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International
  • Australia: The Prime Minister announced on 24 March 2026 that Australia and the EU have concluded a free trade agreement (FTA) that will lower trade and investment barriers between the two contracting parties. Under the FTA, 98% of Australia’s exports will enter the EU duty-free and nearly all EU tariffs will be eliminated. The agreement must still complete domestic parliamentary procedures before entering into force.
  • Bolivia: The financial transactions tax is repealed effective 11 April 2026, removing the 0.30% tax on bank transactions.
  • Botswana: The Value Added Tax Bill 2025 includes the taxation of remote services provided by nonresidents to Botswana residents through digital marketplaces, as well as mandatory registration for such nonresidents and the introduction of mandatory e-invoicing.
  • Cambodia: The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced on 24 March 2026 a reduction in the VAT rate on regular gasoline and diesel is reduced from 10% to 4% to address increased oil prices effective 20 March to address rising oil prices. VAT paid on imports or local purchases will be creditable based on the actual amount paid provided supporting documentation is available. The reduced VAT rate will apply indefinitely.
  • Canada: Effective 1 April 2026, funded benefit plans may elect to be treated in the same manner as unfunded benefit plans for Ontario insurance premium tax (ITP) purposes. Previously, funded benefit plans were generally subject to IPT when taxable contributions were paid into the plan, resulting in an upfront tax cost. In contrast, unfunded benefit plans are typically subject to IPT only as benefits are paid. Administration fees related to the plan are also subject to IPT. This new election allows plan holders of funded benefit plans to defer payment of the IPT until benefits are paid from the plan, rather than when the premiums are received (for prior coverage, see the alert prepared by BDO in Canada).
  • Chad: Finance Law 2026 that applies as from 1 January 2026 expands the definition of taxable economic activities to include digital services and e-commerce transactions, bringing both domestic and cross-border platform-based transactions within the VAT net. Compliance obligations apply to digital platform operators facilitating sales of goods or services. The law also introduces standardised e-invoicing for all transactions related to public expenditure.
  • Chile:
    • A law adopted on 26 March 2026 introduces temporary tax measures to address rising domestic kerosene prices, including a variable-rate excise tax and a variable tax credit system applicable through 30 September 2026. The tax credit applies when the parity price of kerosene exceeds a designated reference value; otherwise, the variable rate excise tax applies to producers, refiners and importers. VAT-registered taxpayers may deduct up to 31% of the excise tax paid from their output VAT on fuel used in business activities.
    • A ruling released on 18 February 2026 confirms that digital platform intermediaries are not required to act as VAT taxpayers for transactions involving the sale of goods located in Chile by resident vendors, regardless of whether they provide proof of their VAT taxpayer status; instead, the resident vendor is liable for the VAT.
  • Colombia:
    • A legislative decree issued on 12 March 2026 introduces a temporary 16% national consumption tax applicable to online gambling platforms operating in Colombia. The tax applies to both domestic and foreign online gaming operators and is levied on “gross gaming revenue,” defined as total bets minus prizes paid during the relevant period. The tax applies to all bets placed on authorised digital platforms, with the taxable event being the player’s deposit—in cash or crypto-assets—made to the gaming operator. Operators must withhold the 16% tax and remit it to the Colombian authorities on a bimonthly basis.
    • A decree published on 23 February 2026 imposes a 30% ad valorem reciprocal tariff on a wide range of goods imported from Ecuador. The measure responds to Ecuador’s adoption of a 30% customs control fee on goods originating in or shipped from Colombia.
  • Cyprus: The government has announced temporary measures to mitigate rising costs on households and businesses, including a reduction in the VAT rate on electricity and essential food items and a reduction in the excise tax on motor fuels.
  • Ecuador: Effective 1 February 2026, a 30% customs control fee applies to goods originating in or shipped from Colombia. The fee is calculated on the customs value of the imported goods and is intended to address perceived deficiencies in Colombia’s export control procedures under the Andean Community Decision 778.
  • European Union:
    • On 11 February 2026, the European Council announced approval of new customs duty rules for small parcels, abolishing the exemption for parcels valued at less than EUR 150. Beginning 1 July 2026, an interim flat rate customs duty of EUR 3 will apply to items in small parcels valued under EUR 150.
    • The EU has concluded a free trade agreement with Australia that will significantly reduce trade and investment barriers, allowing 98% of Australia’s exports will enter the EU duty-free and eliminating most EU tariffs. The agreement remains subject to domestic ratification procedures.
    • The EU and India concluded a free trade agreement on 26 January 2026 that provides for substantial tariff reductions and eliminations.
  • Gabon: The Finance Law 2026, which applies as from 1 January 2026, requires taxpayers to issue compliant and valid e-invoices in order to deduct input VAT. However, there is a six-month grace period during which time taxpayers may deduct VAT if they produce a document attesting to the payment of customs duties in place of the standardised e-invoice. As from 1 July 2026, e-invoices will become the only supporting document.
  • Gambia: The government intends to introduce an e-invoicing system for VAT-registered taxpayers, but no implementation timeline has been announced.
  • Iceland: The government announced on 10 April 2026 that the VAT rate on "fuel from the pump" is being reduced from 24% to 11% for the period 1 May to 31 August 2026; the VAT reduction still must be approved by parliament.
