Our website uses cookies to enhance the visitor experience (what's a cookieCookies are small text files that are stored on your computer when you visit a website. They are mainly used as a way of improving the website functionalities or to provide more advanced statistical data.). Are you happy for us to use cookies during your visits?
Please note: continuing without making a choice equates to giving us your consent, which you can withdraw at any time via our cookies policy page.

Laptop
Stay Updated & Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Be the first to know about our regular updates, latest resources and news. To receive our great newsletter all you need to do is enter your details and submit !

 

Sage
Bookkeepping
Training

Learn More Small

Services

Learn More Small

IHT & Estate
Planing

Learn More Small

Tax
Planning

Learn More Small

EU consultation on ending VAT on eBooks

Newsletter issue - September 2016.

The future of the chargeable rate of VAT on digital publications and eBooks is under review as the European Commission (EC) has launched a two-month consultation with a view to abolishing the current full rate VAT.

Member States currently have the option to tax printed books, newspapers and publications at a reduced rate (minimum 5%) and some Member States were granted the applications of VAT rates lower than 5% (super-reduced rates) including exemptions with a deductions right of VAT at the preceding stage (so called zero rates) to certain printed publications. Digital publications that are electronically supplied have to be taxed at the standard VAT rate.

Until 2015, there was a need for a harmonization of VAT rates for electronically supplied services and in particular electronically supplied publications, but since 1st January 2015, with the entry into force of new 'place of supply' rules, VAT on all telecommunications, broadcasting and electronic services is levied where the customer is based, rather than where the supplier is located. Suppliers can therefore no longer benefit from being located in the Member State with the lowest VAT rates.

While acknowledging the differences between printed and electronically supplied publications with regard to the format, they offer the same reading content for consumers and the VAT system needs to keep pace with the challenges of today's digital economy.

The objective of the consultation is to seek the views on:

  • the commitment by the Commission in its 2016 Actions Plan on VAT to:
    • allow Member States the application of reduced rates for electronically supplied publications; and
    • allow Member States the application of super-reduced and zero rates for electronically supplied publications;
  • the definition and scope of electronically supplied publications; and
  • the potential impacts of reduced rates for electronically supplied publications.

The consultation period runs from 25 July 2016 to 19 September 2016.

Further information on the consultation can be found here.

 

Charities & Not For Profit

We have been providing charity clients with high quality, specialist advice and service for many years, and our charity clients range from small village halls to large national organisations...

Learn More Small

Farming Industry

The largest industry sector that we deal with is farming, as you would expect in a rural practice. This means that we have developed considerable expertise in this field...

Learn More Small

 

Back to the top