In September, eBay launched a pan-European petition to give SMEs across Europe a voice to advocate SME-friendly VAT rules in the current discussion to change EU VAT.
Over 100,000 EU citizens participated in the VAT petition campaign which called for a simple, fair, and SME-friendly VAT system for online commerce. Different business and association stakeholders also shared their views on the different aspects of VAT reform.
Six small businesses from five EU Member States arrived in Brussels to share their successful business stories and engage in constructive debates with legislators on behalf of Internet-enabled SMEs across Europe. During these meetings the sellers from Belgium, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania discussed the latest developments impacting the Digital Single Market and how current policy initiatives such as VAT are influencing their small businesses.
At a stakeholder lunch Cathy Foster, eBay Vice President of Global Government Relations & Public Policy, presented the VAT petition to Cătălin Sorin Ivan, Member of European Parliament and the Rapporteur on the VAT reform file.
The SMEs had met with Tom Vandenkendelaere, Member of the European Parliament, Kristian Hedberg, Deputy Head of Commissioner Bienkowska’s Cabinet, Clare Bury, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General Communications Networks, Content and Technology and many other EU policy makers. The VAT petition was also presented to many of these policy makers to ensure the collective voice of the EU VAT petition participants was heard.
eBay say that eBay Government Relations will continue to stay actively involved in EU VAT reform discussions on behalf of the company and their customers in Europe.
3 Responses
All taxes should be scrapped including income tax, then introduce one tax at a much lower rate and make it unclaimable, helping small businesses with a simpler taxation. Everything should have a purchase tax (including books, food and children’s clothing). This system would include people who don’t reach the tax threshold. Every commercial body be it an enormous internet shop or somebody creating small bits of jewellery or a window cleaner would be registered for purchase tax and make a simple payment at the end of trade be it yearly, quarterly or monthly. A very simple system for both Tax authorities and tax payers. The complicated mechanisms governing bodies use benefit only the rich and accountants, not very productive is it?
John, one tax at a much lower rate to replace all taxes?
How would you make up shortfall from lower tax take?
There wouldn’t be a shortfall. Why should there be. Think about it before you reply.