  • Ireland: On 10 February 2026, the tax authorities confirmed the criteria for large corporates falling within the scope of the first phase of Ireland’s implementation of ViDA e-invoicing and reporting obligations. Starting on 1 November 2028, VAT-registered large corporates will be required to issue e-invoices and report relevant data to the authorities for domestic B2B transactions. All businesses in the country must be able to receive structured e-invoices. A large corporate is a VAT-registered business whose tax affairs are managed by Revenue's Large Corporates Division and is established or has a fixed establishment in Ireland. 
  • Italy: The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced on 12 March 2026 that the introduction of the new EUR 2 administrative handling fee on low value imports (i.e., imports valued under EUR 150) will be postponed to 30 June 2026 to allow time for updates to the government’s internal systems.
  • Malawi: The budget policy statement proposes the introduction of VAT on digital services supplied by foreign companies and increasing the mandatory VAT registration threshold from MKW 25 million to MKW 50 million. Businesses with annual turnover below the new MK 50 million threshold will no longer be registered for VAT and will fall outside the e-invoicing mandate, thereby excluding smaller and medium-sized enterprises and cross-border traders from e-invoicing requirements.
  • Malaysia: A reduction of the service tax rate on rental or leasing services from 8% to 6% was published on 13 March 2026. The reduced rate applies retroactively as from 1 January 2026.
  • Montenegro: As from 6 February 2026, a service provider not established in Montenegro must appoint a fiscal representative where the nonresident provides services to a non-VAT-registered person.
  • Nigeria: A public notice issued on 17 February 2026 sets out the phased implementation timeline for the rollout of e-invoicing:
    • Enforcement for large taxpayers (i.e., those with annual turnover of at least NGN 5 billion) begins in April 2026.
    • A pilot for medium-sized taxpayers (i.e., those with annual turnover between NGN 1 billion and 5 billion) also begins in April, with a go-live date of 1 July 2026 and compliance enforcement starting in January 2027.
    • For small taxpayers (i.e., those with annual turnover below NGN 1 billion), stakeholder engagement will begin in January 2027, followed by a pilot in April 2027, a go-live date of 1 July 2027 and compliance enforcement from 1 January 2028.
  • Philippines: The Bureau of Internal Revenue issued a circular on 27 January 2026 that lifts the suspension of tax audits and related field operations (for prior coverage, see the item in the Bytes column of the January 2026 issue of Indirect Tax News). The lifting applies immediately, and the circular sets out revised measures for carrying out audits.
  • Poland: On 31 March 2026, the Minister of Finance announced temporary reductions in the VAT rate on diesel and gasoline from 23% to 8% and in excise duty on fuel by 0.29 PLN per litter of gasoline and 0.28 PLN per litter of diesel. The reduced VAT rate applies from 30 March to 30 April 2026 and the excise duty reduction from 30 March to 15 April.
  • Singapore: The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore published new guidance for GST Registered Companies Under Liquidation to help the GST-registered company and liquidators on the GST obligations that arise when a company goes into liquidation.
  • South Africa: The general fuel levy is proposed to be reduced for the period 1 April 2026 to 5 May 2026 to address rising fuel costs.
  • Sri Lanka: A notice published 31 March 2026 further postpones the implementation of VAT on the supply of services through electronic platforms by nonresident service providers. Originally scheduled to become effective on 1 October 2025, the effective date was postponed to 1 April 2026. The notice further delays the new rules to 1 July 2026.
  • United Kingdom:
    • HMRC guidance published on 1 April 2026 addresses whether an intermediary can register to act on behalf of clients for the import one-stop-shop (IOSS) scheme.
    • The remote gaming duty increased to 40% on 1 April 2026.
    • A Revenue Brief published on 8 January 2026 announced the withdrawal of the Extra Statutory Concession on "linked goods," a concession that previously allowed retailers to disregard certain low-value linked items for VAT purposes, simplifying the VAT treatment by deeming the entire transaction as a single supply despite differing VAT liabilities on individual items. HMRC now considers the concession unnecessary, as existing case law on mixed supplies provides a framework for determining whether linked goods should be treated as single or multiple supplies.
  • United States: On 2 April 2026, President Trump issued two proclamations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, significantly restructuring tariffs on steel, aluminium and copper, and imposing new tariffs on patented pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical ingredients and derivatives. The expanded Section 232 duties include 25%–50% tariffs on the full customs value of steel, aluminium and copper, rather than just the metal content and covers more derivative products. New 100% tariffs are imposed on specific patented pharmaceuticals and ingredients. The steel, aluminium and copper tariffs apply as from 6 April 2026, and the pharmaceutical tariffs will come into effect on 31 July 2026 for large companies and 29 September 2026 for all other companies.
  • Venezuela: The temporary exemption from VAT, customs duty and other taxes on the import and sale in Venezuela of fuels derived from hydrocarbons, as well as inputs and additives to improve the quality of gasoline, has been extended to 12 January 2027.
  • Vietnam:
    • The government announced a temporary tax exemption on petrol, diesel and jet fuel that will apply through 30 June 2026.
    • A decree that applies as from 1 January 2026 removes refund obstacles by eliminating the requirement that the supplier be in compliance with its VAT declaration and payment obligations. Customers can now obtain a VAT refund without having to demonstrate that the supplier is in compliance.