Tag Archive for: VAT

Understanding the EU VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) Reforms: Key Points for Irish Businesses

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Understanding the EU VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) Reforms: Key Points for Irish Businesses

The EU’s VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package will enter into force on 14 April 2025 and will be rolled out in stages. ViDA has been called the biggest VAT reform since the Single Market, but what is it and what does it mean for Irish businesses?

There are three pillars to the ViDA package:

  With effect from Key Points
Pillar 1 – Digital Reporting Requirements & eInvoicing 1 July 2030
  • eInvoicing will be mandatory for intra-Community B2B and B2G transactions
  • Data from the eInvoice must be reported in real-time to revenue authorities
  • Withdrawal of VIES returns/ EC Sales List reporting
Pillar 2 – Updated rules for the platform economy 1 July 2028 (voluntary)

1 July 2030 (mandatory)
  • Platforms facilitating supplies of passenger transport or short-term accommodation will become responsible for collecting and remitting VAT to tax authorities when their users do not
Pillar 3 – Single VAT Registration 1 January 2027

 

 
  • OSS Scheme extended to include B2C supplies of electricity and natural gas
1 July 2028
  • OSS Scheme further extended to include B2C supply and install contracts, and certain domestic supplies of goods and services by taxable persons not established in the Member State of consumption
  • New OSS module to report intra-Community movement of own goods
  • Mandatory reverse charge on B2B services received from non-established suppliers

Explanatory notes with detailed guidance on how ViDA should be implemented are currently being drafted at EU level. It is expected that Irish Revenue will publish implementation guidance for Irish businesses during 2025. Aligned with this, Irish Revenue is looking to modernise Ireland’s administration of VAT generally so there could be further changes to the Irish VAT system.

How Should Irish Businesses Prepare for ViDA Changes?

Irish businesses selling goods or services within the EU should take this opportunity to evaluate how the ViDA package will affect their VAT processes and registrations and take necessary actions to ensure they are ready for the ViDA changes.

Please contact us if you require assistance with preparing for these changes.

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New VAT Rules for Small Businesses | EU VAT SME Scheme

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New VAT Rules for Small Businesses (VAT SME Scheme)

The domestic VAT SME scheme allows small businesses to sell goods and services to their customers without charging VAT. In Ireland, the VAT registration thresholds are:

  • €42,500 for businesses supplying services; and
  • €85,000 for businesses supplying goods.

Irish businesses operating below these thresholds making supplies of goods and services within Ireland are not required to register and charge for VAT. However, up to 31 December 2024, if the Irish business made supplies in another EU Member State, there was no registration threshold and the business could have registration and filing obligations in the Member State where the supply took place.

From 1 January 2025, the EU VAT SME scheme allows these small businesses the option to avail of the registration thresholds in other Member States. If eligible, these businesses will not have to register for VAT when supplying goods and services there.

To be eligible to use this EU VAT SME scheme in another Member State, an Irish business must:

  • be established for VAT purposes in Ireland only,
  • not exceed the domestic turnover threshold(s) of the other Member State(s) where supplies are made,
  • not exceed the Union turnover threshold of €100,000,
  • be registered in Ireland to use the scheme and file quarterly reports once registered. These reports declare the turnover of the small business in all EU Member States.

An Irish business wishing to register to use the scheme in other Member States must make a formal application to Revenue. If successful, it will receive an individual identification number with the suffix “EX”. This number must be provided on any invoices issued by the business.

Business customers located in other EU countries who receive an invoice with “EX” are not obliged to account for VAT using the reverse charge mechanism on that invoice. It is the business customer’s responsibility to check the VAT exempt status of the small enterprise using the SME verification check.

The EU VAT SME scheme is only open to small businesses established within the European Union. It does not apply to small businesses established in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland.

It is possible for a small business to avail of the EU VAT SME scheme in some Member States and the standard VAT regime or One Stop Shop scheme in others. As businesses that avail of the VAT SME schemes cannot reclaim VAT on their costs, each small business must assess the best option for them.

However, this new scheme will significantly reduce compliance for small EU-based businesses selling to other EU countries.

If you require further information or assistance, please contact us.

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New EU VAT Rules on Live Streamed & Virtual Events from 1 January 2025

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New EU VAT Rules on Live Streamed & Virtual Events from 1 January 2025

What are the new EU VAT changes?

Previously, VAT was applied to live-streamed and virtual events based on the location of the event itself, regardless of where the viewers were located or the status of the customer.

With effect from 1 January 2025, the provision of services such as live streaming of cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational events, as well as online courses and conferences, provided to private individuals (i.e. not VAT registered), will now be subject to VAT where the customer is located.

