EU VAT Rates Overview
EU member states set their own VAT rates within EU framework rules. Standard rates range from 17% in Luxembourg to 27% in Hungary (the highest in the EU). Major economies: France 20%, Germany 19%, Italy 22%, Spain 21%, Netherlands 21%, Poland 23%, Belgium 21%, Austria 20%, Sweden 25%. Most countries also apply one or more reduced rates (typically 5-12%) for essential goods such as food, medicine, and books.