A Comparison Between EU VAT Law and the OECD International VAT/GST Guidelines

Abstract

Abstract This chapter offers a comparison between EU VAT law and the OECD International VAT/GST Guidelines. It focuses mainly on business-to-business (B2B) transactions. The chapter begins by describing and comparing the aim and legal status of the EU VAT Directives and OECD International VAT/GST Guidelines. The OECD International VAT/GST Guidelines aim at reducing the uncertainty and risks of double taxation and unintended non-taxation that result from inconsistencies in the application of VAT in a cross-border context. The chapter then discusses the core features of VAT including neutrality, before comparing the place of taxation on services and intangibles under EU law and the International VAT/GST Guidelines. According to the preamble to the VAT Directive, a VAT system achieves the highest degree of simplicity and neutrality when the tax is levied in as general a manner as possible and when its scope covers all the stages of production and distribution, as well as the supply of services.