HMRC’s latest schedule of live and recorded webinars for tax agents is available for booking. Spaces are limited, so take a look now and save your place. HMRC is also running a series of webinars on R&D tax relief.  R&D tax relief webinars  HMRC is running a series of webinars on R&D tax reliefs to aid understanding of what qualifies as R&D, how to claim relief correctly and what the new R&D merged scheme entails.  The webinars series will also cover the enhanced support available for R&D intensives schemes: Register here to learn more about 'Research and Development for tax purposes’;  Register here for more information about ‘How to claim Research and Development tax relief’; and  Visit GOV.UK to watch the recorded webinars and to register for the upcoming webinar session about the R&D merged schemes. 

Do you use HMRC online services? Don’t be caught out by the planned downtime to some services. HMRC are warning about the non-availability of specific services on the HMRC website, a range of services are impacted. Check the relevant page for information on planned downtime.  

Check out the latest items on the Agent Forum. Remember, in order to view each item, you must be signed up and logged in.   All agents, who are a member of a professional body, are invited to join HMRC’s Agent Forum. This dedicated Agent Forum is hosted in a private area within the HMRC’s Online Taxpayer Forum. You can interact with other agents and HMRC experts to discuss topical issues and processes. 

According to the OECD, work under BEPS Action 6 “Prevention of tax treaty abuse” continues to make steady progress. The latest peer review report on the implementation of the minimum standard on treaty shopping reveals that most agreements between members of the Inclusive Framework are already compliant with the standard. The BEPS Multilateral Instrument (BEPS MLI) seems to be the preferred tool for most countries implementing the minimum standard. 

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual regarding Tax Credit Certificates issued on a Week 1/Month 1 basis. The updated manual includes additional reasons for the issue of a Week 1/Month 1 basis Tax Credit Certificate (paragraph 1) and advise on sourcing additional information on the matter (paragraph 4). 

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual regarding the CAT self-assessment return Form IT38. The updated manual reflects the Finance (No.2) Act 2023 amendment regarding the obligation to file a CAT return where an individual is in receipt of certain interest-free loans. 

The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD has published a report on the role of Sheriffs in the State. The Department of Justice and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners established a Joint Review Group to focus on the future role of Sheriffs and to establish whether there is a more efficient and cost-effective system of debt collection.  The report identifies five key areas of focus and sets out 27 recommendations to support the continuation of the office of Sheriff into the future, noting its effectiveness and efficiency. The Review Group also noted that overall debt recovery rates appear to be high by international standards.    Commenting on the findings of the review, Minister McEntee said:  “I am pleased to see the importance of the office of the Sheriff recognised in this report. It is the oldest debt enforcement mechanism in the State and I welcome the recommendations to support and modernise the role to ensure its continued viability.  Key to this modernisation will be the development and implementation of an updated and streamlined joint supervision and oversight strategy between the Department of Justice and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, and I look forward to that being developed.”  Further information is available in the Department of Justice press release. 

As readers likely know, the deadline for engaging with Revenue in respect of warehoused debt is 1 May 2024. In advance of this deadline, Revenue has issued letters to 30,825 taxpayers with warehoused debt to outline the immediate action required to arrange the repayment of their debt. The letters should issue to the taxpayers’ ROS inbox unless they no longer have an active ROS digital certificate, in which case it should arrive by post this week. Agents will not receive a copy of the letters issued to their clients.  The letter includes a schedule of the warehoused debt and the range of payment options available to the taxpayer. Where a Phased Payment Arrangement (PPA) is required, the application must be submitted on ROS now in advance of 1 May 2024 to allow sufficient time to agree a payment plan suitable to the business circumstances.    A separate letter has issued to taxpayers with warehoused debt of less than €500 as PPAs are not available in these circumstances. 

In Irish news, we bring you an update from the recent meeting of the main Tax Administration Liaison Committee (TALC) and Revenue has provided an important update regarding R&D claims for 2022 and 2023. In UK news, HMRC has halted the changes and restrictions to various helplines that were announced earlier this week, and today is your last opportunity to provide information to us on VAT margin scheme vehicles brought into Northern Ireland from Great Britain before 1 May 2023 which remain unsold. In International news, the European Commission has commenced a public consultation seeking feedback on the Directive on Tax Dispute Resolution.  Ireland Read our update from the recent meeting of the main Tax Administration Liaison Committee (TALC). Revenue has provided an important update regarding R&D claims for 2022 and 2023. UK The changes and restrictions announced by HMRC earlier this week in respect of various helplines will now not go ahead. Today is your last opportunity to provide information to us on VAT margin scheme vehicles brought into Northern Ireland from Great Britain before 1 May 2023 which remain unsold. International The European Commission has commenced a public consultation seeking feedback on the Directive on Tax Dispute Resolution. Keep up to date with all the latest Irish, UK, and international tax developments through Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Tax Newsletter. Subscribe to the Tax News by updating your preferences in MyAccount. You can also read this week’s EU exit corner here.

As reported last week, at the most recent meeting of the TALC Indirect Taxes Sub-Committee, officials from Revenue’s National Business Tax Registration Unit gave a presentation on VAT registrations. Revenue has kindly agreed to share the slides from that presentation and you can find them here. The presentation includes useful information on the screening of VAT applications, reasons for disallowed VAT applications, information to include on a VAT application, information on ‘intention to trade’ applications, as well as information on EU and customs applications.

The latest data on taxation trends in the EU indicates that nominal tax revenues collected by EU member states reached a record value in 2022, totalling €6.388 billion (an 8 percent increase on 2021). The data also indicates that the average tax burden (measured by taking the total tax revenues received as a percentage of GDP) decreased slightly in 2022. The average tax burden in the EU is 40.2 percent, with Ireland’s tax-to-GDP ratio for 2022 being the lowest at 20.9 percent.

The European Commission has commenced a targeted feedback campaign to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to give their views on the EU’s framework for resolving cross-border tax disputes in relation to double taxation issues. The DRM (Directive on Tax Dispute Resolution Mechanisms) came into force on 1 July 2019 and introduced further rules and more stringent deadlines to resolve cross-border tax disputes. In accordance with Article 21 of that Directive, the Commission is now conducting a review and preparing a report on its functioning, with a focus on the Directive’s implementation in its first years.