Tag Archives: ec-vat

VAT: New rules for registration and reporting in the EU from 1 January 2025

By   6 November 2023
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EU Member States have agreed to extend similar VAT registration thresholds utilised by domestic businesses to EU non-resident taxpayers.

VAT scheme for Small Businesses

New simplification rules will open the VAT exemption to small businesses established in other member states and help reduce VAT compliance costs. The new regime should reduce red tape and administrative burdens for SMEs and create a level playing field for businesses regardless of where they are established in the EU. The new VAT scheme for SMEs will apply from 1 January 2025.

The new scheme

Current rules on the exemption of supplies under a certain threshold:

  • Member States are allowed to exempt supplies by small enterprises with an annual turnover not exceeding a given threshold, different in each Member State.
  • Small enterprises not established in a certain Member State have, however, no access to such an exemption.

New rules on the exemption of supplies under a certain threshold

  • Member States will be allowed to continue exempting small businesses with an annual turnover not exceeding a given threshold, which cannot be higher than € 85,000 (maximum exemption threshold).
  • The new rules will open the exemption to small enterprises established in other Member States than the one in which the VAT is due. The exemption will apply if the turnover in Member State where the SME is not established is below the national threshold and if the annual turnover in all of the EU is below €100,000. This is a safeguard threshold preventing companies with large turnover to benefit from the SME exemption in other Member States. For this purpose, SMEs will be able to use the single registration window in their own Member State.

The new rules will provide exempt SMEs with simplifications in terms of registration and reporting. These rules should reduce the overall VAT compliance costs for SMEs by up to 18% per year.

Evidence of UK establishment required for certain VAT registered businesses

By   2 October 2023
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Businesses registered for VAT at a high-volume address will be asked by HMRC to prove they are established in the UK.

High-Volume Addresses

A high-volume address is where a single UK address is listed as the principal place of business (PPOB) for many VAT-registered businesses. We understand that many thousands of businesses are registered at single addresses in the UK.

HMRC will require proof of a place of belonging in the UK to avoid online marketplaces failing to account for output tax.

Online marketplaces

Online marketplaces are liable for the output VAT from sales on their platforms by overseas traders. HMRC understand that Non Established Taxable Persons (NETPs) have incorporated in the UK and provided UK address details to marketplaces. Since they are then no longer “overseas traders” these rules do not apply. In these situations, the NETP does not declare VAT and the marketplace does not become liable for it.

HMRC is writing to all VAT registered businesses with a PPOB at a high-volume address to ask for evidence to demonstrate that the business is actually established in the UK. If the business does not respond, by default, HMRC will consider the business to be a NETP and seek to recover VAT from the online marketplace business.

Evidence of UK establishment

HMRC will outline what specific evidence it will accept in their letter.

A VAT Did you know?

By   20 September 2023
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Dance classes in some EU countries are subject to different VAT rates depending on whether the dance style is considered artistic or entertainment. In the UK, belly dancing and ceroc lessons are standard rated, but ballet is exempt.

VAT: B2B and B2C – The distinction and importance

By   1 August 2023
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A key feature of the place of supply rules is the distinction between B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) supplies. The distinction is important because it determines, inter alia, whether GB VAT is applicable to a supply made by a GB supplier.

Status of the customer:

  • B2C: A supply is B2C when the customer is a private individual, an organisation with only non-business activities or the supply is wholly for private use (eg for the private use of a business owner)
  • B2B: A supply is B2B when the customer has any level of business activity (though if a supply is wholly for private use it remains B2C). It does not matter if the supply is for a non-business activity of the customer or if the customer is not VAT registered. All that matters is the customer has some level of business activity – this includes VAT exempt activity and taxable activity below the VAT registration threshold VAT place of supply.

To apply the B2B treatment a GB supplier must obtain evidence that the customer has business activities. If the supplier cannot obtain any evidence, they should apply B2C treatment.

  • If the customer is VAT registered, the customer’s VAT number is evidence of status and it is good practice to quote this on the supplier’s invoice. A GB supplier should check the customer’s VAT registration number is in the correct format for the country concerned. This can be done via the EC Vies website. for EU customers. NB: Special evidence rules apply to electronically supplied services.
  • If the customer is not VAT registered, a GB supplier should obtain and retain evidence that the customer has business activities. HMRC state “If your customer is unable to provide a VAT number, you can accept alternative evidence.This includes certificates from fiscal authorities, business letterheads or other commercial documents indicating the nature of the customer’s activities”.

A supplier needs to identify where his customer belongs in order to establish the place of supply.

VERY broadly, depending on the nature of the supply, the rule of thumb is that a B2B service is GB VAT free (it is subject to a reverse charge by the recipient as it is deemed to be “supplied where received”) but a B2C service is generally subject to GB VAT, regardless of the place of belonging of the recipient. There are exceptions to these rules however, such as the use and enjoyment provisions, land related services, hire of transport and admission to events.

Digital Euro introduction delayed

By   21 June 2023
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The European Commission’s proposal for the introduction of a digital Euro has been delayed.
The adoption was planned for 28 June 2023, but this has now been postponed. There is currently no news on a new date.

What is digital Euro?

As a digital form of central bank money, the digital Euro will offer greater choice to consumers and businesses in situations where physical cash cannot be used. However, the digital euro would be a complement to cash, which should remain widely available and useable.

A digital Euro would offer an electronic means of payment that anyone could use in the euro area. It would be secure and user-friendly, like cash is today. As central bank money issued by the ECB, it would be different from “private money”, but you could also use a card or a phone app to pay with digital euro. It is intended to provide an anchor of stability for our money in the digital age.

