Bloomberg Tax’s commentary examines the European Commission’s proposal to grant EU anti‑fraud bodies access to national VAT data, a move aimed at closing the €128 billion annual VAT gap. The article highlights the debate over jurisdiction and the balance between cross‑border enforcement and national sovereignty.
Approximately €128 billion per year.
Access VAT data held by national authorities to investigate and intercept cross‑border schemes.
Jurisdiction—how and when agencies such as the European Public Prosecutor’s Office can access national databases.
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VatCalc · about 13 hours ago
The European Commission is advancing a deemed supplier regime for ride‑and‑accommodation platforms, with a voluntary launch in July 2028 and mandatory compliance by 1 January 2030. Draft explanatory notes were issued in Q1 2026, with final notes expected in Q2 2027, and the EC will confirm member‑state conditions by 31 December 2028. The regime also revises the short‑term accommodation definition to 30 days and will be evaluated for effectiveness by 1 July 2033.
Vijesti · 9 days ago
The EU has proposed a law allowing governments to temporarily reduce VAT rates to counteract price rises, particularly in fuel, and protect citizens’ standard of living. The proposal is aimed at mitigating inflationary pressures in Montenegro and has broad political support. It follows examples such as Spain’s reduction of fuel VAT from 21% to 10%.
VATCalc · 10 days ago
The EU Parliament has reopened debate on the optional reverse charge mechanism, which is set to expire on 31 December 2026. While the tool has proven effective in curbing missing trader intra‑community fraud in high‑risk sectors, concerns remain about VAT distortions and the need for complementary digital reporting controls. The review signals that reverse charge will stay part of the anti‑fraud toolkit but will be increasingly paired with real‑time transaction monitoring under the ViDA framework.
VatCalc · 11 days ago
EU Parliament has tabled more than 200 amendments to its draft report on a coherent tax framework for the financial sector, with VAT reform at the centre. The proposals aim to narrow the long‑standing VAT exemption for financial services, tax fee‑based B2B services, consolidate the Insurance Premium Tax into VAT, and modernise rules for neobanks, crypto and other digital financial services. A parliamentary vote is scheduled for 26 April 2026, with a vote expected in May and potential plenary adoption in June.
e-Invoice.app · 13 days ago
The European Commission will host a public workshop on 27 April 2026 to review the revision of Directive 2014/55/EU on e‑invoicing in public procurement. The event will outline potential policy measures, gather stakeholder feedback, and discuss the three policy options for the revision. The outcome will influence upcoming compliance requirements, including the ViDA reform that will mandate structured e‑invoicing for intra‑EU B2B transactions by July 2030.
Bloomberg Tax · 13 days ago
The article examines how fully automated, AI‑run companies—termed zero‑person companies—challenge existing VAT rules. It explains that while such entities can perform all operational tasks, they still require a human link for legal accountability, and their place of establishment for VAT purposes is determined by where central administration effectively occurs, often defaulting to the registered office. The piece also discusses the low likelihood of fixed establishments arising solely from cloud infrastructure and outlines compliance implications for tax authorities.
