VATupdate Newsletter Week 09 2025

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PROGRESS

If you had told someone in the 1980s that one day, they would hold a wireless glass rectangle in their hand, through which they could watch any movie, listen to any song, read any book, or find the answer to almost any question, they’d have assumed you were pitching the next big sci-fi blockbuster. And yet, here we are. With a few taps, we can zoom from a world map to a street-level view of almost any city on Earth. We can stream live sports from across the globe while sitting in a coffee shop. We can write our thoughts and, seconds later, have them read by people thousands of miles away.

Technology has made the impossible seem mundane, transforming every aspect of our lives. But while the digital revolution has sprinted ahead, VAT has, well… let’s just say it’s taken a more leisurely stroll.

Think about it: We live in a world where AI can compose music, translate languages in real-time, and generate entire articles (not that I’d ever outsource this, of course). Yet, businesses still struggle with complex VAT rules that differ from country to country. Refund processes can take weeks or even months. And let’s not even get started on trying to decipher some tax authorities’ websites—it’s like being handed a treasure map without an ‘X’ to mark the spot.

The good news is that VAT is evolving, albeit at a less dramatic pace. The push towards digital reporting, real-time transaction tracking, and automated compliance solutions is finally gaining momentum. Governments are beginning to embrace technology to close VAT gaps and simplify processes, though there’s still a long way to go before tax administration catches up with the seamless efficiency of, say, ordering a pizza through an app.

So, while we marvel at how far we’ve come—being able to carry an entire library, record collection, and movie archive in our pockets—it’s worth remembering that progress isn’t just about speed; it’s about making life easier. And hopefully, one day, VAT compliance will be as effortless as streaming our favourite TV show. Until then, we’ll just have to be patient—something humanity is still working on improving…

As for your daily dose of VAT: just visit VATupdate.com. Also available on your phone. And you can even listen to our podcast!

If you have any comments, questions, or ideas that you want to share with us, please send us an email at [email protected] or leave a comment under the posts of this newsletter on LinkedIn.

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