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Sales and use tax updates

1. Oklahoma

Oklahoma Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday August 1 - 3, 2025

Sales Tax Holiday – August 2025. Under the special holiday law, an item is tax exempt; anyone may make the purchase tax-free.  Sales of any article of clothing or footwear designed to be worn on or about the human body and the sales price of the article is less than one hundred dollars ($100) are exempt. It can be purchased online, catalogs or at retail locations.

2. Maryland

Maryland Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday August 10 - 16, 2025

Maryland offers Sales Tax Holiday benefits on all qualifying apparel and footwear with a value of $100.00 or less, per item which are purchased from Aug-10 to Aug-16.  Additionally, the first $40.00 of a backpack or bookbag purchased is also tax-free.

3. Texas

Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday August 8 - 10, 2025 

Texas Tax-Free Weekend 2025 starts from August 8 to August 10, you    can buy certain items without paying sales tax. Clothing, shoes, school supplies, and backpacks (each under $100). You can shop for these items either in Stores or Online or from Catalogs (if the seller does business in Texas) and you don’t need a special form to get the tax-free deal. Please note, only items bought during these dates are tax-free from the list provided by the authorities. If you buy them before or after, you’ll have to pay tax, and you can’t get a refund later.

4. New Jersey

Repealed: New Jersey Annual Sales Tax Holiday         

The New Jersey Division of Taxation has repealed the Annual Sales Tax Holiday that had exempted certain retail sales of computers, school supplies, and recreational equipment sold to individuals for non-business use. This repeal, authorized by P.L. 2024, c.19, eliminates the exemption under N.J.S.A. 54:32B-8.21a.

Effective immediately, sellers must charge New Jersey Sales Tax on all items that were previously exempt during the holiday period.

5. South Carolina

South Carolina Back to School Sales Tax Holiday August 1 - 3, 2025

Sales Tax Holiday also known as Tax Free Weekend allows a tax-free purchase of items such as Clothing, Accessories, and Shoes to School Supplies, backpacks, and even computers whether it is purchased In-store or online. It is a great opportunity for retailers who sell all the eligible items. Please refer to the list provided by the Department of Revenue for eligible items.

6. Ohio

Ohio Expands Sales Tax Holiday: August 1–14, 2025

Ohio's Sales Tax Holiday has been significantly expanded for 2025. It will run from August 1 

through August 14, covering most tangible personal property items priced at $500 or less.

Eligible tax-free purchases include electronics, clothing, books, home goods, plants, sporting goods, food, and beverages, whether purchased in-store or online. This broader exemption offers a major savings opportunity for consumers and potential boost for retailers

7. Virginia

Virginia Sales Tax Holiday: August 1–3, 2025

Virginia will observe its Sales Tax Holiday from August 1 to August 3, 2025. During this period, consumers can purchase qualifying items tax-free, including:

  • School supplies, clothing, and footwear
  • Hurricane and emergency preparedness items
  • Energy Star™ and WaterSense™ products

Specific price limits and eligibility criteria apply—retailers and consumers should refer to the Department of Taxation's official guidance.

County of Fluvanna – Levy New Meals Tax Effective August 1, 2025

Effective August 1, 2025, Fluvanna CTY in Virginia will impose a 4% meals tax. This tax will apply to ready-to-eat foods, including restaurant meals, grab-and-go prepared meals from grocery stores and gas stations, delis, and food trucks.

8. Mississippi

Mississippi 2nd Amendment Sales Tax Holiday August 29 –August 31, 2025

The State of Mississippi will offer a statewide Sales Tax Holiday from August 29 to August 31, 2025, on qualifying purchases of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies.

To help consumers and retailers prepare, the Mississippi Department of Revenue has published a detailed list of eligible tax-exempt items. Only those items specifically listed will qualify for the exemption during this period.

City of Ridgeland – Levy Special Tax Effective August 1, 2025

Effective August 1, 2025, the City of Ridgeland will levy a special tax to fund improvements at Freedom Ridge Park:

  • 2% tax on hotel/motel room rentals
  • 1% tax on restaurant sales (any establishments with over $100,000 in annual sales)

This special tax may be cited as the Ridgeland Capital Improvements of Freedom Ridge Park Tax.  These rates apply in addition to existing state and local taxes. Businesses must use rate code 99 for lodging and rate code 90 for restaurant sales in their DOR filings.

9. Massachusetts

Massachusetts Annual Sales Tax Holiday August 9 - 10, 2025

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will observe its Annual Sales Tax Holiday. During this two-day period, most retail purchases made for personal use and priced at $2,500 or less will be exempt from the state’s 6.25% sales tax, including qualifying online orders. 

However, certain items remain taxable during the holiday, such as motor vehicles, motorboats, meals, telecommunications services, gas, steam, electricity, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, and marijuana products. For a complete list of exclusions and eligibility criteria, please refer to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s official guidance.

