Invitation to the 11th EANOVAT PhD Seminar on Value Added Tax and other indirect taxes
The EANOVAT (European Academic Network of VAT) Academic Committee invites international PhD candidates to apply to the 11th PhD seminar on Value Added Tax and other indirect taxes, which will be held at Universitas Mercatorum (Rome, Italy) on 13 November 2026.
Background
Research on VAT (also known as the goods and services tax (GST)) and other forms of indirect taxation is still underdeveloped, notwithstanding its increasing importance in recent years. Yet it is one of the most significant sources of public revenue in many
jurisdictions, and it surely plays an important role in modern tax systems and in the functioning of the internal as well as the international market. For these reasons, recently the attention of national governments, EU institutions, and international organizations is particularly devoted to VAT/GST.
It is therefore necessary an academic reflection and comprehensive research on VAT/GST and other indirect taxes. The aim of the EANOVAT PhD Seminar Series on Indirect Tax is to provide a forum for professors and doctoral students to present their
work, to discuss emerging issues and engage in an open exchange of ideas, giving the opportunity for PhD Candidates to meet other researchers in indirect taxes, and exchange experiences with both their peers and senior academics working in this area.
Our main focus is upon researchers from European Law Schools, who are studying VAT, from a legal perspective. However, we are open to interdisciplinary approaches, to participants from other regions of the world, and to discuss research that focuses on indirect taxes other than VAT (e.g. in excises or customs duties).
This initiative has been designed as a recurring event. The first edition was held in April 2013 at Lund University (Sweden). It was followed by seminars at UCLouvain (Belgium),
at Durham University (UK), at Münster University (Germany), at University of Leeds (UK), and at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (the Netherlands), and last year at the UCLouvain (Belgium) again. As the feedback and comments at those events were extremely positive, we are now thrilled to announce the 11th edition of this initiative.
Time, place and costs
Friday, 13 November 2026, between 9:00 and 16:30 at Universitas Mercatorum (Rome, Italy)
The day before the PhD Seminar, on Thursday 12 November 2026, we will organize an academic conference on the topic: «VAT and the principle of proportionality». This conference will be held in Rome. You are also invited to take part in this conference, free of cost, and the dinner right after the conference.
Applications
All candidates writing a thesis in VAT or other indirect taxes are welcome.
Candidates are asked to send an application Prof. Caterina Corrado Oliva (caterina.corradooliva@unimercatorum.it) and Prof. Edoardo Traversa (edoardo.traversa@uclouvain.be) by 15 July 2026 at the latest.