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.

Slovakia will enforce mandatory B2B e-invoicing via the Peppol network from 1 January 2027 under Law 385/2025 Z.z., following a voluntary testing period in 2026. All e-invoices must use the EN 16931 XML standard (UBL 2.1 or CII), be issued within 15 days, and reported within 5 days, with penalties up to €10,000 per infraction and €100,000 for repeated violations.

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Finance updated its e-invoicing FAQs in March 2026, tightening the definition of a compliant E‑Rechnung. The guidance requires that 100 % of mandatory VAT data be embedded in structured XML, mandates embedding of supporting documents, and confirms that monthly summary invoices remain valid if the supply period is clearly defined. These clarifications signal enforcement intent ahead of the 2027 B2B e‑invoicing mandate and the 2030 EU Digital Reporting Requirements.

Germany's e‑invoicing mandate requires all businesses to be able to receive electronic invoices from 1 January 2025, with issuance obligations kicking in 2027 for firms with prior‑year turnover above €800,000 and 2028 for all others. The guidance clarifies that only structured EN 16931 formats (XRechnung or ZUGFeRD) qualify as e‑invoices, and that receipt obligations are voluntary in 2026. It also outlines compliance requirements such as GoBD‑compliant archiving and retention periods.

The United Nations Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters has announced a practical VAT agenda through 2028, establishing a Subcommittee on Indirect Taxes to produce guidance on execution gaps. The workplan covers five priority areas—digital economy VAT, fraud prevention and SME compliance, cross‑border dispute resolution, financial services/FinTech/crypto, and VAT regressivity—with draft outputs expected by October 2028. The initiative signals a global convergence in VAT thinking and increased scrutiny for tax authorities and businesses.

Denmark is tightening its digital bookkeeping and e‑invoicing framework, moving from encouragement to default digital behaviour. From July 2026, e‑invoicing will be the default output, and businesses on registered systems will be automatically enrolled in the NemHandel network unless they opt out. The roadmap also sets a 2028 start for Peppol PINT migration, full transition by 2029, and SAF‑T 2.0 will require transaction‑level detail from 2027.

The UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) clarified that natural shortages of excise goods in designated zones are exempt from excise tax from 1 July 2025, provided they meet specific verification criteria. Losses due to theft, negligence or operational inefficiency remain taxable. Taxable persons must obtain an independent certification report, valid for one year, and declare shortages via EmaraTax not exceeding the permitted percentage.

Bahrain’s National Bureau for Revenue released guidance version 1.5 on March 11 2026 clarifying that VAT paid as deposits during import is not immediately recoverable. Registered persons must obtain a customs declaration receipt confirming a ‘VAT confiscation’ status before they can reclaim the VAT, and the recovery must occur within five years from the end of the calendar year in which the deposit becomes recoverable.

The UK government’s Simplified Customs Declaration Process (SCDP) offers a two‑stage electronic declaration method that reduces border controls for authorised traders. Importers must be pre‑authorised, hold an EORI number, and submit a supplementary declaration within ten calendar days of the reporting period’s end, keeping records for four years.

This article outlines the tax and compliance requirements for online stores operating in Bulgaria, including mandatory registration with the National Revenue Agency, submission of monthly audit files, and conditions triggering VAT registration. It also explains cross‑border obligations such as OSS, VIES, and Intrastat for EU and non‑EU transactions.

HMRC’s Brief 9 confirms that supplies of locum doctors are exempt from VAT under Item 5, Group 7, Schedule 9 of the VAT Act 1994. The guidance also explains how businesses can claim refunds for over‑declared output tax on such supplies made within the last four years, and notes that HMRC is reviewing policy and will issue updated guidance in due course.

HMRC has released guidance (GfC18) to help businesses in the oil and gas sector determine the VAT place of supply for services. The document outlines special place of supply rules, general rules, fixed establishment rules and other factors that may affect VAT treatment. It is intended to reduce the risk of errors and penalties.

This guide details the Standard Audit File for Taxation (SAF‑T) structure, outlining its four main sections—Header, MasterFiles, GeneralLedgerEntries, and SourceDocuments—and the reference data tables required for compliance. It explains how each transaction must link back to MasterFiles and highlights common validation errors, with specific reference to Luxembourg’s FAIA variant and its tax rates.

The UK guidance explains how to cancel a VAT registration, either online or by post, using form VAT 7 for individual businesses and form VAT 50‑51 for VAT groups. It advises that businesses should not cancel immediately after an insolvency practitioner’s appointment if asset sales are pending, as VAT on those sales must still be reported. The guidance references Notice 700/11 for further details.

The Norwegian Tax Appeals Board ruled that data centre services supplied to non‑residents are not fully exported services; the portion involving physical storage, monitoring, power and infrastructure must attract Norwegian VAT. The decision rejects the view that such services are entirely remote and VAT‑exempt, and provides analysis that may interest other jurisdictions.

China’s new VAT Law took effect on 1 January 2026, prompting a series of administrative releases that align preferential regimes, customs treatment, and reporting obligations. The guidance tightens SME VAT incentives, extends cross‑border e‑commerce import VAT exemptions until 2027, and introduces new import VAT incentives for strategic sectors that run until 2030. Multinational groups should review compliance and documentation to meet the updated thresholds and reporting requirements.

Denmark is transitioning its NemHandel e‑invoicing system from the domestic OIOUBL format to the Peppol BIS standard, with full migration targeted for mid‑2029. The shift aligns with the 2030 VAT in the Digital Age reforms that mandate e‑invoicing for intra‑community transactions and supports the ViDA Digital Reporting Requirements. Businesses will need to adapt to a phased coexistence period before Peppol BIS becomes the dominant format.

Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Office has released the ViDA implementation document outlining mandatory e‑invoicing and real‑time VAT reporting. The reform requires all taxable persons to exchange invoices in the EN 16931 format, prohibits email distribution, and introduces an AOR reporting obligation within five days. The five‑corner model will be used for transmission, with service providers optional.