Odesa Finance and Taxes

In the context of constant changes in tax legislation, an increasing number of inquiries and audits, and high regulatory uncertainty, businesses increasingly need timely, clear, and consistent explanations from supervisory authorities. Effective communication between enterprises and the tax service is therefore crucial today to minimize tax risks and create a predictable environment for doing business. 

On July 29, 2025, EBA Odesa held its regular online meeting of the Finance and Tax Committee, organized to discuss the most pressing issues facing businesses in 2025. 

The event was attended by experts from the Main Department of the State Tax Service in the Odessa region and the Southern Interregional Department of the State Tax Service responsible for large taxpayers. 

The meeting was moderated by Vitalii Smerdov — Chair of the Finance and Tax Committee of the Southern Ukrainian Office of the EBA, Managing Partner of First Pro Tax, Director of the Chamber of Tax Advisors, and an external consultant to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy. 

During the discussion, a number of key topics were covered, including: 

• The most common violations identified during tax audits in 2025 and areas of heightened attention by the tax authorities; 
• Best practices for responding to tax inquiries: deadlines, documentation, and procedures for complex situations; 
• Practical application of changes to Law No. 4505-IX regarding payments to controlled foreign companies (CFCs); 
• Recognition of Chamber of Commerce certificates as grounds for exemption from penalties in foreign economic activity — the tax service’s position and examples of application; 
• VAT adjustments under Article 199 of the Tax Code: cases of application and prevention of dual interpretations; 
• Current status and prospects of implementing SAF-T reporting format expected by companies soon; 
• Typical tax violations found during audits of large taxpayers and recommendations for audit preparation. 

The tax authorities not only provided detailed legislative clarifications but also shared internal perspectives on risk assessment and offered practical tips to help companies prepare more effectively for audits. 

We sincerely thank moderator Vitalii Smerdov for expertly guiding the session, and express our deep appreciation to the representatives of the Main Department of the State Tax Service in the Odesa region and the Southern Interregional Department of the State Tax Service for work with large taxpayers for their valuable insights and openness to dialogue. We also thank all participants for their active engagement and constructive contributions to the discussion. 

The European Business Association remains committed to fostering productive platforms for dialogue on key business issues.