Tax News Daily
The latest tax news from around the world, summarised and tagged for tax professionals. Updated twice daily.
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Taxing the Matchmakers: How Digital Services Taxes Cascade Through Online Commerce
This article examines how digital services taxes (DSTs) imposed on online platforms function as matchmakers between buyers and sellers, and how their costs cascade through the e-commerce ecosystem. Rather than being absorbed by large tech companies, DSTs are typically passed down to merchants and consumers through higher fees and prices. The analysis explores the economic incidence of DSTs, demonstrating their regressive and distortionary effects on online commerce. The piece highlights how these taxes affect small businesses relying on digital marketplaces and raises broader questions about whether DSTs achieve their intended policy goals of targeting large multinational digital companies.
Corporate tax update – July 2026
Saffery's July 2026 corporate tax update provides a monthly digest of key developments in UK corporation tax, including legislative changes, HMRC guidance updates, and relevant case law. The publication covers areas such as corporate tax compliance, reliefs, and emerging issues affecting businesses operating in the UK. It is aimed at tax professionals and finance teams seeking to stay informed about significant corporate tax changes and their practical implications for business planning and reporting obligations.
VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA): The Complete Guide to the EU’s VAT Reform
The EU's VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) reform represents a comprehensive overhaul of the EU VAT framework, targeting three key pillars: digital reporting requirements and e-invoicing, updated rules for the platform economy, and a single VAT registration system. ViDA mandates structured digital transaction reporting and real-time e-invoicing across member states, aiming to close the EU's significant VAT gap. Platforms in sectors like short-term accommodation and passenger transport face new deemed-supplier rules. The single VAT registration expansion reduces the need for multi-country registrations. Implementation is phased, with key deadlines running from 2025 through 2035.
Introducing the 2026 Swiss VAT Guide
A 2026 Swiss VAT guide has been introduced, providing comprehensive guidance on Switzerland's VAT framework. The guide covers key aspects of Swiss VAT compliance, including registration requirements, rates, filing obligations, and procedural rules relevant for businesses operating in or trading with Switzerland. As Switzerland maintains its own VAT system independent of EU VAT directives, the guide serves as a practical resource for multinational companies and tax professionals navigating Swiss VAT obligations. It reflects any updates or changes to Swiss VAT rules taking effect in 2026, helping businesses ensure compliance with the Swiss Federal Tax Administration's requirements.
Imported Carbon Border Adjustment (CBAM) goods that may not contribute towards the registration threshold
UK government guidance detailing which imported CBAM goods may not count toward the CBAM registration threshold. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism imposes a carbon price on imports of certain carbon-intensive goods into the UK, and this guidance clarifies exemptions or exclusions from threshold calculations. Businesses importing steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen, ceramics, and glass need to understand which goods are excluded to determine their registration obligations accurately. This is directly relevant to tax and compliance teams managing UK CBAM liability.
Check if you’re classed as the importer for Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
UK government guidance helping businesses determine whether they qualify as the 'importer' under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. CBAM places a carbon levy on certain imported goods, and correctly identifying the importer is critical for compliance and liability purposes. The guidance covers scenarios involving customs agents, indirect representatives, and supply chain arrangements to clarify who bears the CBAM reporting and payment obligations. This is essential reading for UK importers, customs brokers, and tax compliance teams dealing with carbon-intensive goods.
Guidance: Check which goods are in scope of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
UK government guidance outlining which goods fall within the scope of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. CBAM applies a carbon price to imports of specific carbon-intensive products including iron, steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen, ceramics, and glass. The guidance helps businesses identify affected commodity codes and assess their CBAM compliance obligations. Understanding in-scope goods is the foundational step for importers to determine registration requirements, reporting duties, and carbon cost liabilities under the UK regime.
Keeping records for Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
UK government guidance on record-keeping obligations for businesses subject to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Importers of in-scope carbon-intensive goods must maintain accurate records to support CBAM declarations, including data on embedded carbon emissions, supplier information, and carbon prices paid in country of origin. Proper documentation is essential for calculating CBAM liability and claiming any applicable carbon price relief. This guidance is directly relevant to tax and compliance functions managing CBAM regulatory requirements.
Work out your Carbon Price Relief
UK government guidance explaining how businesses can calculate Carbon Price Relief under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. CBAM importers may be entitled to reduce their UK carbon levy liability where a carbon price has already been paid in the country of origin of the imported goods. The guidance sets out the methodology for working out the relief, including acceptable carbon pricing evidence and calculation steps. This is directly relevant to tax teams seeking to minimise CBAM costs through foreign carbon pricing credits.
What you need to work out Carbon Price Relief
UK government guidance explaining the requirements and calculations needed to claim Carbon Price Relief, which provides relief on the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) or Carbon Price Support (CPS) costs embedded in imported goods. This is directly relevant to the UK's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) framework, helping businesses determine eligible relief amounts based on carbon pricing already paid in the country of origin, thereby avoiding double taxation on carbon costs for qualifying imports.
Get a carbon pricing verification form
UK government guidance on obtaining a carbon pricing verification form, required for businesses seeking Carbon Price Relief on goods imported into the UK. The verification form serves as official documentation confirming that carbon pricing costs have been incurred in a qualifying overseas scheme, a prerequisite for claiming relief under the UK's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. This procedural guidance is part of HMRC's administrative framework for managing carbon-related tax relief claims on cross-border trade.
