EU-Mitgliedstaaten einigen sich auf niedrigere Mehrwertsteuer für E-Books

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02/10/2018

Quelle: Vertretung der EU in Berlin

Die Finanzminister der EU-Mitgliedstaaten haben heute (Dienstag) einen Durchbruch bei der Mehrwertsteuer erzielt. Unter anderem wurden die Mehrwertsteuersätze für elektronische Veröffentlichungen wie etwa E-Books, die derzeit in den meisten Mitgliedstaaten zum Normalsatz besteuert werden, an die günstigere Regelung für gedruckte Veröffentlichungen angepasst. Darüber hinaus einigte man sich auf neue Vorschriften zum Informationsaustausch und auf eine engere Zusammenarbeit zwischen nationalen Steuerbehörden und Strafverfolgungsbehörden. Betrug und Steuerhinterziehung in diesem Sektor dürften somit künftig schwieriger werden.

„Glaubt man den jüngsten Zahlen, so gehen den Mitgliedstaaten jährlich immer noch rund 150 Mrd. Euro an MwSt. verloren. Die heutigen Vereinbarungen sind ein wichtiger Schritt zur Lösung dieses Problems“, erklärte EU-Wirtschafts- und Finanzkommissar Pierre Moscovici.

Nach den geltenden Mehrwertsteuervorschriften (Richtlinie 2006/112/EG) werden elektronisch erbrachte Dienstleistungen zum Normalsatz der Mehrwehrsteuer, d.h. einem Satz von mindestens 15 Prozent, besteuert. Bei physischen Veröffentlichungen – Büchern, Zeitungen und Zeitschriften – haben die Mitgliedstaaten derzeit die Wahlmöglichkeit, einen "ermäßigten" Mehrwertsteuersatz, d.h. mindestens 5 Prozent anzuwenden. Die neue Richtlinie wird es den Mitgliedstaaten, die dies wünschen, gestatten, auf elektronische Veröffentlichungen ebenfalls ermäßigte Mehrwersteuersätze anzuwenden.

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