Before last year, an annual VAT return, annual Spesometro and monthly or quarterly VAT payments were due. In 2017, Intrastat returns were also meant to be abolished.

Given the importance of these changes and the little time to adapt to the new rules, the Italian tax authorities announced a revised timeline and several simplifications in order to allow businesses to meet the new VAT return requirements.

Transition rules on Italian VAT return

Here is a summary of transitional measures agreed in Italy:

• The 2017 first quarter VAT return will be due by 25 July 2017, together with the second quarter VAT return.
• During 2017, invoice listings will only be required on a half-yearly basis. The first invoice listing covers the period 1 January to 30 June and must be submitted before 16 September 2017. The second listing covers the second semester 2017 and is due by 16 February 2018.
• Intrastat returns will be due during 2017, also on the requirement to report intra-Community acquisitions. The Intra-2 forms must be used to report these acquisitions (same form as previously used).  These changes were already communicated last month.

Italy has a merged system of Intrastat and ECSL returns. Only one filing is due for these two obligations. This obligation combines data from each type of return. In 2018, intra-Community acquisitions will no longer be reported in this return. It is not clear how will the statistical authorities measure incoming goods from other EU countries if this data is not included in the Intra-2 form. Data such as commodity code and mass of goods would not be available for the Italian authorities. We can therefore expect further changes to Intrastat reporting in the future.

Italian VAT returns in 2018

For completeness, we are providing below a summary of the changes applicable as from 1 January 2018:

• Quarterly VAT returns will be due in 2018 by the last day of the second month following the reporting period. There is an extension foreseen for the second quarter, which would be due by 16 September. However, this extension would contravene Article 252, paragraph 1, of the VAT Directive, so we may expect new changes this deadline.
• Quarterly spesometros (invoice listings) will also be due in 2018 by the last day of the second month following the reporting period.
• Annual VAT returns will be due by 30 April of the following year.
• Monthly or quarterly VAT payments will remain due under the current deadlines. This is, by the 16^th day of the following month if monthly payments are due and by the 16^th day of the second following month for quarterly payments.
• Annual spesometro, Blacklist returns and VAT communications will not be due in 2018.

Regarding IT and technical requirements for the new quarterly spesometro, the authorities published IT and practical guidelines in RISOLUZIONE N. 4/E of 17 January 2017.