The applicable VAT treatment for live streamed and virtual events will now be as follows:

  1. For Business-to-Consumer (B2C) supplies – the supplier will now be responsible to collect and remit VAT in the EU country where the customer is located. A pan-European €10,000 registration threshold applies for EU and NI businesses, and a nil threshold applies for non-EU established businesses.
  2. For Business-to-Business (B2B) supplies – the EU business recipient will continue to self-account for reverse charge VAT in their EU country of establishment.

This change is intended to bring the VAT treatment of virtual events into alignment with that of other telecommunication, broadcasting and electronically (TBE) supplied services (including streaming services or the delivery of other pre-recorded content).

What is an “Event” for VAT purposes?

To determine whether a business’s service offering falls within these new VAT regulations, it is necessary to determine what constitutes an “event” for VAT purposes.

Although EU VAT legislation does not clearly define the term “event,” the interpretation of this concept has been subject to review by both the Advocate General, the VAT Committee and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) with regards to the case of Skatteverket v Srf konsulterna AB CJEU (Case C-647/17)(March 2019).

The CJEU’s judgement in this case found that five-day accounting and management seminars provided by a Swedish company to private individuals in other EU Member States were taxable in each of those Member States as an admission to an “educational event” and subject to VAT where the customer was located.

In arriving at this decision, the CJEU considered a range of factors to determine what qualifies as an “event” for VAT purposes and these include:

  • Short Duration – An event is more limited in scope than an ongoing activity. An event typically lasts from a few hours to, at most, seven consecutive days. Longer-term courses/ training, which span weeks or months, are less likely to qualify as events.
  • Uninterrupted Activity – If a course runs over several consecutive days, it is more likely to be considered an event. A brief break in the schedule does not automatically disqualify it as such. In contrast, courses spread over several weeks with multiple breaks are less likely to be classified as events, falling instead under the category of training activities.
  • Planning – Events are typically planned in advance, with a predefined agenda and specific subject matter. This distinguishes them from more open-ended activities that may offer a general framework for education
  • Payment Method – The payment method – whether a subscription, periodic fee, or ticket – does not affect whether an activity qualifies as an event.

Businesses should carefully assess whether their services meet the criteria for an “event” under EU VAT regulations, taking into account factors like duration, continuity, planning, and the nature of the service.

What does this mean for providers of online events?

The VAT treatment for Business-to-Consumer (B2C) live streamed/virtual events has undergone significant changes, now requiring that VAT be due in the country where the customer is located. This shift will likely lead to increased compliance costs for businesses offering these services.

Suppliers of these events will now need to identify the location of their customers, and they may need to register and charge VAT in each EU country where their final customers reside (subject to relevant registration thresholds being exceeded).

There is a VAT registration simplification available, known as the VAT One Stop Shop (VAT OSS), to facilitate one single EU-wide registration to remit output VAT on supplies and to efficiently manage the VAT reporting for these services.

However, suppliers will face challenges in determining and monitoring the various applicable VAT rates across the EU for their service offerings which may impact pricing strategies, contracting processes, and invoicing procedures.

The impact on cross-border B2B supplies should be less significant, as business customers can continue to self-assess for VAT on the reverse charge basis in their country of establishment.

As the landscape for VAT compliance continues to evolve, seeking professional advice will be essential to navigating these changes effectively.

Should you require any assistance in this area, please contact us.

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Import One Stop Shop – 1 July 2021

The new EU-wide Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) will go live from 1 July 2021.

From that date the current VAT exemption for goods in small consignments of a value of up to €22 is abolished and all goods imported into the EU will be subject to VAT.

The IOSS will allow suppliers making distance sale of goods imported from third countries to final consumers in the EU (e.g. online retailers) to declare and pay the VAT due on those goods by submission of a monthly return via the IOSS in the Member State where they have registered for the scheme.

Continue reading about the new EU VAT changes

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Revenue Publish Tax and Duty Manual “VAT – Postponed Accounting”

Revenue have published a new Tax and Duty Manual VAT – Postponed Accounting. It contains information on procedures, conditions and the operation of the new postponed accounting system for import VAT. The publication of this manual brings welcome clarification for traders importing goods to Ireland from all non-EU countries (including the UK post-Brexit) from 1st January 2021.

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Avoiding VAT Pitfalls on Property Transactions

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  • VAT pitfalls on property transactions
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Crowleys DFK are currently running a series of CPD accredited VAT on Property briefings for solicitors in Cork and Dublin. The purpose of the seminars, presented by Tax Partner Siobhán O’Hea, is to raise awareness of common VAT pitfalls on property transactions.

VAT on property can be a complicated area but it is vital to thoroughly investigate the potential VAT impact before embarking on any property transaction, Siobhán advises.

