Ecuador cuts VAT on tourism services for carnival holiday
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has enacted Executive Decree No. 542 on 24 February 2025, temporarily lowering the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to 8% for tourism-related services during the Carnival holiday period from 1 March to 4 March
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France postpones cut in VAT exemption threshold until June 2025
The French Ministry of Economy and Finance has announced that from 1 June 2025, a standard VAT exemption threshold of EUR 25,000 in turnover will apply to all businesses, replacing the current EUR 27,500 threshold. Sector-specific thresholds for
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Argentina: Withholding tax and VAT exemptions on imports ends on March 2025
Argentina’s Collection and Customs Control Agency issued General Resolution (RG) 5655/2025 on 28 February 2025. This Resolution repeals RG 5339, which suspended withholding tax and VAT on certain imported goods until 30 June 2025. As a
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Spain issues resolution on VAT rates for bread
The Spanish Directorate General of Taxes issued a resolution (BOE-A-2025-3950) regarding the VAT rates applied to bread on 24 February 2025. The resolution, which was published in the Official Gazette on 27 February 2025, clarifies the VAT
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UK: HMRC releases final evaluation report on making tax digital for VAT
The UK tax authority, His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has released a final evaluation report on the effects of Making Tax Digital for VAT on 27 February 2025. A final evaluation report summarising the main evidence and conclusions of HM
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Slovak Republic proposes VAT and fuel tax reductions
The Slovak Republic ’s Parliament reviewed proposals to amend VAT and excise tax rules on 15 January 2025. Key VAT changes include lowering the standard rate from 23% to 20% , expanding reduced VAT rate eligibility, and increasing the VAT
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Lithuania: Parliament proposes phased increase in VAT registration threshold
Lithuania’s parliament (Seimas) has recently proposed an alternative draft bill for the phased increase in the value-added tax (VAT) registration threshold, which would take effect on 23 February 2025. The current threshold of EUR 45,000 would
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Nigeria to launch pilot phase of e-invoicing system
Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has initiated a stakeholder engagement on 18 February 2025 with large taxpayer groups to prepare for the upcoming pilot phase of the Merchant Buyer Solution, an e-invoicing system scheduled to launch
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Kazakhstan expands VAT exemption list for imported goods
Kazakhstan issued Order No. 11-1-4/83 on 18 February 2025, amending the previous Order No. 140 from 27 February 2018, which outlines the list of imported goods exempt from VAT under investment contracts. The updated list has been expanded from
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Greece updates VAT exemption procedures for exports and intra-community deliveries
Greece has updated the VAT exemption procedures for exports and intra-community deliveries through Decision No. A 1154/2024 on 17 February 2025, published in the Official Gazette. The changes focus on improving compliance with current
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Sri Lanka proposes VAT and income tax reforms
Sri Lanka has announced a series of tax reforms through proposed legislation published on 21 February 2025. The changes, affecting VAT and income tax, will be implemented in phases from April 2025. A key measure is the introduction of an 18% VAT
See MoreWTO Working Paper: Evolution of Preferential Trade Under Regional Trade Agreements
A WTO working paper of 7 February 2025, written by Rohini Acharya and Thakur Parajuli has the title The Evolution of Preferential Trade Under Regional Trade Agreements: Has Anything Changed? The paper looks at the question of whether the share of
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Lithuania: Government approves VAT Law amendments to align with EU Directive
The Lithuanian government approved amendments to the VAT Law to incorporate provisions of EU Directive 2022/542. Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas made this announcement on 12 February 2025. Earlier, the Ministry of Finance has made
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Ghana publishes review of VAT system
Ghana's Ministry of Finance has published a "A Review of Ghana's Value-Added Tax (VAT) System" on 11 February 2025. This report, jointly produced with researchers from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (UK) analyses the design and administration
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UAE consults on implementing e-invoicing
The UAE Ministry of Finance has released a consultation document outlining plans to implement electronic invoicing (e-invoicing). The consultation seeks to: Establish a common understanding of data elements used in e-invoices across business
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Poland: Senate passes various VAT changes
Poland’s Senate has approved several VAT amendments, including extending the reverse charge mechanism for gas, electricity, and greenhouse gas services and maintaining an 8% reduced VAT rate for certain agricultural goods. Additional VAT
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EU Council approves new electronic VAT exemption certificate law
The European Commission, in a release on 18 February 2025, announced the Council had adopted a new legislative package introducing an electronic certificate for VAT exemptions, marking a significant step towards simplifying tax procedures and
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Lithuania: Government approves draft law to implement EU VAT scheme for small businesses
The Government of Lithuania approved the draft Law prepared by the Ministry of Finance on 5 February 2025, which proposes to transpose the new provisions of the European Union (EU) legislation adopted in the field of value added tax (VAT) that are
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