VAT and Ecommerce news from around the world to help you stay up-to-date with the market.
France’s 2026 budget was finally adopted after months of political stalemate, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu surviving two no‑confidence motions and invoking constitutional powers to push the finance bill through. The approved budget focuses on reducing the deficit to 5% of GDP, increases taxes on large businesses expected to raise more than €7 billion, and boosts defence spending, while leaving household taxation (including VAT) unchanged. These decisions come amid ongoing EU pressure on France to stabilise its public finances.
Before this breakthrough, France had been operating under a temporary “special finance bill” after 2026 budget negotiations collapsed. This stopgap measure maintained tax collection and rolled over previous spending but prevented the government from introducing new fiscal measures, including any potential VAT‑related reforms. Economy Minister Roland Lescure described it as merely a “spare wheel,” warning that the deficit could rise to 5.5% of GDP if the provisional framework lasted all year. The stopgap also blocked implementation of key spending priorities, including a planned €6.7 billion defence increase, underscoring the urgency of passing the full budget and restoring fiscal direction for 2026.
The first phase of mandatory e-invoicing in Poland has begun. It started 1 February 2026 for large taxpayers exceeding PLN 200 million in 2024 turnover and will expand to all other VAT‑registered businesses from 1 April 2026. It will become mandatory for micro-businesses by the 1st of January 2027.
All taxpayers in Poland must now be able to receive invoices through KSEF (the National e‑Invoice System), regardless of when their obligations to issue them begins. This marks the final shift away from paper and PDF invoices toward structured XML files processed directly through the platform.
The new rules introduce several important exceptions and transitional allowances:
These transitional measures are designed to ease the shift, but after December 2026 all structured invoicing must pass through KSeF. Taxpayers should also note that certain exemptions - defined in December 2025 regulations - specify when structured e‑invoicing is not required.
What does this mean for you if you’re registered in Poland but not established there? Here’s an example of how a transaction will go from now on:
The Chemnitz South German Tax Office has introduced enhanced verification checks. These checks apply specifically to Romanian companies selling on Amazon, including existing and new VAT registration cases.
This change will affect:
If your business is affected, the tax office will contact the managing directors of your business directly. They will receive a letter from the tax office which will include a reply form. Managing Directors must fill in the form and return it via email to the tax office as soon as possible. These measures are expected to add an estimated 2-3 weeks to the registration timeline for Romanian businesses.
Are you a SimplyVAT client who’s received one of these letters? We can’t fill the form in for you – the Managing Director has to sign it themselves.
The EU is introducing a €3 small parcel levy on low‑value consignments from 1 July 2026, aiming to curb unfair competition, tackle fraud and reduce the surge of under‑declared e‑commerce imports. Several member states are also adding their own national handling fees in parallel, with countries like Belgium and Romania already moving ahead with additional charges.
Get the details – including how much the charges are and how they work – in this write up from our Content Executive, Jennifer Budd: EU Small Parcel Levy and National Handling Fees.
