1. New filing and payment deadline
   • Quarterly declaration

The deadline for the periodic VAT return and intra-community statement will be the 25th day of the month following the period to which this return or statement relates. Previously, this was the 20th day.

From January 1, 2025, the VAT due arising from a submitted quarterly return must be paid no later than the 25th day of the month following the period covered by that return (previously the 20th day).

• • Monthly declaration

The filing deadline for periodic VAT returns and intra-community statements does not change and thus remains on the 20th day of the month following the period to which this return or statement relates.

The payment period does not change. As before, the VAT due resulting from a submitted monthly declaration must still be paid at the latest on the 20th day of the month following the period to which this declaration relates.

 

2. Recovery of a proposed substitute declaration

If your periodic VAT return is not submitted before the expiration of a 3-month period following the declaration deadline, the FPS Finance prepares a proposal of replacement return.

This proposal is sent by registered mail and takes effect on the ^3rd business day following the delivery of that registered mail to the mail carrier.

This proposal shall include at least the following entries:

1. the entry “proposal of substitute declaration”
2. The return period for which you did not file a return
3. The amount of VAT due corresponding to:
4. the highest amount of VAT due (= highest schedule 71) that was included in one of the periodic VAT returns relating to the 12 months preceding the return period of the return you failed to file on time.
5. 2,100 euros, if there was no declaration in respect of the previous 12 months, or if the VAT due under point a. is less than 2,100 euros
6. The legal basis on which we rely to determine the amount of tax due

If you submit your periodic VAT declaration within the period of one month from the date of elaboration of that proposal, the procedure of proposal of substitute declaration will be terminated.

 

3. Adjusted fines

From 01.01.2025, the following fines will be adjusted:

• the fine for late submission of the periodic VAT return: the new fine is 100 euros per month of delay with a maximum of 500.00 euros.
• The penalty for failure to file the periodic VAT return:
  • 500 euros for the 1st offense
  • 1,250 euros for the 2nd offense
• 2,500 euros for the 3rd offense
• 5,000 euros for each subsequent offense
• the penalty for non-payment of VAT due arising from a periodic VAT return:
  • The claimability of the tax is evidenced by a timely filed periodic VAT return: 5% of the tax due
  • The claimability of the tax is evidenced by a late filed VAT return. This includes returns filed after the notification of substitute declaration, but before the substitute declaration becomes final: 10% of the tax due
• The claimability of the tax is evidenced by a substitute return that has become final: 15% of the tax due.

 

4. The VAT commission account

This account replaces the current VAT account. The main difference is that it does not show the amounts due and the balances for which reimbursement is requested.

• Operation
  1. What amounts go into the commission account?
     • The credits from your periodic VAT returns for which you did not request a refund or when all the conditions were not met to obtain them.
     • Payments you make in anticipation of a periodic return due.
  2. What can you do with your commission account?
     • View the detail of your available commissions.
     • Deposit a new commission amount via online payment or wire transfer.
     • Demanding repayment of all or part of your available commissions.
     • Using your available commissions to:
       • settle a debt of another nature,
       • make an upfront payment.
  3. You can perform all these steps directly through our platform MyMinfin. You can also deposit a new commission amount via bank transfer.
  4. For its part, the FPS Finance can intervene in your commission account in the following ways:
  5. When you file a periodic return, we will use your available commissions to settle the amount due, including late payment interest and penalties for non-payment or partial payment in case of payment after the due date.
  6. If we prepare a substitute return from the FPS Finance itself, we will use your commissions to settle this debt, including the negligence interest.
  7. At the end of each quarter, we will use your available commissions to settle all undisputed VAT debts for which you are still liable.
• Gradual rollout

Until May 1, 2025, your current account remains accessible and you can access your balances. From May 1, 2025, you will manage your balances through your commission account.

 

5. VAT refund
   • Via periodic VAT return

When you put a cross in your periodic VAT return from Jan. 1, 2025 to get your credit back, it is important to remember the following things:

• • • The credit claimed through your return is now limited to the amount in the schedule 72 of the periodic VAT return in which you claim the credit.
    • The credit can only be refunded if it is not used to pay tax or non-tax debts and if it is not withheld as a result of a garnishment, assignment of debt or other withholding imposed by your creditors. Starting in 2025, there is a new type of withholding. From then on, your credit may also be withheld if you fail to respond in a timely or complete manner to a demand for information.
    • If the credit can be refunded, this will be done for quarterly suppliers at the latest by the end of the third month following the return period of the periodic VAT return. For monthly suppliers, this deadline will be shortened to the second month following the return period of the periodic VAT return as of January 1, 2025. Taking into account the introduction of this new deadline for monthly declarants, the authorization for monthly refund will be abolished from January 1, 2025.
    • A refund is possible only if the following conditions are met:
      • The periodic VAT return claiming the credit was filed on time
      • The periodic VAT returns relating to the last 6 months preceding the return period and the return that gave rise to the credit were filed on time.
      • The credit is at least 50 euros.
      • You provided a valid bank account number in a timely and appropriate manner.

• • Via commission account
    • If you have not requested a refund in your periodic VAT return or if your refund request does not meet the conditions listed above, your credit will be placed in your commission account, provided it is not subject to withholding:
      • For monthly providers: at the end of the second month after the specified period
      • for quarterly employers: at the end of the third month following the specified period.
  • Prior to these installments, the balance is of course available to settle the next return. Any balance will be placed in the provision account according to the deadlines mentioned above.

• • Once the credit is available in your commission account, you can request its refund via MyMinfin. You can also request repayment of all or part of your funds already in your commission account.

• • We will refund you the requested amount within the month of your request, if it is at least 50 euros and subject to the following conditions:
    • You provided a valid bank account number in a timely and appropriate manner.
    • A balance remains after settlement of tax or non-tax debts or after any garnishment/transfer by one of your creditors.

 

6. Paying VAT

Payment of VAT must be made no later than the 20th day of the month following the specified period for monthly principals, and on the 25th day for quarterly principals.

Any delay in payment immediately results in negligence interest.

This delay will also result in a penalty for non-payment or partial payment. To help you avoid these additional costs, the FPS Finance makes available the commission account where you can make prepayments.