10. Utah

Utah – Taxable Digital Goods Effective August 1, 2025

Beginning August 1, 2025, Utah will treat the following digital products as taxable when sold to end users:

  • Digital Audio-Visual Works
  • Digital Audio Works
  • Digital Books

These items are classified under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement definitions and will be subject to Utah state sales tax regardless of whether they are downloaded or accessed electronically. This change aligns Utah’s tax treatment with SST digital product standards and is reflected in the state’s officially submitted 2025 Taxability Matrix.

VAT updates

1. Romania

Romania approved  Significant VAT Rate Changes effective 01st August 2025:

President Nicușor Dan has officially signed into law a fiscal reform package that increases Romania’s VAT rates, effective August 1, 2025.

Key changes include:

  • The standard VAT rate will increase from 19% to 21%.
  • The reduced VAT rates of 5% and 9% will be merged into a single 11% reduced rate.

The new 11% reduced VAT will apply to essential goods and services. Examples include food, medicines, books, utilities, cultural events, and hospitality. These reforms are part of Romania’s broader fiscal consolidation efforts.

2. Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan to Raise VAT from 12% to 16% effective January 2026:

On July 10, 2025, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed into law the new Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, introducing major VAT reforms.

Effective January 1, 2026, the standard VAT rate will increase from 12% to 16%—Kazakhstan’s first such adjustment in over a decade.

A new reduced VAT rate of 5% will apply to key sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare services, and will increase to 10% starting January 1, 2027. At that time, the 10% rate will also apply to the sale of periodical printed publications.

3. Lithuania

Lithuania to Introduce 12% Reduced VAT Rate effective January 2026:

Lithuania has officially adopted Legal Act XV-287, introducing a new 12% reduced VAT rate that will take effect from 1 January 2026. 

This change replaces the current 9% rate and will apply to specific goods and services, including accommodation, regular-route passenger transport, admission to cultural and art events, and both printed and electronic books.

To support a smooth transition, the current 9% rate will still apply to thermal energy and water supplies delivered until the end of 2025. 

For accommodation, the 9% rate will remain valid for bookings made before  31 December 2025, regardless of the stay date. 

Similarly, passenger transport and cultural event services paid for in 2025 will retain the 9% VAT, even if the service is rendered in 2026. 

4. Bulgaria

Bulgaria – Euro Adoption and Fixed Conversion Rate Effective January 1, 2026

Bulgaria will adopt the euro as its official currency on January 1, 2026, becoming the 21st member of the euro area. The fixed conversion rate has been set at 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN prompting key changes in VAT compliance and business operations. 

Bulgaria will be the twenty-first Member State to join the single currency of EURO. While VAT rules will remain aligned with the EU VAT Directive, companies must update accounting, invoicing, and pricing systems to support dual currency display and euro transition.

The exchange rate change will be formalized via an amendment to Regulation EC No 2866/98, and rate stability will be jointly monitored by the ECB and the Bulgarian National Bank

5. Italy

Italy to Launch Consolidated VAT Code – Effective January 1, 2026:

Italy’s Council of Ministers has approved a Legislative Decree establishing a unified VAT framework, the Testo Unico IVA, set to take effect from 1 January 2026. 

This reform consolidates decades of fragmented VAT legislation—including Presidential Decree No. 633/1972 and Legislative Decree No. 331/1993—into one streamlined code of 171 articles across 18 titles, fully aligned with the EU VAT Directive

Key enhancements include mandatory digital export proof via the Automated Export System (AES), formal incorporation of e‑invoicing and pre-filled VAT return rules, and clarified place‑of‑supply provisions for digital services.

6. United Kingdom

UK Updates Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA) Guidance to Strengthen Compliance:

HMRC updated its guidance in June 2025 on Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA), a scheme that allows UK VAT-registered businesses to account for import VAT on their VAT return instead of paying it upfront.

  •  Under the revised rules, when a third party (such as a freight forwarder, customs agent etc) is involved, the formal importer must provide written confirmation—either through a contract or a separate document. 

  •  The importer must also ensure that the third party is aware that PVA is being used, and customs declarations must clearly include the importer’s VAT Registration Number and EORI number.

E-invoicing and live reporting updates

1. Poland

Poland Releases KSeF 2.0 API and FA(3) Schema ahead of 2026 Mandate

On 30 June 2025, Poland’s Ministry of Finance published the official KSeF 2.0 API documentation and finalized the FA(3) logical invoice structure, both of which become mandatory from 1 February 2026. These updates define how external systems must interact with the national e-invoicing platform and replace the earlier FA(2) XML schema.

Key highlights include:

  • OpenAPI-based documentation with method specs, usage examples, and downloadable JSON definitions.

  • SDKs for Java and .NET to simplify integration.

  • A comprehensive developer manual and migration change log.

  • Test environment opens 30 September 2025; the taxpayer application follows in November 2025.

Vendors are strongly urged to start testing early using the tools and environments now available at ksef.podatki.gov.pl.

