2024 was a busy year for VAT rate changes. Estonia and Finland increased their standard rates, the Czech Republic simplified its reduced-rate structure, Malta introduced a 12% rate, and Madeira changed its regional reduced rate.
Czech Republic: one reduced rate of 12%
From 1 January 2024, the Czech Republic replaced its two reduced VAT rates with one 12% reduced rate. The standard rate remained 21%.
Source: Financial Administration of the Czech Republic – 2024 VAT changes
Estonia: standard rate increased from 20% to 22%
Estonia’s standard VAT rate increased from 20% to 22% on 1 January 2024. Transitional rules applied to certain supplies connected with pre-2024 invoices or contracts.
Source: Estonian Tax and Customs Board – VAT changes
Finland: standard rate increased from 24% to 25.5%
Finland increased its general VAT rate from 24% to 25.5% on 1 September 2024. Its reduced rates were unchanged at that point; their scope changed later, in 2025.
Source: Finnish Tax Administration – rates of VAT
Malta: 12% reduced rate introduced
From 1 January 2024, Malta introduced a 12% reduced VAT rate for specified supplies, including the management of credit and credit guarantees by a person other than the credit provider. Malta’s standard rate remained 18%.
Source: Malta Tax and Customs Administration – 12% VAT guidance
Portugal: Madeira’s reduced rate set at 4%
From 1 October 2024, the reduced VAT rate in Madeira was set at 4%. Madeira’s intermediate and standard rates remained 12% and 22%. These regional rates are different from those in mainland Portugal.
Source: Portuguese Tax Authority – VAT rates in the autonomous regions
End of temporary measures
Luxembourg’s 2023 one-point rate reductions ended on 31 December 2023. Poland’s temporary 0% VAT rate on basic foods ended after 31 March 2024, returning the affected products to their normal treatment from April.
Sources: Luxembourg VAT Administration and Polish Ministry of Finance
What did not change?
No other permanent, nationwide headline-rate changes were identified in 2024 among the countries covered by VATCalculator.eu. Always check the supply category and, where relevant, the territory before applying a rate.