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CIOT calls for simpler EU VAT system for SMEs

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The CIOT has set EU tax officials six objectives to ensure that more UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) consider Europe to be their home market or at least carry greater pan-European ambitions, following the publication of the European Commission’s Internal Market Strategy (

The CIOT has set EU tax officials six objectives to ensure that more UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) consider Europe to be their home market or at least carry greater pan-European ambitions, following the publication of the European Commission’s Internal Market Strategy (www.bit.ly/1NCCt0b). Among other issues, this aims to address the key difficulties that SMEs and start-ups face in all phases of their lifecycle within the EU single market.

The CIOT’s six objectives are: to end the disparity in registration rules; to simplify getting VAT back from other member states; to reduce the complexity of rules; to address inconsistent interpretation of common definitions; to tackle the complexity in compliance; and to make dispute resolution more effective.

‘VAT is a particular burden because it is supposed to be fully harmonised across Europe but isn’t, and this creates headaches for many owners of British SMEs,’ said Peter Dylewski, chairman of CIOT’s Indirect Taxes Sub-Committee. ‘We hope when proposals are drawn up to meet [our six objectives], national governments will rise to the challenge of working together to deliver an accessible single market for all small and medium businesses.’

Issue: 1284
Categories: News , VAT
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