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Tax policy

November 2023

Highlights

  • European Commission to evaluate reporting burdens under DAC
  • European Parliament’s ECON Committee adopts opinion on VAT in the Digital Age
  • Council formally adopts DAC 8 and amends EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions
  • OECD releases new multilateral convention to address tax challenges of globalisation and digitalisation

 

European Commission

Commission to evaluate reporting burdens under DAC

On 17 October, the European Commission (EC) released its 2024 work programme, offering a preview of the upcoming year’s initiatives.

The programme makes several references to outstanding tax proposals in both direct taxation and VAT. Interestingly, the programme also indicates EC’s intention to evaluate the Directive on administrative cooperation (DAC) under its efforts to reduce reporting burdens of EU legislation. However, no timeline is indicated for this evaluation exercise.

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EU VAT gap report 2023

EC’s latest VAT gap report, published on 24 October, indicates that most EU Member States made progress in the enforcement of VAT compliance in 2021. The study shows that Member States lost around €61 billion in VAT in 2021, compared to €99 billion in 2020.

This figure represents revenues lost mainly to VAT fraud, evasion and avoidance, non-fraudulent bankruptcies, miscalculations and financial insolvencies, among other drivers.

The 2023 report shows that while some revenue losses are impossible to avoid, targeted policy responses seem to have made a difference, particularly those related to digitalisation of tax systems, real-time reporting of transactions and e-invoicing. At the same time, temporary factors such as government support measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were often contingent on paying taxes, may also have played a role in driving this positive change.

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European Parliament

Parliament’s draft report on FASTER published

The draft report was prepared by MEP Herbert Dorfmann (EPP/Italy). He made several suggestions to further change the EC’s withholding tax proposal (FASTER), such as:

  • calling for a “comprehensive analysis” of the development of service fees charged by financial intermediaries
  • an examination on the universal application of a relief at source system in all Member States
  • more clarity on the interaction between FASTER and the UNSHELL

The vote in ECON Committee is currently set for 23 January 2024. European Parliament (EP) only provides its non-binding opinion.

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ECON adopts draft report on tax policy in times of crisis

ECON Committee met on 24 October to vote on its own initiative draft report on the role of tax policy in times of crisis. The report has been prepared by MEP Kira-Maria Peter Hansen (Greens/Denmark).

The draft report was adopted, as amended, with 30 votes in favour, 18 votes against and 4 abstentions. A final vote in Plenary is currently set for 11 December.

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ECON vote on further reform of corporate tax reforms

ECON Committee also voted on 24 October on its own initiative draft report on further reform of corporate taxation rules. This report was prepared by MEP Isabel Benjumea (EPP/Spain).

The draft report was adopted, as amended, with 46 votes in favour, 5 votes against and 2 abstentions. A final Plenary vote is likewise expected for 11 December.

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ECON adopts VAT in the Digital Age opinion

And finally, ECON adopted on 24 October its opinion on the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) proposal prepared by MEP Olivier Chastel (RE/Belgium). The opinion is divided into 2 separate draft reports available here and here.

The draft report on the proposal for a Regulation was adopted, as amended, by unanimity with 53 votes in favour. The draft report on the proposal for a Directive was adopted, as amended, with 47 votes in favour and 5 abstentions.

A final Plenary vote is currently set for 20 November for both reports. EP’s opinion is non-binding, but it is nonetheless needed for ViDA to become EU law.

 

MEPs support simplified procedure for VAT special scheme

ECON Committee met on 24 October for a consideration of draft report and decision on procedure regarding the EC proposal on VAT rules for taxable persons who facilitate distance sales of imported goods and the application of the special scheme for distance sales of goods imported from third countries, and special arrangements for declaration and payment of import VAT.

The proposal aims to further adapt the EU VAT framework by expanding the range of supplies covered by the Import One Stop Shop (IOSS), Special Arrangements and deemed supplier regime by removing the EUR 150 threshold, which currently limits their application and effectiveness. Therefore, the IOSS could be used to declare and remit the VAT due on all distance sales of imported goods into the EU, irrespective of their value, but not including products subject to excise duties, which remain excluded from the scheme. This proposal also aims to reduce compliance costs for businesses and create a level playing field for sellers operating online.

