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VAT in the digital age

Briefing 22-10-2024

Value added tax (VAT) is one of the key revenue raisers in national budgets, accounting on average for almost a fifth of all tax revenue collected in the EU; and yet, sizeable amounts of VAT revenue are lost to fraud. Moreover, VAT rules place a considerable administrative burden on businesses. On 8 December 2022, to help fight VAT fraud and reduce this burden, the European Commission tabled a three-part proposal for a directive on VAT in the digital age. The proposal has three main objectives. The first is to introduce an EU-wide reporting system on intra-EU business-to-business (B2B) transactions, whereby companies would share, in real-time, data drawn from electronic invoices with the authorities. This would allow Member States to keep a close eye on the trail of VAT collected and to intervene when there is suspicion of fraudulent practices. The second objective involves introducing a harmonised framework for charging VAT in passenger transport and short-term accommodation platforms. The third is to adopt measures lowering VAT compliance costs for businesses operating across borders. For the proposal to become a directive, the Council must vote unanimously to adopt it, after consulting the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ and the European Economic and Social Committee. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.