Madras HC: Tax Officers Need Not Conclusively Prove Fraud Before Issuing GST SCN U/S 74
The Madras High Court has ruled that tax officers are not required to conclusively prove fraud before issuing a Show Cause Notice (SCN) under Section 74 of the GST Act. The court clarified that at the SCN stage, authorities only need reasonable grounds to suspect fraud, wilful misstatement, or suppression of facts. This ruling has significant implications for GST enforcement in India, lowering the evidentiary threshold for initiating proceedings under Section 74, which carries higher penalties than Section 73. The decision affects taxpayers facing extended limitation periods and penalties associated with fraud-related GST disputes.
Check if your goods have been subject to a qualifying carbon pricing scheme
UK government guidance helping importers determine whether their goods have been subject to a qualifying carbon pricing scheme overseas, a key eligibility requirement for claiming Carbon Price Relief under the UK's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Businesses must verify that carbon costs were paid in the exporting country under a recognised scheme before relief can be claimed against UK ETS or Carbon Price Support charges, preventing double taxation while maintaining the integrity of carbon pricing policy.
The tortured journey of data: How tax technology speeds up tax compliance, provision, and reporting
This article explores how tax technology streamlines the often complex and inefficient journey of data through tax compliance, provision, and reporting processes. It highlights how fragmented data sources, manual workflows, and siloed systems create bottlenecks for tax teams. Tax technology solutions—including automation, AI-driven tools, and integrated data platforms—help organizations accelerate data collection, improve accuracy, and reduce compliance burdens. By modernizing data pipelines, tax departments can shift from reactive to strategic functions, ensuring faster close cycles, better audit readiness, and more reliable financial reporting. The piece positions tax technology as essential infrastructure for modern corporate tax operations.
Large business compliance 2026: key insights from HMRC and Public Accounts Committee reports
Analysis of HMRC's large business compliance landscape for 2026, drawing on insights from HMRC reports and the Public Accounts Committee. The article examines how HMRC is intensifying scrutiny of large businesses, including its compliance yield targets, risk assessment approaches, and evolving relationship with large taxpayers. It highlights key themes such as tax gap reduction efforts, HMRC resource constraints, and expectations placed on large businesses to demonstrate tax transparency and cooperative compliance. The findings have significant implications for how large corporates manage their tax risk, governance frameworks, and engagement strategies with HMRC.
Report suspicious activity happening in an HMRC online account
HMRC guidance on reporting suspicious activity within HMRC online accounts, focusing on cybersecurity and fraud prevention measures for taxpayers and agents using HMRC's digital services. While primarily a security and fraud topic, it has a tax administration angle as compromised HMRC accounts can lead to fraudulent tax repayment claims, identity theft for tax purposes, and manipulation of taxpayer records, making account security integral to the integrity of the UK tax system.
Ukraine Publishes Practical Guidance for SAF-T UA Filing
Ukraine has published practical guidance for SAF-T UA filing, providing businesses and tax professionals with detailed instructions on how to comply with the Standard Audit File for Tax requirements specific to Ukraine. SAF-T UA is a structured electronic reporting format that enables tax authorities to efficiently audit and analyze taxpayer data. The guidance aims to clarify technical and procedural aspects of submission, helping companies prepare accurate digital tax files. This development is part of Ukraine's broader efforts to modernize its tax administration and align with international e-reporting standards, improving transparency and reducing compliance burdens for taxpayers operating in the country.
Austria: Court denies import VAT refund on intra-community supplies
An Austrian court has denied an import VAT refund claim related to intra-community supplies. The case examines the intersection of import VAT rules and intra-community supply provisions within the EU VAT framework, with the court ruling against the taxpayer's refund entitlement. This decision has implications for businesses engaged in cross-border transactions within the EU that involve goods imported into Austria and subsequently supplied to other member states. Companies relying on import VAT recovery mechanisms in similar supply chain structures may need to reassess their VAT positions in light of this Austrian judicial ruling.
Louisiana — P2P Vehicle-Sharing Platforms Are “Dealers”
Louisiana has classified peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing platforms as 'dealers' for sales tax purposes, imposing collection and remittance obligations directly on the platforms rather than individual vehicle owners. This ruling brings P2P car-sharing services in line with traditional vehicle rental businesses for state tax purposes. Platforms facilitating such transactions must now register, collect applicable sales and use taxes, and remit them to Louisiana tax authorities, reflecting a broader trend of US states extending marketplace facilitator-style obligations to emerging sharing-economy platforms.
Arizona — Mandatory “Swedish Rounding” for Cash Sales
Arizona has introduced a mandatory 'Swedish rounding' requirement for cash sales, requiring retailers to round the total amount due to the nearest five cents when customers pay with cash. The rule addresses the elimination of penny coins from cash transactions. The article explores the sales tax implications of this rounding practice, including how rounding affects tax calculation, remittance accuracy, and compliance obligations for cash-accepting businesses operating in Arizona, and how similar rounding rules have been implemented in other jurisdictions.
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