Serving as an introduction to one of the "hottest" topics in financial crime, the Value Added Tax (VAT) fraud, this new and original book aims to analyze and decrypt the fraud and explore multi-disciplinary avenues, thereby exposing nuances and shades that remain concealed by traditional taxation oriented researches. Quantifying the impact of the fraud on the real economy underlines the structural damages propagated by this crime in the European Union. The ‘fruadsters’ benefit when policy changes are inflicted in an economic space without a fully fledged legal framework. Geopolitical events like the creation of the Eurasian Union and 'Brexit' are analyzed from the perspective of the VAT fraud, thereby underlining the foreseeable risks of such historical turnarounds. In addition, this book also provides a unique collection of case studies that depict the main characteristics of VAT fraud. Introduction to VAT Fraud will be of interest to students at an advanced level, academics and reflective practitioners. It addresses the topics with regards to banking and finance law, international law, criminal law, taxation, accounting, and financial crime. It will be of value to researchers, academics, professionals, and students in the fields of law, financial crime, technology, accounting and taxation.

This research report aims at filling the knowledge gap concerning organized business crime by highlighting one specific phenomenon, that of EU cross-border VAT fraud. It intends to provide insight into: the effectiveness of the present VAT control system; the vulnerability of legitimate trade to criminal inroads; and, the development of organized crime in this area.

A previous IMF Working Paper on value-added tax (VAT) refunds (WP/07/31, by Keen and Smith) describes the main forms of VAT noncompliance and concludes that VAT is susceptible to evasion and fraud like any other tax. This paper shows the insidious nature and extent of VAT refund fraud in selected EU countries and argues that this type of noncompliance requires tax administrations to adopt a coordinated strategy and deploy a range of countermeasures to combat this threat. Because such fraud is primarily a criminal legal issue, tackling it successfully will require cooperation, both internationally between VAT administrations and nationally between tax authorities and the judiciary. The paper’s focus is primarily on advanced economies in the context of the EU, but many of the recommendations are applicable to emerging market and developing countries. A separate IMF How to Note discusses managing VAT refunds in developing countries.

The most important and recent judgments of the CJEU Considering the ever-increasing importance of indirect taxation as a source of revenue for governments, the intensifying complexity of the legal framework, and the proliferating number of countries adopting indirect taxation, it is essential to scrutinize how the law is applied in practice. The primary driving force in this area is, undoubtedly, the Court of Justice of the European Union. This book analyses selected topics (e.g., fighting VAT fraud, obligations imposed on digital platforms, taxable person, taxable transactions, place of supply, taxable base and rates, exemptions, and deductions) by examining the most prominent and recent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Experts from all over the world, not just from academia but also government and judiciary representatives, as well as tax practitioners, have provided their input and helped us compile what is an informative and worthy read for anyone dealing with indirect taxation on a professional basis.

This book integrates legal, economic, and administrative materials about the value added tax (VAT) to present the only comparative approach to the study of VAT law. The comparative presentation of this volume offers an analysis of policy issues relating to tax structure and tax base as well as insights into how cases arising out of VAT disputes have been resolved. Its principal purpose is to provide comprehensive teaching tools - laws, cases, analytical exercises, and questions drawn from the experience of countries and organizations around the world. This second edition includes new VAT-related developments in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia and adds new chapters on VAT avoidance and evasion and on China's VAT. Designed to illustrate, analyze, and explain the principal theoretical and operating features of value added taxes, including their adoption and implementation, this book will be an invaluable resource for tax practitioners and government officials.

This book provides a comprehensive in-depth analysis of the similarities and differences between consumption taxes and direct taxes. Fifty contributions are included, written by academics, practitioners and representatives from several international tax administrations and institutions.

The most important and recent judgments of the CJEU Considering the ever-increasing importance of indirect taxation as a source of revenue for governments, the intensifying complexity of the legal framework, and the proliferating number of countries adopting indirect taxation, it is essential to scrutinize how the law is applied in practice. The primary driving force in this area is, undoubtedly, the Court of Justice of the European Union. This book analyses selected topics (e.g. taxpayer rights in EU VAT law, bad debt and insolvency in VAT law, taxable base and rates, exemptions, and deductions) by examining the most prominent and recent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Experts from all over the world, not just from academia but also government and judiciary representatives as well as tax practitioners, have provided their input and helped us compile what is an informative and worthy read for anyone dealing with indirect taxation on a professional basis.

A fast-growing portion of overall taxable consumption is now realized via online supplies and this 'digital economy' is a virtual reality in which suppliers and consumers conclude numerous transactions unrestrained by time and place. The contrast with traditional sales tax and value added tax (VAT) systems, which are based on a physical supply between parties, could not be more evident. Among jurisdictions worldwide, the European Union (EU) took the lead in designing a legal framework for VAT on electronically supplied goods and services. This book, with contributions by internationally re-owned academics, revenue officials, and tax advisors, provides a broad and up-to-date overview of the EU 2015 rules, and an analysis of such elements as the gradual realization of the destination principle, the fight against e-commerce fraud, and simplification of compliance obligations by means of the Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS). Topics covered include the VAT dimension of: - the digital 'fixed establishment'; - businesses as tax collectors; - auditing under MOSS; - Internet search engines; - virtual currencies (such as bitcoins); - cloud computing; and - technology-based solutions for the assessment and collection of VAT on online supplies. Relevant EU legislation is annexed. Because of its clear and practical analysis to these issues, this book will appeal to tax authorities and counsel who need to ensure proper taxation of online supplies at destination with the least possible administrative costs and the lowest possible compliance burdens. Because of its forward looking approach it is a 'must'; for all public and private sector professionals concerned with VAT.

Explores how the value-added tax (VAT) has risen from relative obscurity to become one of the world's most dominant revenue instruments.

The most important and recent judgments of the CJEU Considering the ever increasing importance of indirect taxation as a source of revenue for governments, the intensifying complexity of the legal framework, and the proliferating number of countries adopting indirect taxation, it is essential to scrutinize how the law is actually applied in practice. The primary driving force in this area is, undoubtedly, the Court of Justice of the European Union. This book analyses selected topics (e.g. fundamental principles and VAT, administrative cooperation in VAT, taxable base and rates, exemptions, and deductions) by examining the most prominent and recent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Experts from all over the world, not just from academia but also government representatives and tax practitioners, have provided their input and helped us compile what is an informative and worthy read for anyone dealing with indirect taxation on a professional basis.