Link – VEG 122 – Minutes 37th VEG meeting 04-10-2024
Summary of the 37th VAT Expert Group Meeting
Brussels, 21 October 2024
The 37th meeting of the VAT Expert Group (VEG) was held on 4 October 2024 via videoconference. The meeting was not open to the public and focused on several key topics related to the future of VAT, the evaluation of the e-commerce package, and updates on various ongoing initiatives.
1. Approval of the Agenda
The agenda for the meeting, documented as taxud.c.1(2024)7634414, was approved without contest.
2. Nature of the Meeting
The meeting was conducted via videoconference and was not open to the public.
3. VAT After ViDA: Progress Update by the VEG Informal Working Group
A member of the informal working group provided an update on their ongoing work regarding the future of VAT. The final report is expected to be completed by December 2024, with a draft ready by the end of November 2024. The group will meet in Brussels on 14 and 15 October to finalize the report and prepare an executive summary.
4. Evaluation of the E-Commerce Package: Results from the OSS/IOSS Statistics for 2023
The e-commerce statistics for 2023 were presented, showing over EUR 26 billion of VAT declared via the three OSS schemes. The upward trend in registration numbers continued, with over 150,000 traders registered by the end of 2023. The success of the VAT e-commerce package was acknowledged, but improvements are needed and have been included in the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package.
5. ViDA Package: SVR/IOSS Implementation – Follow-Up of the Helsinki Workshop
A report on a seminar held in Helsinki in June was presented. The seminar gathered representatives from tax and customs authorities, Commission services, and business representatives. The workshop was successful in providing constructive suggestions for the upcoming implementation of the Single VAT Registration (SVR) and securing the IOSS verification process at import.
6. Information Points
- ViDA Package: Significant progress has been made under the Belgian Presidency, with an agreement close to being reached. However, one Member State is still opposing part of the compromise text.
- Travel and Tourism Package: Work on this package is currently paused, awaiting prioritization by the new Commission.
- Implementation of the New SME Scheme: The SME Web Portal is scheduled to launch by the end of October, featuring information about national VAT rules for SMEs and a simulator for eligibility checks.
- VAT Part of the Customs Reform: Discussions are ongoing regarding the removal of the EUR 150 threshold for IOSS and aligning it with customs reforms.
7. Any Other Business (AOB)
A member enquired about the availability of revised CESOP Guidelines and Q&As. The Commission services informed that these will be revised following a meeting in November 2024 and translated into all official EU languages by the first quarter of 2025.
The Chair closed the meeting by thanking participants and announced that the next meeting is tentatively scheduled for 13 December 2024 in Brussels.
Source
