Is this being done to remove competitive advantage some enjoy by being from lower tax countries or is this more of aligning sales of digital product with physical?
My understanding is it is to remove the loophole of companies being based in a country where VAT is lower then selling to consumers - where they need to charge VAT - and the total cost is lower.
Apple sells all apps through its Luxemburg subsidiary, meaning Luxemburg's low 15% VAT rate applied.
On the buyer side, am I right to assume that as a VAT-registered company/freelancer I will be able to deduct VAT paid on apps purchased through the App Store?
Also countries want to collect the VAT on digital purchases their citizens make. That is understandable, I suppose. The implications looks like a potential nightmare for small businesses though.