VAT in the digital age

Value added tax (VAT) is one of the key revenue raisers in national budgets, accounting on average for almost a fifth of all tax revenue collected in the EU; and yet, sizeable amounts of VAT revenue are lost to fraud. Moreover, VAT rules place a considerable administrative burden on businesses. On 8 December 2022, to help fight VAT fraud and reduce this burden, the European Commission tabled a three-part proposal for a directive on VAT in the digital age. The proposal has three main objectives. The first is to introduce an EU-wide reporting system on intra-EU business-to-business (B2B) transactions, whereby companies would share, in real-time, data drawn from electronic invoices with the authorities. This would allow Member States to keep a close eye on the trail of VAT collected and to intervene when there is suspicion of fraudulent practices. The second objective involves introducing a harmonised framework for charging VAT in passenger transport and short-term accommodation platforms. The third is to adopt measures lowering VAT compliance costs for businesses operating across borders. For the proposal to become a directive, the Council must vote unanimously to adopt it, after consulting the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.