10/12/2019 (Agence Europe) – During its six-month term as President of the EU Council, Finland paid particular attention to VAT rules, with several agreements reached, including new rules to simplify VAT for SMEs (see EUROPE 12366/3). This is reflected in a progress report on tax issues dated 9 December, adopted at the December ‘Ecofin’ Council and to be presented to the European Council on 12 December. This Presidency also made progress on the excise duty package (see EUROPE 12366/2) and moved forward discussions on energy taxation (see EUROPE 12384/26). The report also mentions the examination of the impact of the American ‘FATCA’ law (see EUROPE 12341/14) and notes that the proposal for country-by-country tax transparency has recently been discussed (see EUROPE 12384/3). See the report: https://bit.ly/2YyEvKF (MF)