HMRC has published a list of signatories to the new cooperation agreement, under which marketplaces will exchange certain information about their sellers in the interests of promoting VAT compliance. The text of the agreement was published in April and current signatories include:
The European Commission has presented a proposal for a recast of two directives governing excise duty on alcohol within the EU.
Following recommendations by the OTS in its report on VAT simplification, HM Treasury is consulting until 5 June 2018 on the effects of the current VAT threshold on business growth, and ways to smooth the cliff-edge effect for businesses of reaching the threshold.
HMRC is consulting until 29 June 2018 on VAT ‘split payment’ as a means of preventing online VAT fraud, whereby a supplier would receive the net amount, with VAT remitted directly to HMRC.
The Fulfilment Businesses Regulations, SI 2018/326, replace and revoke SI 2018/299, laid on 6 March, which contained errors. The regulations set out the detailed rules for operation of HMRC’s new fulfilment house due diligence scheme.
The European Commission has sent letters of formal notice to the UK, requesting a response within two months on two matters: VAT zero-rating for certain commodity derivatives under the UK’s Terminal Markets Order; and the UK’s refusal to pay over more than €2bn in customs duty lost through fraud.
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Regulations, SI 2018/306, implement three changes to the aviation EU ETS with effect from 31 March 2018, following amendments to the EU regulation.
The changes:
The Tax Collection and Management (Landfill Disposals Tax Records) (Wales) Regulations, SI 2018/276, set out the records landfill operators in Wales must keep for the purposes of landfill disposals tax with effect from 1 April 2018.
HMRC has approached the CIOT for its contribution to an informal consultation on VAT grouping. Following a formal consultation in 2016, HMRC is looking again at the expansion of VAT grouping following the CJEU decision in Larentia + Minerva and Marenave [2015] STC 2101.
The ICAEW has responded to HMRC’s consultation on transposing the EU vouchers directive into UK VAT law, issued on 1 December 2017. The ICAEW makes a number of points in its response, including: