18/02/2025 (Agence Europe) – At the Economic and Financial Affairs Council on Tuesday 18 February, the European finance ministers adopted the directive and implementing regulation on the electronic value added tax (VAT) exemption certificate. The text met with unanimous political agreement in December (see EUROPE 13542/2). Paper certificates, used when goods are exempt from VAT, will be replaced by an electronic form. This should simplify and rationalise the process for businesses and public authorities when these goods are imported for embassies, international organisations or the armed forces. The new measures will come into force on 1 July 2031, with an additional one-year transition period during which Member States will be able to use both electronic and paper forms. See the directive: https://aeur.eu/f/fia; see the regulation: https://aeur.eu/f/fib (AD)