VAT in the Digital Age
The European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxation and Customs (DG TAXUD) was organising on 6 December 2019 an event on “VAT in the Digital Age” in Brussels, Belgium.
This event brought together stakeholders working in the field of Value Added Tax (VAT) to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that new technologies bring in the area of VAT.
In particular, the potential of using advanced technologies such as blockchain in the VAT area will be discussed.
The seminar also provided a chance to share recent experiences from EU Member States on how they use digital solutions for VAT reporting, collecting and fraud-detection.
An opening address was made by Stephen Quest, Director General of DG TAXUD, followed by key-note speeches and panel discussions with academics, EU officials, members of national tax administrations, business representatives and other VAT specialists.
Conference streaming
Speaker's presentations
The speakers' presentations are available :
- Technology and Taxation, setting the scene- Professor Dr. Peter Fettke, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence
- Blockchain and VAT: the impact of blockchain on VAT legislation- Prof. mr. dr. Madeleine Merkx, Erasmus University of Rotterdam
- No revolution of VAT but smart technological evolution - Brigitte Bijl, Ministry of Finance, Netherlands and Sascha Jafari, Summitto
- VAT and Blockchain- Aleksandra Bal, Vertex
- Digitalising VAT - Estonia- Maksim Baranov, Tax and Customs board, Estonia
- VAT in the Digital Age. Digitalisation and VAT reporting - Francisco Fernández Monge, Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU
- VAT in the Digital Age - E-invoicing in Italy- Maria Delia Ruggiero, Ministry of Finance, Italy
- VAT in the Digital Age: The business perspective - Alfredo Espada, EMEIA Associate Director on Indirect Tax and Tax Technology, AstraZeneca
- A common risk analysis at EU level… to see beyond the borders- Caroline Edery, Head of Unit, DG Taxation and Customs Union;
- Developing a risk analysis capacity at EU level - PSP data- Raita Melasniemi, Finnish Tax Administration
Digital and Taxation video
The European Union is trying to bring the world of tech and the world of tax closer together and to see how we can use the technology to deliver more effective tax outcomes for our citizens.
Emerging tech and Taxation video
AI and particularly machine learning is a game changer and will lead to fundamental changes of how public services are provisioned. Blockchain is a technology that can provide many benefits to taxpayers, that can fix many problems of the current VAT system.
Programme
VAT IN THE DIGITAL AGE6 December 2019 - European Commission, Breydel Building, Brussels |
| 08:30 - 09:30 | Registration and Welcome Coffee |
| 09:30 - 09:45 | Opening of the conference Stephen Quest, Director General, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission. |
| 09:45 - 10:05 | Technology and Taxation - setting the scene
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| 10:05 - 10:30 |
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| 10:30 - 11:10 | Session 1: Blockchain and VAT Moderator: Maria Teresa Fabregas Fernandez, Director, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission Keynote speakers:
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| 11:10 - 11:35 | Coffee break |
11:35 - 11:55 | Session 1: Blockchain and VAT (continued) Keynote speeches :
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11:55 - 12:35 | Panel discussion Panellists:
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| 12.35 – 12:55 | Session 2: Digitalisation and VAT reporting Keynote speakers :
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12:55 - 14:10 | Buffet lunch |
14.10 – 15.10 | Session 2: Keynote speeches (continued)
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15:10 – 15:50 | Panel discussion Panellists:
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15:50 – 16:15 | Coffee break |
16:15 – 16:55 | Session 3: Developing a risk analysis capacity at EU level Keynote speakers :
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16.55 – 17.15 | Open discussion with all participants |
| 17:15 – 17:30 | Closing Session Closing remarks : Maria Teresa Fabregas Fernandez, Director, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission. |