New Directives of the Council on VAT

The background change is a new basic rule pursuant to which services shall be taxed at the place of actual consumption of service instead of the current rule, pursuant to which the taxation is performed at the place of the provider’s registered office. The new general rule will also contain many exemptions.

Effective 1 January 2010, Council Directive 2008/9/EC sets forth new implementation rules for refunding VAT to persons obliged to pay VAT established in another EU member state. Changes consist in particular of filing and settlement of applications by e-mail, which should simplify and accelerate the procedure of refunding VAT.