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Document 52020PC0181
Proposal for a COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION authorising Finland to introduce a special measure derogating from Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax
Proposal for a COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION authorising Finland to introduce a special measure derogating from Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax
Proposal for a COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION authorising Finland to introduce a special measure derogating from Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax
COM/2020/181 final
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 7.5.2020
COM(2020) 181 final
2020/0070(NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION
authorising Finland to introduce a special measure derogating from Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Pursuant to Article 395(1) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of valued added tax 1 (‘the VAT Directive’), the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, may authorise any Member State to apply special measures for derogation from the provisions of that Directive in order to simplify the procedure for collecting VAT or to prevent certain forms of tax evasion or avoidance.
By letter registered with the Commission on 6 January 2020, Finland requested an authorisation to apply, as of 1 January 2021, a measure derogating from Article 287 of the VAT Directive, allowing Finland to exempt from VAT taxable persons whose annual turnover is no higher than EUR 15 000. By letter registered with the Commission on 19 February 2020, Finland sent more detailed information on the measure it wants to introduce.
In accordance with Article 395(2) of the VAT Directive, the Commission informed the other Member States by letter dated 10 March 2020 of the request made by Finland. The Commission notified Finland by letter dated 11 March 2020 that it had all the information necessary to consider the request.
1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
•Reasons for and objectives of the proposal
Chapter 1 of Title XII of the VAT Directive allows for the possibility for Member States to apply special schemes for small enterprises, including the possibility of exempting taxable persons below a certain annual turnover. This exemption implies that a taxable person does not have to charge VAT on his supplies and, consequently, he or she cannot deduct the VAT on his inputs.
Under Article 287(5) of the VAT Directive, Finland may exempt from VAT taxable persons whose annual turnover is no higher than the equivalent in national currency of ECU 10 000 at the conversion rate on the day of its accession. Finland joined the euro on 1 January 2002.
By raising the threshold for a person to be identified for VAT purposes from ECU 10 000 to EUR 15 000, it is anticipated that the measure will reduce the administrative burden on businesses eligible for the scheme, and in particular on micro-enterprises, by releasing them from the VAT obligations under the normal VAT arrangements, such as keeping VAT records or submitting VAT returns.
Moreover, there will also be a reduction in the workload for the tax authorities.
According to the Finnish authorities, the measure will only have a minor impact on the overall amount of VAT revenue collected at the final consumption stage.
The measure has an optional character. Therefore, small businesses whose turnover does not exceed the threshold will still have the possibility to exercise their right to apply the normal VAT arrangements.
Derogations are normally granted for a limited period to allow an assessment of whether the derogating measure remains appropriate and effective. Moreover, the provisions of Articles 281 to 294 of the VAT Directive on the special scheme for small enterprises have recently been reviewed. The new directive laying down simpler VAT rules for small enterprises 2 requires that Member States adopt and publish the laws, regulations and administrative provisions, which are necessary to comply with the new rules, by 31 December 2024 at the latest. Member States will have to apply those national provisions from 1 January 2025.
It is therefore appropriate to authorise Finland to apply the derogating measure until 31 December 2024.
•Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area
The derogating measure is in line with the philosophy of the new directive amending Articles 281 to 294 of the VAT Directive on a special scheme for small enterprises, which resulted from the VAT action plan 3 , and aims to create a modern, simplified scheme for those businesses. In particular, it seeks to reduce VAT compliance costs and distortions of competition both domestically and at EU level, reduce the negative impact of the threshold effect, and facilitate business compliance as well as monitoring by tax administrations.
Moreover, the threshold of EUR 15 000 is consistent with the new directive, insofar as it allows Member States to set the annual turnover threshold required for an exemption from VAT at a level no higher than EUR 85 000 (or the equivalent in national currency).
