22/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has updated its list of exemptions from the EU's reduced-level VAT scheme. Exemptions are granted under Article 395 of EU Directive 2006/112/EC with the aim of simplifying VAT collection and preventing tax evasion and fraud. The exemptions are commonest in Germany (18 measures), the Netherlands (13), Belgium and the United Kingdom (both 12), Italy (11), France and Ireland (both 9), Luxembourg (7), Denmark (6), Poland and Sweden (2 each), and one each in Austria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. See details at: http: //ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/taxation/ vat/key_documents/table_derogations/ vat_index_derogations_en.pdf (M.B.)