Further details here.

VAT: Place of supply – The Sports Invest case

By   5 May 2023
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Latest from the courts

In the First-Tier Tribunal case of Sports Invest UK Ltd the issue was the place of supply (POS) of a football agent’s services (commission received for a player’s transfer).

The POS is often complex from a VAT perspective and depends on the place of belonging (POB) of the supplier and the recipient of the supply. These rules determine if VAT is charged, where VAT is charged and the rate of VAT applicable, additionally, they may impose requirements to register for VAT in different jurisdictions.

Background

Sports Invest was a football agent based in the UK. It received fees in respect of negotiating the transfer of a player: João Mário from a Portuguese club: Sporting Lisbon to an Italian club: Internazionale (Inter Milan). The appellant signed a representation contract with the player which entitled it to commission, and a separate agreement with Inter Milan entitling it to a fee because the player was permanently transferred.

The Issues

To whom did Sports Invest make a supply – club or player? What was the supply? Was there one or two separate supplies? What was the POS?

As appears normal for transactions in the world of football the contractual arrangements were complex, but, in essence as a matter of commercial and economic reality, Sports Invest had agreed the commission with the player in case it was excluded from the deal. However, this did not occur, and the deal was concluded as anticipated. Inter Milan paid The Appellant’s fee in full, but did this affect the agreement between Sports Invest and the player? That is, as HMRC contended, did Inter Milan pay Sports Invest on the player’s behalf (third party consideration) such that there were two supplies; one to the player and one to the cub?

The FTT stated that there was no suggestion that the contracts were “sham documents”.

VAT Liability

The arrangements mattered, as pre-Brexit, a supply of services by a business with a POB in the UK to an individual (B2C) in another EU Member State would have been subject to UK VAT; the POS being where the supplier belonged. HMRC assessed for an element of the fee that it saw related to the supply to the player. The remainder of the fee paid by the club was accepted to be consideration for a UK VAT free supply by the agent to the club (B2B).

Decision

The court found that there was one single supply by The Appellant to Inter Milan. This being the case, the supply was B2B and the POS was where the recipient belonged and so that the entire supply was UK VAT free. There was no (UK) supply to the individual player as that agreement was superseded by the contractual arrangements which were actually put in place and the player owed the agent nothing as the potential payment under that contract was waived.

The appeal against the assessment was upheld.

Commentary

The court’s decision appears to be logical as the supply was to the club who were receiving “something” (the employment contract with the player) and paying for it. The other “safeguarding” agreement appeared to be simple good commercial practice and was ultimately “not required”. This case highlights the often complex issues of; establishing the nature of transactions, the identity of the recipient(s), agency arrangements, the POS and the legal, commercial and economic reality of contracts.

 

 

VAT: Charging EVs ruled to be goods not services

By   24 April 2023
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Latest from the courts

In the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) it was ruled that electric vehicle charging via public charging points, was a supply of goods, regardless that some elements of the supply were services, ie; access technical support, reservation of a charging point, and a parking space while charging. The overriding supply was the provision of electricity which is classified as goods.

The full P. In W. case here.

It is unlikely that the UK authorities will form a different view.

Although in most cases there is unlikely to be a significant difference, although there could be issues with the time of supply (tax point).

VAT: Post Brexit Import licences and certificates

By   5 November 2020
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From 1 January 2021 businesses importing (including bringing in from the EU which were previously acquisitions) certain goods will require licences and certificates. Additionally, there will be new rules for bringing goods into the UK. As the UK will be a third country post Brexit (third country refers to any country outside the EU, and in this case outside its economic structures – the single market and the customs union).

Licences and certificates

A business will need to obtain a licence or certificate to import some types of goods (below) into the UK and it may also need to pay an inspection fee for some goods before they’re allowed into the UK.

The Goods

The goods, with links to details, are as follows;

Further GOV.UK information on importing goods from the EU to Great Britain from 1 January 2021 here.

VAT: Brexit latest

By   23 June 2020
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The European Commission (EC) has published an updated Notice to Stakeholders which covers the UK leaving the EU.

The original document which was published in 2018 has been amended to reflect the latest developments which mainly include the official Brexit on 1 February 2020 and the current transition period, which, as matters stand, will end on 31 December 2020. Until that date, EU law in its entirety applies to the UK

The Notice includes:

  • The legal position from 1 January 2021
  • VAT rules for cross-border services
  • The VAT General Rule
  • MOSS
  • Refunds of VAT
  • Separation provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement
  • The supply of other services
  • Refund requests relating to VAT paid before the end of the transition period

The Notice states that; “…during the transition period, the EU and the UK will negotiate an agreement on a new partnership, providing notably for a free trade area. However, it is not certain whether such an agreement will be concluded and will enter into force at the end of the transition period”. I think that this is likely to be a charitable conclusion!

The EC advises businesses:

  • when they are established in the EU, to familiarise themselves with the rules applicable to services supplied to and received from third countries (which the UK will become from 1 January 2021)
  • when they are established in the UK, to examine whether new liability rules will apply to them with regard to their services supplied in the EU
  • to take the necessary steps in respect of services covered by MOSS
  • consider the changes in the VAT refund request procedures

The Notice does not cover the supply of goods nor digital services themself.

General

After the end of the transition period, the EU rules on VAT for services no longer apply to, and in, the UK. This has, particular consequences for the treatment of taxable transactions in services and VAT.

Businesses need to understand the probable changes and make preparations for a No-Deal Brexit.