2. Belgium

Belgium Confirms Mandatory B2B E-Invoicing via Peppol from January 2026

Belgium has formalised mandatory B2B e-invoicing from 1 January 2026 via a Royal Decree published 14 July 2025. The structured e-invoicing will be mandatory for B2B transactions in Belgium. Invoices must follow EN 16931 using the Peppol BIS format and be transmitted via the Peppol network. Only total-level VAT rounding is allowed, and non-compliance may result in fines up to €5,000. The Peppol network will also support future ViDA-aligned VAT reporting. 

3. France

France Confirms Chorus Pro as Benchmark Platform for Public Sector E-Invoicing from September 2026

On 18 July 2025, the French Ministry of Economy confirmed that, from 1 September 2026, Chorus Pro will continue as the official platform for public sector e-invoicing. It will handle both the sending and receiving of invoices, as well as reporting of transaction and payment data.  Supported formats include Factur-X, UBL, and CII. To simplify the process, the French tax authority will manage file format conversions. Public organisations already using Chorus Pro can continue with updated versions, while others must prepare for compliance by September 2026. 

4. Germany

Germany Eases E-Invoice Archiving Rules Ahead of 2025 Mandate

Germany’s Ministry of Finance has updated its GoBD (Principles for the Proper Management and Storage of Books, Records and Documents in Electronic Form and for Data Access) recordkeeping rules to reflect the upcoming e-invoicing mandate from 1 January 2025. The new guidance allows businesses to store only the structured data (e.g. XML) of electronic invoices. Visual copies like PDFs are optional unless uniquely informative. Hybrid formats such as ZUGFeRD must retain the XML, with the PDF stored only if it holds unique content. Payment confirmations (e.g. from PayPal or Stripe) don’t need to be archived unless used for accounting purposes.

5. Greece

Greece Submits Draft B2B E‑Invoicing Mandate to Parliament

Greece has submitted a draft amendment to Law 4308/201 proposing mandatory structured e-invoicing for all B2B transactions and exports from Greece. Invoices would need to follow the European EN standard and be issued via either certified providers or the tax authority’s myDATA  platform. The draft also includes incentives—such as enhanced tax deductions—for early adopters who implement before the mandate takes effect. Technical details, timelines, and accredited provider rules will be confirmed in secondary legislation.

Cross border tariff updates

1. The United States

Update 1

As per proclamation 10896 the U.S. has revised duties on steel and by amending February derivatives, with additional updates from BIS (Annex 1).

Update 2

As per Executive Order 14309 tariff adjustments applied on automobiles, auto parts, and civil aircraft components from the United Kingdom.

Update 3

The United States has published revision 16 to its HTS. Modifications incorporated United Kingdom related provisions and statistical updates.

2. India

India customs department has published preferential tariff adjustments on below product categories: -
  1. Soaps, detergents, waxes, and dental preparations

  2. Knitted/crocheted fabrics.

  3. Electrical machinery and AV equipment

3. South African Customs Union

Update 1

The South African Customs Union has revised import duty rates for electrical and audio-visual equipment.

Update 2

South African Customs Union has revised MFN & preferential tariff changes which covers cereals and related milling products.

4. New Zealand

New Zealand customs department has published biannual tariff schedule impacting below product categories: -

  1. Animal and mineral products

  2. Machinery and electronics

  3. Misc. manufactured articles

5. Taiwan

Taiwan customs department has revised the preferential tariff rates for Taiwan and Paraguay bilateral trade agreement. This impacts the beverages, seafood, base metals, and electrical equipment products.

6. United Kingdom

Update 1

The United Kingdom has made MFN tariff adjustments for organic and chemical products. This update also covers new HS codes affecting organic chemicals, dyeing extracts, plastic articles, and chemical products.

Update 2

United Kingdom customs have made HS code modifications to electronics and chemical product categories.

7. Switzerland

Update 1

Switzerland customs have made tariff amendments for animal feed, oil seeds and cereal products.

Update 2

In the second iteration Switzerland customs have made amendments to import duty (General and preferential) for edible fruit and nuts and peel of citrus fruit or melons.

8. Norway

Norway customs department has made preferential duty changes for agricultural and animal-based products.

9. Israel

Israel's customs department has published preferential tariff adjustments on miscellaneous chemical products and electronic components.

10. European Union

1. Revisions to HS Code Classifications: The European Commission Authority has announced additions and deletions of Harmonized System (HS) codes across multiple chapters of the customs tariff schedule.

2. Updates to Import Duty and Preferential Rates: Adjustments have been made to import duty rates and preferential tariff rates under the European customs tariff framework.

11. Bermuda

Bermuda customs authority has published an annual update for customs tariff wherein there are changes in HS Codes and MFN rates.

12. Ethiopia

Ethiopian Trade Portal has announced additions of Harmonized System (HS) codes to dairy, sugar, beverages, and plastic product categories.

13. Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein customs department has published import duty change for edible fruit and nuts, peels of citrus fruit or melons.

14. Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan customs department has published tariff updates impacting HS Codes of soap, waxes, candles, vehicles, and aircraft.

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