Taxation of Digital Services in Ukraine and Worldwide

Abstract

Introduction. The article investigates modern approaches to the taxation of digital services both in Ukraine and in the world. A general overview of existing taxation of digital services, as well as an analysis of the components of digital service taxation in different countries, helps to identify important trends and better understand the directions of further improvements in this area in order to adapt the domestic system of digital service taxation to EU regulations. Problem Statement. To study current aspects of regulation of digital service taxation in the context of international cooperation and OECD initiatives, in particular within OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Tax Base Erosion and Profit Avoidance (G20/BEPS). The purpose is to generalize the international practice of digital service taxation in terms of studying the possibilities of its approbation in the conditions of Ukraine and evaluating the efficiency of Ukrainian value-added tax on the Services Electronically Supplied by Non-Residents. Methods: General scientific and special methods are used: analysis, synthesis, grouping, description, comparison, theoretical generalization and abstract-logical. Results. The authors examine the main principles underlying digital service taxation, and also compare the taxation systems of digital and traditional business in terms of their compliance with the main principles of taxation, in particular the principle of neutrality, efficiency, fairness, simplicity, flexibility and the principle of gained benefits. The efficiency of the Ukrainian value-added tax on the Services Electronically Supplied by Non-Residents for the period of 2022 was analysed based on the c-efficiency indicator and an assessment of the tax gap, the results of which revealed potential for increasing the volume of its revenues to the budget. Conclusions. The expediency of expanding the VAT base by lowering the VAT registration threshold for non-resident providers of digital services, as well as imposition of VAT on a wider range of services has been substantiated.