News about Tax policy

At the end of last week, the process of discussing tax changes planned for next year de facto started. The Minister of Finance familiarized representatives of business associations with the main proposals of the ministry.

The richest one in a thousand residents of Europe receives about 4.5% of all incomes, but in different countries this figure differs several times – from less than 2% to more than 10%. This is evidenced by the data of the World Inequality Database.

The Russian authorities intend to increase tax levies for foreign nationals by 5-12 times. The State Duma of the Russian Federation will consider the relevant amendments next week.

Montenegro is preparing for the biggest tax reform of the digital economy. The country’s authorities intend to implement the VAT model in force in the European Union and oblige international online platforms to automatically withhold taxes from users.

Latvia’s Ministry of Economy has signed an agreement with food traders to reduce the VAT rate from 21% to 12% on basic food products in stores from July 1 this year. The list includes bread, fresh milk, chilled poultry meat and eggs.

The European Commission said Thursday it has sharply lowered its forecast for Romania’s economic growth in 2026 to 0.1 percent from 1.1 percent projected last fall.

The State Tax Service conducted a survey among taxpayers and presented its results. In general, it showed that the STS is increasingly perceived by them as a consultant and partner of business, rather than a controlling body.

Yesterday, the IMF Mission and the Government of Moldova reached an expert-level agreement on a new policy coordination instrument (PCI) for the next 3 years, without financing.

UPDATED. Parliament approved in the first reading the reform of the National Anti-Corruption Center. The bill expands the Center’s powers, introduces a third deputy director position and allows the head of the agency to be elected for two terms. The initiative was hotly contested due to rising budget costs and institutional risks, and the vote itself took place amid a scandal in the session hall.

More than 30 searches took place in Chisinau in a case of tax evasion and money laundering worth about 7 million lei.

Companies operating in the energy, industrial, aviation and maritime transportation sectors will face new costs for monitoring and verifying greenhouse gas emissions under draft regulations prepared by the Ministry of Environment.

From May 19 to 21, 2026, the State Tax Service will host an official delegation of the Swedish Tax Agency as part of the final phase of the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between the two institutions.

The establishment of a clear accommodation fee for hotels, as well as the need to revise the mechanism for calculating the market fee were discussed on the platform of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the RM.

Until June 30 of this year, taxpayers must decommission and deregister expired cash register equipment and replace it with machines connected to the IS “Electronic Sales Monitoring”.

Star singer Shakira (full name – Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripol) won in court against the tax authorities in Spain. The Spanish court ordered to return Shakira more than €60 million in taxes and penalties, which the singer paid during the proceedings because of her income in 2011. The previous tax burdens imposed on Shakira were declared invalid.

In order to receive part of the funds from the €90bn loan approved by the EU for Ukraine on April 22, Brussels requires Kiev to change its tax legislation.

The management of a Chisinau-based construction company is suspected of tax evasion and money laundering. The scheme was based on personal sales of apartments built by the company.

New rules for the elimination of tobacco products marked with excise stamps have come into force. They concern cases when the procedure is carried out abroad.

Personal property of citizens moving to Moldova from an EU country will be exempt from import duties. The new rules will come into effect at the moment of Moldova’s accession to the EU.

The procedure for reimbursing VAT to agricultural producers has been simplified by introducing a limit on the amount to be reimbursed. These changes are stipulated in the Order of the Ministry of Finance No. 64 of 14.05.2026, which was published today and entered into force.