North America

France Implements Mandatory Postponed Accounting on Imports

Kelsey O'Gorman
January 28, 2022

This blog was last updated on February 1, 2022

As a result of the 2020 Finance Law implementation, which transfers the management and collection of import VAT from customs to the Public Finances Directorate General (DGFIP), France has implemented mandatory reporting of import VAT in the VAT return instead of having the option to pay through customs as is typically the process. This change came into effect on 1 January 2022, with additional VAT reporting changes in France, including the Declaration of Exchange Goods (DEB) split where the Intrastat dispatch and EC sales list are now separate reports.

This new import procedure is mandatory for all taxpayers identified for VAT purposes in France. Registered taxpayers may no longer opt to pay import VAT to customs and must report all import VAT via the VAT return. This is a departure from the prior process, where taxpayers needed to receive prior authorisation to implement a reverse charge mechanism to pay import VAT through the VAT return. Now, this process is automatic and mandatory, and no authorisation is required.

Consequently, taxpayers with import transactions into France must now register for VAT purposes with the French tax authorities. Additionally, the French intra-community VAT number of the person liable for payment of import VAT must be listed on all customs declarations.

Changes to the VAT return

Changes to the French VAT return include (see Figure 1):

  • New fields to report import VAT and petroleum products
  • New numbering system for most of the return
  • Pre-filled information on imports – lists the amount of import VAT collected from customs items previously declared to the Directorate-General of Customs and Indirect Taxes (DGDDI). Taxpayers will have the ability to edit the pre-filled import amounts before submission
  • Pre-filled information will be populated from the 14th of the month following the due date
  • VAT returns containing import VAT will be due the 24th day of the month following the filing period
France Implements Mandatory Postponed Accounting on Imports

Figure 1: Draft extract of 2022 FR VAT Return

Impact on Taxpayers

From 31 December 2021, “foreign traders” who imported goods and then made local sales under the domestic reverse charge are now required to register as a result of the import portion of the transaction and will still apply the reverse charge to their sales. This will now require a new VAT declaration to be submitted.

Additionally, until 31 December 2021, a foreign company that imported goods into France and made local sales under the reverse charge had to recover the import VAT paid under the Refund Directive (EU companies) or the 13th Directive (non-EU companies). For Refund Directive claims, there would have been a cash advantage for France because either companies did not submit claims (small value) or because claims were rejected for non-compliance. For claims under the 13th Directive and the two previous considerations, there was also the issue of “reciprocity” which prevented claims from some counties such as the US, for example. Under the new regime, all import VAT is reclaimed, leading to a potential budget shortfall.

Take Action

To find out more about what we believe the future holds, download Trends and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest regulatory news and updates.

Sign up for Email Updates

Stay up to date with the latest tax and compliance updates that may impact your business.

Author

Kelsey O'Gorman

Kelsey O’Gorman is a Regulatory Counsel at Sovos. Within Sovos’ Regulatory Analysis function, Kelsey focuses on global sales tax and VAT issues, supporting both the tax determination and reporting engines. Kelsey received her B.A. in Psychology from University at Buffalo and her J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar.
Share this post

E-Invoicing Compliance North America
July 15, 2025
SOVOS + KPMG Blog Series: Part 2

Regional Approaches To e-Invoicing: A World Tour For U.S. Multinationals By Paula Smith, Managing Director, Indirect Tax Technology Practice, KPMG LLP; Lauren Tallman, Global Invoicing Specialist and Senior Manager, KPMG LLP; and Christiaan Van Der Valk, General Manager, Indirect Tax, Sovos   The global e-invoicing landscape resembles a patchwork quilt rather than a uniform blanket. […]

France's E-Invoicing Reform
E-Invoicing Compliance EMEA North America
July 15, 2025
France’s E-Invoicing Reform: We’re Ready to Support Businesses During the Pilot Phase

This blog was last updated on July 15, 2025 With the pilot phase of France’s e-invoicing reform fast approaching, we’re prepared to support businesses every step of the way. As a global provider of tax compliance solutions and a trusted technology partner, we’re ready to help companies navigate the upcoming transition with confidence. Preparing for […]

North America Tax Information Reporting
July 7, 2025
The Hidden Cost of the One Big Beautiful Bill: Why Raising Tax Reporting Thresholds Could Cost America Billions

This blog was last updated on July 7, 2025 In the whirlwind of tax policy changes sweeping through Congress, one provision of the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) has quietly slipped through with minimal public scrutiny, despite its potentially massive fiscal impact. The bill increases the reporting threshold for Forms 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC […]

ShipCompliant Wine Summit
North America ShipCompliant
July 3, 2025
The 20th Annual Sovos ShipCompliant Wine Summit: Top Takeaways

This blog was last updated on July 3, 2025 For 20 years, the Sovos ShipCompliant Wine Summit has been about gathering winery professionals with the authorities and leaders who make the industry move. At this year’s Wine Summit, attendees heard directly from the regulators, attorneys and brand leaders shaping the future of the wine industry. […]

E-Invoicing Compliance North America
July 1, 2025
SOVOS + KPMG Blog Series: Part 1

This blog was last updated on July 4, 2025 The Global E-Invoicing Revolution: What U.S. Multinationals Need to Know By Paula Smith, Managing Director, Indirect Tax Technology Practice, KPMG LLP; Lauren Tallman, Global Invoicing Specialist and Senior Manager, KPMG LLP; and Christiaan Van Der Valk, General Manager, Indirect Tax, Sovos    If you’re a financial […]

See for yourself how the Sovos Compliance Cloud can meet your business' unique tax compliance challenges.
Book a Demo
© 2025 Sovos Compliance, LLC. All rights reserved.
Why Sovos?
Resources
About
Products
Indirect Tax Suite
Information Reporting and Withholding Suite
Specialty Products
Solutions
By Tax or Document Type
By Industry
By Team or Initiative
By Region