“We are seeing problems crop up in many different situations. For example, more people have got involved in letting property in recent years and this is an area where VAT issues can often arise. While lettings are exempt from VAT, landlords can opt to tax the letting and charge 23% VAT on the rent. This can be advantageous if the landlord wants to claim repayment of VAT incurred on the acquisition or development of the property, however it is important to be aware that there are restrictions. For example, you cannot opt to tax the letting if the property is occupied for residential purposes or occupied by the landlord or a person connected with the landlord.

“On sales of commercial property, liability to VAT depends on whether the property is considered ‘new’. There are Revenue rules governing the definition of ‘new’ for property VAT purposes. Generally, the supply of older properties is exempt from VAT however, in some circumstances, the vendor and purchaser may jointly opt to have the transaction subject to VAT.

“Where property is supplied in connection with an agreement to develop the property, these transactions are always taxable.

“In our experience, there are VAT pitfalls in many every day property transactions and these can prove very costly for clients. This is why Crowleys DFK are running these seminars for solicitors. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness and to help ensure common mistakes are avoided,” Siobhán concluded.

For further information on Crowleys DFK VAT briefings, please get in touch.

Talk to us

Siobhán O’Hea
Partner, Tax Services
siobhán.ohea@crowleysdfk.ie

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Understanding how EU VAT Rules impact Electronically Supplied Services

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Businesses based in Ireland who provide electronically supplied services (e-services) to customers need to understand how to apply VAT correctly, explains Siobhán O’Hea, Partner of Tax Services.

Value Added Tax can be a complicated area for businesses who provide electronically supplied services to customers in the EU or elsewhere.

While the rules may appear daunting, it is important to familiarise yourself with the basics as getting it wrong can be costly.

What are e-services?

The first step in getting to grips with VAT is understanding what is considered an ‘electronically supplied service’ for VAT purposes.

Electronically supplied services, sometimes called ‘e-services’, cover a broad range of services delivered over the Internet or an electronic network. Examples include electronically supplied software and software updates, web hosting, online publications and e-books, the provision of online advertising on websites, music downloads, online games, distance learning programmes which are delivered wholly online without human intervention, and so on.

What these services have in common is that they could not be provided in the absence of information technology.

Tangible products, such CDs and DVDs or printed matter such as books, newspapers and journals, are not e-services even though they may be purchased online.

It is beyond the scope of this article to list everything that is, or is not, considered an e-service, however detailed listings can be found on Revenue website.

If you are in any doubt, it is advisable to seek advice from an experienced tax practitioner familiar with VAT as there is a risk that if you make an error on a sale, you will repeat it on subsequent sales. Errors that go unnoticed for a period of time can be very expensive in the long run.

Place of supply and your customer

Once you have determined whether or not your services are ‘e-services’ for the purposes of VAT, the next step is to look at the ‘place of supply’. This is because ‘place of supply’ rules determine whether a supply is subject to VAT.

If your customer is a business, the place of supply is the place where the business receiving the services is established. Businesses based in Ireland do not normally charge Irish VAT on services to a business established in other EU member states. Instead, the business customer must self-account for VAT in their own country.

If your customer is non-business (a consumer) based in the EU, the place of supply for e-services is the place where the consumer resides. This means that businesses based in Ireland who provide electronically supplied services to consumers in other EU member states are liable to register and account for VAT in each EU member state where they have customers. Revenue provides an optional mini one-stop-shop (MOSS) scheme which aims to reduce the administrative burden and cost of complying with this requirement.

Countries outside the EU

If your business is based in Ireland and you provide e-services to a business or consumer based outside the EU, no EU VAT is charged. However, if the service supplied is effectively used and enjoyed in an EU country, that country can decide to levy VAT.

E-services, provided by suppliers established in a non-EU country to consumers in the EU, must also be taxed at the place where the customer resides or has a permanent address unless the supplier has opted to use the mini one-stop-shop (MOSS) scheme. The non-Union MOSS scheme enables these suppliers to register for VAT in one EU country only.

Complying with EU VAT law

VAT is a complicated tax at the best of times and this article touches on just some of the aspects that create confusion for businesses providing e-services.

For further information and to find out how Crowleys DFK can help you comply with EU VAT law, please get in touch.

TALK TO US

Siobhán O’Hea
Partner of Tax Services
siobhán.ohea@crowleysdfk.ie

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VAT and Payment Services

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The Revenue Commissioners have issued guidance which sets out the VAT treatment of transactions concerning the transfer of money.

Guiding Principles

Transactions are defined according to the purpose and nature of the service provided and not according to the person supplying or receiving the service.

