VAT Committee
VAT Committee – New guidelines on VAT published after meeting of Jun 12, 2020
Brexit
The EU side strongly reiterated the need for the United Kingdom to substantially accelerate work on all necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the withdrawal agreement, in particular with regard to border control posts, value added tax and the registration of Northern Irish traders for VAT purposes.
COVID-19 measures
The Commission is therefore proposing to temporarily adapt the rules to apply a reduced rate or exemptions of VAT in respect of COVID-19 testing kits, and to allow Member States to grant a zero rate in respect of COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19: Proposal to reduce/exempt VAT on testing kits and a 0% VAT rate on vaccines
Customs
The European Commission has published the latest version of the Combined Nomenclature (CN), applicable as from 1 January 2021.
The Combined Nomenclature forms the basis for the declaration of goodsat importation or exportation or when subject to intra-Union trade statistics. This determines which rate of customs duty applies and how the goods are treated for statistical purposes. The CN is thus a vital working tool for business and the Member States’ customs administrations.
Customs: Commission publishes the 2021 version of the Combined Nomenclature
On 28 October 2020, the European Commission proposed a new initiative that will make it easier for different authorities involved in goods clearance to exchange electronic information submitted by traders. The “EU Single Window Environment for Customs” will enhance cooperation and coordination between different authorities, and will support the automatic verification of non-customs formalities for goods entering or leaving the EU.
EU Single Window Environment for Customs
Public Consultations
This initiative aims to increase EU taxpayers’ awareness of their rights under EU law in the field of taxation, and ensure EU countries respect and implement them. It will:
- help taxpayers comply with their tax obligations
- highlight the rights of taxpayers who engage in cross-border activities
- improve legal certainty for taxpayers.
To this end, the Commission will analyse taxpayers’ rights in the EU single market, specifically those of individuals, the self-employed and micro-businesses.
EU taxpayers’ rights in the single market – public consultation
Infringement Actions
