On 30 September 2020, the Commission published Explanatory Notes on the new VAT e-commerce rules. They contain extensive explanations and clarifications on these new rules including practical examples on how to apply the rules if you are a supplier or an electronic interface (e.g. marketplace, platform) involved in e-commerce transactions. These explanatory notes are meant to help online businesses and in particular SMEs to understand their VAT obligations arising from cross-border supplies to c...

Si ya era importante antes de la pandemia, el protagonismo del comercio electrónico como principal canal de venta de las empresas, con independencia de la actividad o tamaño de éstas, se ha convertido en un factor estratégico de supervivencia para una mayoría de sectores económicos.   La cuarta revolución industrial en la que dicha tendencia se enmarca, que no es sino una palabra para designar el efecto disruptivo que el uso exponencial y generalizado de las nuevas tecnologías en el día a día de...

The  Package for Fair and Simple Taxation recently passed by the European Commission which contains three elements: Action Plan for fair and simple taxation supporting the recovery;revision of the Directive on Administrative Cooperation (DAC 7); andcommunication on Tax Good Governance in the EU and beyond. the article reviewed focuss in the first element. The Tax Action Plan covers a number of taxes but there are a number of measures that particularly focus on value-added tax. Source: Bloomsberg...

The Official Journal of the European Union of the 27th of July 2020 publishes the Commission Decision (EU) 2020/1101 of 23 July 2020 that amends its former Decision (EU) 2020/491 on relief from import duties and VAT exemption on importation granted for goods needed to combat the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak during 2020. The aim is to extend for three more months, so until the 31st October 2020, the temporary exemption of Customs duties and VAT on imports that was introduced by the Commission...

The European Commission sent a letter of formal notice the 14th of May 2020to Spain to the effect that the Spanish regulations are contrary to Regulation (EU) No. 260/2012 of 14 March 2012 establishing technical and business requirements for credit transfers and direct debits in euro and amending Regulation (EC) No. 924/2009 (the SEPA Regulation), from the moment that they prevent the settlement of taxes through  non-Spanish payment service providers, such as banks. In practice and contrary to w...

On 15 May 2020, the European Commission published a notice  on EU rules in the field of prohibitions and restrictions of imports and exports, in particular, import and/or export licences following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The importation or exportation of certain goods is banned or limited within the European Union, unless relevant authorizations or approvals are obtained. The notice provides an overview of the product types subject to such prohibitions and/o...