The Right to deduct VAT in Europe

Notes on the Principle of Tax Neutrality

Authors

  • André Mendes Moreira Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Faculdades Milton Campos

Keywords:

Tax Law, principle of neutrality, Value-added Tax (VAT), right to deduct

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to reconstruct the principle of neutrality in light of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) case law. Within value-added taxation, the principle of neutrality prevents the tax to be levied in a cascading way. As will be shown, the CJEU adopted a broad method to recognize the right to deduct value-added tax (VAT) in Europe, allowing credits on the purchases of goods and services directly and indirectly related to the entepreneurial activity. Nevertheless, given that the CJEU establishes, as a condition for granting the right of deduction, the analysis of the facts related in each case, it generates uncertainty for the use of its caselaw as a source of Law.

Author Biography

André Mendes Moreira, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Faculdades Milton Campos

Professor Adjunto de Direito Tributário dos Cursos de Graduação, Mestrado e Doutorado da UFMG. Professor Adjunto de Direito Tributário do Curso de Mestrado em Direito Empresarial das Faculdades Milton Campos. Doutor em Direito Econômico e Financeiro pela USP (2009) e Mestre em Direito Tributário pela UFMG (2005), onde também se bacharelou em Direito (2002). Professor convidado dos cursos de especialização em Direito Tributário das Faculdades Milton Campos e do Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos Tributários - IBET. 

Published

2019-08-01

How to Cite

Moreira, A. M. (2019). The Right to deduct VAT in Europe: Notes on the Principle of Tax Neutrality. Revista Direito Tributário Atual, (42), 47–66. Retrieved from https://revista.ibdt.org.br/index.php/RDTA/article/view/661

Issue

Section

Doutrina Nacional (Double Peer Reviewed)