The European Commission launched a public consultation to help identify ways to simplify the value-added tax (VAT) payments on cross-border e-commerce transactions in the EU. Business owners and other interested parties may respond before the EC drafts its legislative proposals on the topic in 2016, as part of the Digital Single Market strategy. The consultation will run for 12 weeks and end on 18 December.
This consultation is also part of the ongoing assessment of the new rules for VAT payments on cross-border telecommunications, broadcasting and electronic services which came into force last January. The EC is keen to garner feedback on the associated Mini-One Stop Shop (MOSS), the tool that allows businesses that sell digital services to customers in more than one EU country to declare and pay all their VAT in their own member state.
The EC will make a legislative proposal in 2016 to reduce the administrative burden on businesses arising from different VAT regimes. The EC will propose the simplification of measures for small businesses including an appropriate threshold which can address problems without causing further distortions to the single market or compliance challenges for tax administrations. Specifically, the commission will propose reducing the administrative burden on businesses arising from different VAT regimes.