At the meeting, every MEP who spoke agreed to move forward with a streamlined process for this file, no amendments. The final Plenary vote is set for 20 November.

 

FISC Committee delegation travels to Washington

Members of the FISC Committee travelled to Washington DC from 30 October to 1 November, led by the subcommittee’s Chair MEP Paul Tang (S&D/Netherlands).

The delegation met with representatives of key institutions, such as the US Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service, bi-partisan representation of the US Congress, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, as well as stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, experts, and journalists.

The discussions focused on topical international tax issues and challenges, such as the implementation of the two-pillar tax reform agreed by the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework, the role of tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA), the exchange of tax information, the taxation of crypto-assets, and the US approach to combating tax havens, tax evasion, and aggressive tax practices.

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ECON discusses FASTER draft report

ECON committee met on 7 November to discuss the draft report on the “FASTER” proposal, prepared by MEP Herbert Dorfmann (EPP/Italy). As mentioned above, he made some suggestions to change the EC’s withholding tax proposal (FASTER) and addressed the issue of better clarifying the interaction between FASTER and the SHELL directives. He also stressed the need for a better protection of taxpayers’ personal data, and a coordinated understanding of “comparable legislation” when it comes to the registration of a financial intermediary located in a third country.

The deadline for amendments is 15 November, and a vote in ECON Committee is currently set for 23 January 2024. EP may only provide its non-binding opinion.

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MEP questions & replies

EC still plans to issue recommendation on taxpayers’ rights “at a later point in time”

  • Question by a group of EPP MEPs
  • Reply by Commissioner Gentiloni

Council

ECOFIN formally adopts DAC 8 and revamps EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions

The EU Finance Ministers adopted the eighth revision of the Directive on the exchange of tax information between Member States (DAC8). This revision was already agreed at a previous Council meeting in May. It extends the scope of the Directive, to now include crypto-assets and electronic transactions.

The ministers also amended the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions. They decided to add Antigua and Barbuda, Belize and Seychelles to the list, whilst removing British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica and Marshall Islands.

International

OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework releases new multilateral convention to address tax challenges of globalisation and digitalisation

The OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework released on 11 October a new multilateral convention that updates the international tax framework to co-ordinate a reallocation of taxing rights to market jurisdictions, improve tax certainty, and remove digital service taxes. The release of the convention brings the international community one step closer to finalising of Two-Pillar Solution, tackling tax challenges arising from the digitalisation and globalisation of the economy.

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EU Tax Observatory publishes Global Tax Evasion 2024 report

The EU Tax Observatory’s 2024 Global Tax Evasion report based on research collaboration that builds on the work of more than 100 researchers globally. Some of the key findings include the following:

  • offshore tax evasion by wealthy individuals has shrunk. Thanks to the automatic exchange of bank information, the report estimates that offshore tax evasion has declined by a factor of about three over the last 10 years
  • the global minimum tax of 15% on multinationals has been dramatically weakened. Initially expected to increase global corporate tax revenues by close to 10%, a growing list of loopholes has reduced its expected revenues by a factor of 2
  • tax evasion – including grey-zone evasion at the border of legality – is increasingly happening domestically. Global billionaires have effective tax rates equivalent to 0% to 0.5% of their wealth according to the report, due to the frequent use of shell companies to avoid income taxation

The report also makes six proposals to address the identified issues. Read more

 

Advocate General says General Court ruling on Ireland/Apple case should be set aside

On November 9, Advocate General Pitruzzella recommended setting aside the General Court’s judgement on tax rulings between Ireland and Apple. He suggested referring the case back to the General Court for a new decision on the merits.

According to the Advocate General, the General Court committed a series of errors in law when it ruled that the Commission had not shown to the requisite legal standard that the intellectual property licences held by ASI and AOE and related profits, generated by the sales of Apple products outside the USA, had to be attributed for tax purposes to the Irish branches. The Advocate General also believes that the General Court failed to assess correctly the substance and consequences of certain methodological errors that, according to the Commission decision, vitiated the tax rulings.

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Other news

This curated content was brought to you by Johan Barros, Accountancy Europe Senior Manager, Head of Advocacy & Policy, since 2015. You can send him tips by email, follow him on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.