France requires all VAT-registered businesses to receive electronic invoices via a Plateforme Agréée from 1 September 2026. Large and mid-size companies must also issue through a PA from that date, while SMEs will follow in September 2027. More than 1.4 million French companies already have a live e-invoicing address.

France's mandatory e-invoicing and e-reporting reform remains due 1 September 2026, with DGFiP issuing a practical guide that allows temporary flexibility for implementation difficulties but does not alter the legal deadline. The guide permits businesses to use alternative channels such as email or PDF during the start-up phase, provided they document corrective actions and maintain continuity of invoicing and payments.

Ireland: The 9% VAT rate for food, catering and hairdressing services became permanent on 1 July 2026, replacing the temporary measure. The standard 13.5% rate continues to apply to hotel accommodation, while the reduced rate also covers food and catering services provided by hotels.

Nigeria's NRS and DigiTax are expanding e-invoicing support for businesses, with large taxpayers already onboarded and medium-size firms set to join later this year. The framework requires invoices to be transmitted via the Merchant Buyer Solution platform, where each transaction receives an Invoice Reference Number.

Eswatini has begun rolling out its new electronic invoicing system, with wholesale and retail businesses first to adopt. The Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Third Schedule) Notice No. 270 of 2026, gazetted on 3 July 2026, provides the legal basis. Implementation will proceed in phases, starting with these sectors.

Romania has ended the grace period for small taxpayers in its B2B e-invoicing programme, effective 1 July 2026. From this date, ANAF can enforce the e-Factura requirements and impose penalties for non-compliance, requiring all domestic B2B invoices to be submitted within five working days.

EU VAT compliance for U.S. sellers is complex, with new changes effective 1 July 2026. The EU removed the €150 de minimis exemption, so customs duties now apply to all imports, including those under €150. U.S. sellers must use the Import One Stop Shop to collect VAT at checkout for orders under €150.

UK: HMRC is consulting on expanding deemed supplier rules for online marketplaces to include UK-based vendors, aiming to curb VAT fraud. The consultation will run until 18 August 2026, and stakeholders are invited to submit views.

Indonesia will bear VAT on domestic economy-class airline tickets during the 2026 school holiday period, as per Minister of Finance Regulation No. 43 of 2026. The incentive covers tickets purchased from 22 June to 5 July 2026 and flights operated between 24 June and 5 July, with airlines required to issue VAT invoices and submit a detailed electronic list by 30 September 2026.

Denmark plans to reduce the VAT on books from 25% to 0% effective 2027, following EU VAT Freedoms reforms. The change is part of a strategy to boost reading rates and will be introduced in the 2026 budget bill.

France confirms its e-invoicing and e-reporting launch remains on 1 September 2026, with a Practical Guide to help businesses transition. The guide outlines six priorities and allows temporary use of paper or PDF invoices during technical difficulties, with penalties softened until January 2027.

United Arab Emirates: The Federal Tax Authority has amended the mandatory e-invoicing timetable, extending deadlines for high-revenue businesses. Businesses with annual revenue of at least AED 50 million must appoint an Accredited Service Provider by 30 October 2026 and implement e-invoicing by 1 January 2027.

EU: The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Austria's VAT exemption for certain banking and insurance transactions was state aid. The ruling invalidates the Austrian law that provided a value-added tax exemption for those sectors.

Germany's Annual Tax Act 2026 introduces significant VAT reforms, including a shift to application-based VAT grouping and changes to non-monetary supply taxation. Key changes take effect from 1 January 2027, with the VAT grouping reform applying from 1 January 2029, requiring businesses to apply electronically.

UK: The First-tier Tribunal ruled that HBS Enterprises Ltd, a UK-established business, remains liable for VAT on marketplace sales, despite HMRC’s misclassification as a non-established taxable person. The ruling confirms that the deemed supplier provision does not apply when the vendor is established in the UK, and that double taxation is avoided.

The United Arab Emirates has designated Comarch as an Accredited Service Provider for its upcoming e-invoicing mandate. The company will act as a Trust Anchor, managing secure data transmission and real-time clearance for businesses. The January 2027 deadline and penalty of AED 5,000 for non-appointment underscore the urgency.

The EU Court of Justice has ruled that a person liable for VAT in one member state cannot also be held jointly and severally liable for VAT owed by an entity established in another member state. This decision clarifies cross-border VAT liability rules within the EU. The ruling applies to Greek cases and other EU member states.

The EU One Stop Shop (OSS) is a VAT scheme that allows businesses to register in one member state and file a single quarterly return for cross-border B2C sales. It applies to EU-based companies with aggregate sales above €10,000 and to non-EU businesses with a fixed establishment in the EU. The scheme simplifies compliance but does not replace domestic VAT returns.

Romania: The grace period for small and micro-enterprises under €500,000 ends on 1 July 2026, imposing full compliance audits and fines. B2C transactions now require invoices outside the RO-eFactura system unless the customer registers, with a 13-zero code mandatory.

South Africa's VAT framework for electronic services now has a new registration threshold for non-resident providers, effective from 1 April 2026. The threshold rises to ZAR 2.3 million on a 12-month basis, with a voluntary threshold of ZAR 120 000, and non-resident providers must register by the end of any month where supplies exceed the threshold.