Similar derogations, exempting from VAT taxable persons whose annual turnover is below a certain threshold, as provided for in Articles 285 and 287 of the VAT Directive, have been granted to other Member States. Malta 4 has been granted a threshold of EUR 20 000; the Netherlands 5 a threshold of EUR 25 000; Luxembourg 6 a threshold of EUR 35 000; Poland 7 , Estonia 8 and Latvia 9 have been granted a threshold of EUR 40 000; Croatia 10 and Lithuania 11 a threshold of EUR 45 000; Hungary 12 a threshold of EUR 48 000; Slovenia 13 a threshold of EUR 50 000; and Romania 14 a threshold of EUR 88 500.
As already mentioned, derogations from the VAT Directive should always be limited in time so that their effects can be assessed. The inclusion of an expiry date of the special measure until 31 December 2024, as requested by Finland, is aligned with the requirements of the new directive on simpler VAT rules for small and medium-sized enterprises. That directive provides for 1 January 2025 as the date on which Member States will have to apply the national provisions, which they are required to adopt to comply with it.
The proposed measure is therefore consistent with the provisions of the VAT Directive.
•Consistency with other Union policies
The Commission has been consistently stressing the need for simpler rules for small enterprises in its annual work programmes. In this regard, the 2020 Commission Work Programme 15 refers to “a dedicated SME Strategy that will make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to operate, scale up and expand”. The derogating measure is in line with such objectives, as far as fiscal rules are concerned. It is notably consistent with the 2017 Commission Work Programme 16 , which referred specifically to VAT, pointing out that the administrative burden of VAT compliance for small businesses is high and that technical innovations pose new challenges for effective tax collection, and stressed the need to simplify VAT for smaller companies.
Likewise, the measure is consistent with the 2015 single market strategy 17 , where the Commission set out to help small and medium-sized businesses grow, inter alia by reducing the administrative burdens that prevent them from taking full advantage of the single market. It also follows the philosophy of the 2013 Commission Communication ‘Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan: Reigniting the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe’ 18 , which underlined the need to simplify tax legislation for small businesses.
Finally, the measure is in line with EU policies on small and medium-sized enterprises, as set out in the 2016 Start-Up Communication 19 , and the 2008 Communication ‘”Thinks small first” – a “Small Business Act” for Europe’ 20 which called on the Member States to take account of the special features of SMEs when designing legislation and simplify the existing regulatory environment.
2.LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY
•Legal basis
Article 395 of the VAT Directive is the only possible legal basis.
•Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)
Considering the provision of the VAT Directive on which it is based, the proposal falls under the exclusive competence of the European Union. Hence, the subsidiarity principle does not apply.
•Proportionality
The Decision concerns an authorisation granted to a Member State upon its own request and does not constitute any obligation.
Given the limited scope of the derogation, the special measure is proportionate to the aim pursued, i.e. to simplify the tax collection for small taxable persons and for the tax administration.
•Choice of the instrument
The instrument proposed is a Council Implementing Decision.
Under Article 395 of the VAT Directive, a derogation from the common VAT rules is only possible upon authorisation by the Council, which is acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission. A Council Implementing Decision is the most suitable instrument since it can be addressed to an individual Member State.
3.RESULTS OF EX-POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
•Stakeholder consultations
No stakeholder consultation has been conducted. The present proposal is based on a request made by Finland and concerns only this particular Member State.
•Collection and use of expertise
There was no need for external expertise.
•Impact assessment
The proposal for a Council Implementing Decision aims at increasing the current exemption threshold from EUR 10 000 to EUR 15 000. This increase in the threshold is a simplification measure which removes many of the VAT obligations for businesses operating with an annual turnover no higher than EUR 15 000. It will therefore have a potential positive impact on the reduction of administrative burden for a number of taxable persons and, subsequently, on the tax administration.
Currently, there are approximately 50 000 entrepreneurs exercising their right to be exempted from VAT, while the number of businesses registered for VAT is approximately 530 000. The increase in the threshold would benefit around 6 000 additional entrepreneurs with an estimated annual total turnover of EUR 80 million.
