Editor's Letter

Dear Readers

Greetings from County Hall in London, the former home of the Greater London Council, where I am attending my second last VAT technical event in the UK in advance of the latest Brexit deadline of 31 October 2019.

Needless to add, the agenda is strongly weighted toward addressing VAT issues, both pre- and post-Brexit. These sessions will ensure I and my VAT advisory colleagues will be able to provide advice to cover all potential scenarios, regardless of the political developments.

While attending this conference I am quite aware of the fact that while Jeffrey Archer’s play ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ is running downstairs in this building, elsewhere in London the UK government’s legal advisors are trying to persuade 11 senior judges that it did not act undemocratically in suspending Parliament. (Seems the judges were unconvinced…)

It’s certainly interesting times we live in, but rest assured – regardless of the political outcome, BDO will always be able to assist with the VAT & Customs-related implications that may arise. 😎

In this issue: 

• AUSTRIA - EU infringement proceeding regarding special margin scheme for travel agents
• CANADA - Newly proposed GST/HST rules for cryptocurrencies
• CHINA - Refund of uncredited period-end VAT
• GERMANY - Request for a preliminary ruling to the CJEU on company cars to employees
• INDIA - Indirect tax update
• ISRAEL - Proposal for import VAT exemption for small consignments
• ITALY
  • Storage and transmission of daily transaction data
  • Italy marketplace reporting obligation
• MALAYSIA - Implementation of service tax on digital services
• THE NETHERLANDS - Members of the Supervisory Board may no longer be VAT entrepreneurs
• NEW ZEALAND - GST on low value imported goods
• POLAND - Split payment mechanism: Will foreign companies registered in Poland for VAT have to open a Polish bank account? 
• ROMANIA - VAT split payment mechanism to become optional
• SAUDI ARABIA - Important changes to the VAT regulations 
• SINGAPORE - Overseas vendor registration regime
• SOUTH AFRICA
  • Record retention and general compliance
  • Benefits for foreign donor funded projects
• SPAIN - VAT treatment of the supply of power in charging points for electric cars
• UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - New guidance on importations and transfers of going concerns

Ivor Feerick
Chair – BDO International Indirect Tax Centre of Excellence Committee
Ireland - Dublin
ifeerick@bdo.ie