[ancient_geezer]

Can you suggest any advantages/disadvantages I have not thought of?

More on the secondary effects of VAT related red-tape in many areas of the EU that are not mentioned in the glowing reports selling the advantages of a VAT:

Underdevelopment Trap
Carillo & Pugno
University of Trento
Economics Department
January 2002

[Your Nightmare]

I don't see where this paper says it's the result of the VAT.