The derogating measure will be optional for taxable persons. Taxable persons will be able to opt for the regular VAT arrangements in accordance with Article 290 of Directive 2006/112/EC. The budgetary impact in terms of VAT revenue is estimated at EUR 20 million, which is considered as negligible.
•Fundamental rights
The proposal does not have any consequences for the protection of fundamental rights.
4.BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS
The proposal will not have a negative impact on the EU budget because Finland will carry out a compensation calculation in accordance with Article 6 of Council Regulation (EEC, EURATOM) 1553/89.
2020/0070 (NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION
authorising Finland to introduce a special measure derogating from Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax 21 , and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 395(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)Pursuant to point (5) of Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC, Finland may exempt from value added tax (‘VAT’) taxable persons whose annual turnover is no higher than the equivalent in national currency of ECU 10 000 at the conversion rate on the day of its accession.
(2)By letter registered with the Commission on 6 January 2020, Finland requested an authorisation to introduce a special measure derogating from point (5) of Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC (‘the derogating measure’) from 1 January 2021 until 31 December 2024 in order to increase the exemption threshold to EUR 15 000. Through the derogating measure, taxable persons whose annual turnover is no higher than EUR 15 000 would be exempt from certain or all of the obligations in relation to VAT as referred to in Chapters 2 to 6 of Title XI of Directive 2006/112/EC.
(3)A higher threshold for the special scheme for small enterprises set out in Articles 281 to 294 of Directive 2006/112/EC is a simplification measure, as it may significantly reduce the VAT obligations of small enterprises.
(4)By letter dated 10 March 2020, the Commission informed the other Member States, pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 395(2) of Directive 2006/112/EC, of the request made by Finland. By letter dated 11 March 2020, the Commission notified Finland that it had all the information necessary to consider the request.
(5)The derogating measure is in line with Council Directive (EU) 2020/285. 22 That Directive amended Chapter 1 of Title XII of Directive 2006/112/EC governing the special scheme for small enterprises. Directive (EU) 2020/285 seeks to reduce VAT compliance costs of small enterprises and distortions of competition both at national and Union level, and to reduce the negative impact of transition from exemption to taxation (the so-called threshold effect). It also seeks to facilitate business compliance by small enterprises and monitoring by tax administrations. The requested threshold of EUR 15 000 is consistent with Article 284 of Directive 2006/112/EC, as amended by Directive (EU) 2020/285.
(6)The derogating measure is optional for taxable persons. Taxable persons will still be able to opt for the regular VAT arrangements in accordance with Article 290 of Directive 2006/112/EC.
(7)According to the information provided by Finland, the derogating measure will only have a negligible effect on the overall amount of the tax revenue of Finland collected at the stage of final consumption.
(8)The derogating measure will not adversely affect the Union’s own resources accruing from VAT because Finland will carry out a compensation calculation in accordance with Article 6 of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1553/89 23 .
(9)Given that Finland expects that the increased threshold will result in reduced VAT obligations and thus a reduction in the administrative burden and compliance costs for small enterprises and for the tax authorities, and the lack of any major impact on the total VAT revenue generated, Finland should be authorised to apply the derogating measure.
(10)The authorisation to apply the derogating measure should be limited in time. The time limit should be sufficient to allow the effectiveness and appropriateness of the threshold to be evaluated. Moreover, according to Directive (EU) 2020/285, Member States are to adopt and publish, by 31 December 2024, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Article 1 of that Directive, and apply those provisions from 1 January 2025. It is therefore appropriate to authorise Finland to apply the derogating measure until 31 December 2024,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
By way of derogation from point (5) of Article 287 of Directive 2006/112/EC, Finland is authorised to exempt from VAT taxable persons whose annual turnover is no higher than EUR 15 000.
Article 2
This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2021 until 31 December 2024.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Finland.
Done at Brussels,
For the Council
The President
