New Circular on the VAT chain

Gladys Cristiaensen   |  

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On 28 January 2025, the VAT administration published a new Circular on the modernisation of the VAT chain. Below is a summary of some important points. We also refer to our previous BofiFlash on this subject.

Submission and payment deadline

The submission and payment deadline for submitting a monthly VAT return has not been changed. Monthly filers must submit the VAT return and pay the VAT due (if applicable) no later than the 20th day following the period to which the monthly return relates.

Quarterly filers are now required to submit their return and pay the VAT due (if applicable) no later than the 25th day following the calendar quarter.

A late filing and/or payment is in principle accompanied by fines and/or interest (as of 1 day late). Much more than before, timely filing and payment is highly recommended.

Correction of material error

In the event of a material error in the periodic VAT return, the taxpayer is required to correct this material error.

A material error is any error or omission that does not give rise to the issuance of a corrective document/credit note (e.g., incorrect VAT amount recorded, an error made in the calculation of the revision, an invoice incorrectly recorded, etc.).

There are now two possibilities to correct a material error:

  • if the material error is identified before the submission deadline, a corrected VAT return can be submitted;
  • if the material error is identified after the submission deadline, the correction must be included in the next VAT return.

Payment modalities

Payments until 30.09.2025

In a first transition phase until 30.09.2025, the old account number remains in use and the taxpayer will pay the VAT due resulting from the VAT return to the known account BE22 6792 0030 0047.

It is not possible to pay to the new number indicated below during this transition phase. This new account number will only be used from 01.10.2025.

Payments from 01.10.2025

From 01.10.2025, it will no longer be possible to pay to the account BE22 6792 0030 0047. From that date, all payments of the VAT due resulting from the VAT return must be made to the new account BE41 6792 0036 4210 of the ‘Collection Center – Central VAT account’.

The special VAT return

This return must now be submitted no later than the 25th day following the period to which it relates. The same applies to the payment of the VAT due.

Intracommunity declarations

For quarterly filers, the submission date of the intracommunity declarations is changed to no later than the 25th day following the calendar quarter.

The submission date of this declaration remains unchanged for monthly filers (i.e., the 20th day following the month to which the transactions relate).

Administrative tolerances

Holiday arrangement

In the past, the administration has published annual tolerances consisting of a relaxation of the submission deadlines for monthly and quarterly returns for the months of June and July and the 2nd quarter of each calendar year (as well as for the intracommunity declarations).

The administrative tolerance meant that the submission date of these returns – and declarations – was extended to the 10th of the second month following the return period.

Considering the gradual implementation of the VAT chain, the holiday arrangement is maintained in 2025.

The Minister of Finance has asked his administration to thoroughly investigate in what form the holiday arrangement can continue to exist after 2025.

Extension of submission deadline to the next working day

Considering the gradual implementation of the VAT chain, until 1.10.2025, the final submission and payment date will be extended to the next working day when the 20th (monthly return) or 25th (quarterly return) is a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday.

From 01.10.2025, for quarterly filers, the submission date will no longer be extended to the next working day.

At the request of the Minister of Finance, for monthly filers, the final submission date will still be extended to the next working day when the 20th of the month following the return period is a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday.

VAT refund

The registration on the VAT Provision account (if the taxpayer has not opted for a refund via the VAT return or, if they have opted for the refund, all conditions for the refund are not met) or the refund (if the taxpayer has opted for the refund via the VAT return and all conditions for the refund are met) will only take place provided that the VAT surplus is not used to settle a (tax) debt.

If, in the opinion of the administration, a certain, due, and fixed claim exists, which is the case, among other things, when it is not disputed or when it has been included in the collection and recovery register (PB, Venn.B., alimony, etc.), the amount will be used to settle the (tax) debt to the appropriate extent.

Provision account

The VAT administration will transfer the VAT credit, which is currently on the current account, to the Provision account between 01.02.2025 and 30.06.2025.

To avoid cash flow and VAT pre-financing problems for taxpayers, the VAT credit – provided it is justified – can be used, even if it is not yet registered on the Provision account, to settle VAT payments for periodic returns submitted from 01.01.2025. Other issues covered in the new circular have also been covered previously in this Bofiflash.

Our experts help you where necessary

Do you want more information about the new Circular and VAT formalities? Contact our experts, they will be happy to help you.

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