The principles that need to be considered when determining if a service qualifies for exemption are as follows:

  1. Exemption can only relate to transactions which form a distinct whole, fulfilling in effect the specific, essential functions of such transfers.
  1. An exempted service must be distinguished from the supply of a mere physical or technical service.
  1. A transfer is a transaction consisting in the execution of an order for the transfer of a sum of money from one bank account to another.
  1. A transfer is characterised by the fact that it involves a change in the legal and financial relationship existing, on the one hand, between the person giving the order and the recipient and, on the other, between those parties and their respective banks; and in some cases, between those banks.
  1. The transaction which produces the change is solely the transfer of funds between accounts, irrespective of its cause.
  1. The mere fact that a service is essential for completing an exempt transaction does not warrant the conclusion that the service is exempt

Status of the Supplier

When considering whether a service qualifies for exemption, the nature of the person supplying the service is not relevant (i.e. the supplier does not have to be a regulated financial institution). It is the nature of the service being supplied that needs to be considered.

Means by which the service is supplied

The means by which the service is supplied e.g. electronically or manually is not a decisive factor when considering the application of the exemption. Again it is the precise nature of the service being supplied that will determine the VAT treatment.

Physical or Technical Services

Where a supplier provides the infrastructure that facilitates the transfer of funds, those supplies cannot qualify for VAT exemption unless they themselves fulfill the specific and essential function of a transfer, in particular creating the change in the financial and legal relationship between the parties.

Charges for Using Certain Payment Methods

Where a supplier supplies goods or services to a customer and charges an additional fee to accept payment via a specified method, e.g. credit card, this charge is not independent from the supply of goods or services and cannot qualify for VAT exemption.

The receipt of a payment and the handling of that payment are intrinsically linked to any supply of goods or services provided for consideration. It is inherent in such a supply that the provider should seek payment and make appropriate efforts to ensure that the customer can make effective payment in consideration for the goods or services supplied.

Please contact us if you require assistance with the above.

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Budget 2018 – VAT Compensation Scheme for Charities

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Budget 2018 introduced a Charities VAT Compensation Scheme. This will take effect from 1 January 2018 but will be paid one year in arrears i.e. in 2019 charities will be able to reclaim some element of the VAT costs arising in 2018.

Charities will be entitled to a refund of a proportion of their VAT costs based on the level of non-public funding they receive.

For example, where a charity’s gross income for 2018 involves 30% funding from State/EU/international organisations and 70% privately sourced income including fundraising, subscriptions and donations, they may claim 70% of their VAT input costs for the year.

Not eligible for relief under the scheme will be VAT incurred on private non-charity-related expenses; VAT incurred that is subject to an existing VAT refund order and VAT incurred that is otherwise deductible.

From 2018 onwards, charities will need to ensure that their accounting systems are designed to enable them quantify the total VAT cost and the proportion that is eligible for refund.

We would be happy to assist charities with implementing/upgrading their accounting systems to identify VAT costs so they can easily be reclaimed and on how best to structure their activities to ensure they maximise the amount of VAT they can reclaim.

You can view the Department of Finance’s document in full here.

If you would like further information, please contact us.

 

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VAT Treatment of Education and Vocational Training

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Finance Act 2015 amended the VAT treatment of education and vocational training. The amendment was to ensure that Irish VAT legislation reflects judgements of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The wording of the amended legislation caused uncertainty for many training providers in the private sector as it stated that only training or retraining services provided by a “recognised body” could continue to be exempt from VAT. The definition of “recognised body” made it difficult for many private sector training providers to qualify.

If a supply if not exempt, VAT is chargeable on that supply.

Revenue did comment at the time of Finance Act 2015 that it did not believe that the changes would lead to divergence from existing practices but there was no written guidance from Revenue on the subject to give training providers comfort.

Thankfully, this uncertainty has now been resolved with Revenue’s recent e-Brief on the subject.

Revenue confirm that vocational training and retraining services continue to be exempt from VAT where certain conditions are met. They confirm that where each of the conditions (listed below) are met, there is no requirement that the provider must be a “recognised body”.

They list these conditions as:

  • The training must be vocational in nature; that is, it must be directed towards an occupation and its associated skills.
  • It must be provided to improve the vocational rather than the personal skills of the trainee.
  • The vocational skills that the trainee acquires can be transferable from one employment to another, or to self-employment.
  • The training will generally be provided by means of a structured programme, have concise aims, objectives and clear anticipated outcomes.
  • There should be a clear trainee/trainer relationship between the student and the teacher or instructor.

Where any of the above conditions are not met or the course is primarily directed towards personal development or undertaken for recreational purposes, the course will be subject to VAT at the appropriate rate.

This is a very welcome clarification for training providers in the private sector who now have written guidance from Revenue to assist in deciding if their supplies are subject to VAT or exempt.

It is also useful for Irish businesses and public bodies who receive education and training services from abroad. The responsibility for correctly self-accounting for VAT on the receipt of these services falls on the Irish recipient and there is now written guidance from Revenue to assist in deciding whether to self-account for VAT at the appropriate rate or whether the receipt of the service is exempt from VAT.

Please contact us if you require assistance with the above.

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