBS/IS tax system now treats advance payments as taxable events, requiring businesses to issue a Debit Invoice (NF-e type 06) and report tax in the payment period. The final invoice must reference the advance payments via <gPagAntecipado> to offset tax already paid and avoid double taxation. ERP systems must support advance-payment tracking and the new invoicing requirements.

The UAE’s 2026 corporate tax registration wave introduces new deadlines and penalties, requiring natural persons with over AED 1 million in revenue to register by March 31 2026, companies incorporated in 2026 to complete registration within three months of incorporation, and all free‑zone entities to register regardless of Qualifying Free Zone Person status. A AED 10 000 penalty applies for late registration, and the changes aim to align entity structures with long‑term compliance and operational flexibility.

Greek authorities have postponed the mandatory B2B e‑invoicing go‑live to 2 March 2026, with a two‑month soft‑launch ending in early May. The first wave targets resident large businesses (turnover €1 million+) and covers domestic B2B supplies and exports outside the EU, while EU B2B remains optional. Penalties for non‑compliance include VAT‑based fines and fixed €500/€1,000 penalties, and businesses must submit a commencement declaration to AADE before issuing e‑invoices.

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 article explains how indirect tax compliance has evolved from a SaaS-like model to an infrastructure layer, driven by regulatory changes such as e‑invoicing mandates that embed compliance into transactional workflows. It highlights the shift toward networked operating layers, with platforms focusing on connectivity, interoperability, and real‑time regulatory interaction rather than just calculation and filing. The piece notes that regulatory velocity and mandate rollouts are now key drivers of platform selection and market dynamics.

On 13 February 2026 CEN approved updates to EN 16931‑1, modernising the standard for B2B e‑invoicing and ViDA‑driven reporting across the EU. The revision adds mandatory fields such as IBAN details, early‑payment discount and late‑payment charge indicators, and clarifies syntax bindings to UBL and UN/CEFACT CII, requiring businesses to adapt validation and mapping processes for automated compliance.

The article examines how transfer pricing adjustments can trigger VAT when they are considered payment for goods or services, citing the recent Stellantis Portugal Advocate General opinion. It highlights the need for multinationals to conduct structured reviews, document economic rationale, and maintain evidence to mitigate VAT risks, especially in finance and insurance sectors.

Poland’s Ministry of Digitalization has launched a public consultation on a new 3 % digital services tax (DST) that would broaden the existing 1.5 % rate to cover targeted advertising, multilateral digital interfaces and monetisation of user data, while exempting regulated financial services, direct online sales and publishing. The proposal would apply to companies with global revenue of €1 bn and Polish revenue above €6 m (PLN 25 m), and the government expects to raise about €400 m (PLN 1.7 bn) in 2027, roughly 0.3 % of total tax revenue. The article argues that the DST would impose a heavy burden on large multinationals, trigger potential US retaliation, and that a VAT reform would be a more efficient alternative.

Bloomberg Tax’s commentary discusses how transfer pricing adjustments can create VAT exposure, citing recent ECJ cases and a Stellantis Portugal Advocate General opinion. It explains that adjustments tied to specific goods or services may be subject to VAT, while purely profit‑based adjustments may not. The article advises multinationals to conduct structured reviews and maintain documentation to mitigate risks.