In the first blog in our series, we introduced SAP Clean Core concept and how much is being made about its impact on business, specifically the ability to customize an ERP to meet operational needs.
In part two, we addressed how businesses can use the SAP Clean Core principles to create a system that better supports their business objectives and positively impacts their tax and compliance management.
For our third installment in this series, I’d like to spend time talking about your business’ path to Clean Core and what that means for your tax and compliance programs and initiatives.
As outlined in our first two posts, aligning with Clean Core holds a number of significant advantages for companies including making them more nimble, efficient and cost efficient. It is a move I would encourage any business using SAP to consider sooner than later.
With any large-scale update, migration or platform change, getting your business ready for Clean Core is a process that takes advanced planning, a sound strategy and buy in from the highest levels of the organization to execute effectively.
In assessing your business’ readiness to adapt to Clean Core, it is important to understand both the short and long-term goals of the project and outline the specific actions that you will need to take to get there. My recommendation is to determine what your ultimate goal is, and then work backwards from there. This will help to ensure that no important steps are missed in the planning process.
With a project of this size and scope, it’s also critical to detail which parts of the project will be assigned to which departments and determine a method of oversight to ensure that all areas of the business are making progress and on track to meet associated deadlines.
When you are dealing with large, multi-faceted organizations, it is not uncommon for departments to move at different paces. This is where having executive buy-in becomes critical as it ensures that the project remains an organizational priority.
No two organizations are exactly the same in terms of their makeup and infrastructure. Therefore, you will need to conduct a self-assessment of where you are before you can determine which transformation trajectory makes the most sense for your business.
It is important to realize that an ERP transformation journey is a commitment that will require change. Assessing your organization’s appetite for change and the pace at which these changes can be implemented are critical success factors.
For organizations with the ability and desire to move faster, they will accelerate their time to modernization and be in a position to reap the benefits more quickly. However, I will caution that moving faster than your organization can realistically support can have serious consequences as well, which makes your initial assessment such an important part of your transformation journey.
Embracing the tenets of Clean Core can ensure that critical Tax and Compliance functions and decisions are no longer driven by complex and often difficult to maintain customizations within core ERP functions. Moving to an infrastructure with reduced complexity will enable your organization to more easily integrate specific tax solutions that are automated and maintained by third parties. This is an issue of great importance as governments and tax authorities around the world embark on their own technology journey and implement systems that are far more complex than previous generations.
Many countries have moved towards the complete digitization of tax compliance which requires real-time transactional data and complete transparency into your end-to-end transaction processes. Meeting these requirements can be the determining factor in your ability to conduct business within certain regions. Aligning with Clean Core is an important step in enabling your technology to react to changing regulatory conditions faster and more efficiently.
This type of transformation project should always be supported by and aligned with a solid business strategy. Having a set criterion of what you are trying to achieve and how you will measure effectiveness should be established up front. And global tax compliance should be a foundational element of any transformation event.
Tax and compliance are a great place to start your journey to begin unlocking the full power of aligning Clean Core principles with best-in-class tax solutions.
For more guidance on your journey, please download our free ERP Transformation eBook.
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has announced the implementation of a phased adoption of InvoiceNow, the national e-invoicing framework based on the Peppol network, for GST registered businesses starting voluntarily in May 2025. The mandate will cover B2B transactions only, as the government is expected to make B2G mandatory in the coming years.
InvoiceNow is a nationwide e-invoicing initiative by The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) for SMEs and large enterprises to streamline their invoicing for a faster and more sustainable way to transact, nationwide and worldwide.
Singapore’s nationwide e-invoicing network was first announced in 2019 and has recently been referred to as InvoiceNow. The mandate will require GST registered businesses to use InvoiceNow solutions to transmit invoice data to IRAS. The transmission of invoice data to IRAS will be done through Peppol Access Point (AP) service providers, extending the traditional four corner e-delivery model to a fifth corner model.
The mandate will be implemented in phases, as follows:
Even though an implementation timeline for all businesses has not been shared yet, further updates are expected in the future.
Saphety Level – Trusted Services, S.A is an IMDA-certified Peppol service provider in Singapore. Our regulatory experts can connect to the InvoiceNow network on your behalf.
Climate-related events are an issue that impacts all industries, and the insurance industry is certainly no exception.
Beyond the challenges that insurers face in assessing the likelihood of weather-related events and natural disasters, there are also difficulties affecting Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) as countries look at ways to ensure they can fund responses to the consequences of these events. Some of these are not direct IPT measures but inevitably impact IPT, whereas others are direct IPT-related measures.
Natural catastrophe coverage is often an optional add-on to property insurance. In some countries, however, that is not the case – such coverage is mandatory. France and Spain are examples of this, with regimes in place involving the Caisse Centrale de Réassurance (CCR) and Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (CCS), respectively.
Against a background of increasing costs due to natural disasters, recent months have seen other European countries follow suit with similar laws or proposals. Italy, for example, passed a law in late 2023 which requires companies to take out insurance policies by the end of 2024 to cover natural disasters occurring in the country. The government has authorised an Italian insurer to provide reinsurance of such risks like CCR in France, up to certain limits.
Germany and Slovenia have also seen resolutions or proposals for similar laws. In Germany, the Federal Council has called on the government to introduce mandatory natural catastrophe insurance. This is in light of the insurance protection gap relating to such coverage of properties. It remains to be seen whether the government will act based on this.
The increasing costs of weather-related events have triggered Slovenia’s national programme for protecting against natural disasters in the coming years, and a discussion of mandatory state insurance was recommended.
Additional premium amounts paid for natural catastrophe insurance can be expected to attract IPT and any applicable parafiscal charges due in these countries.
Weather-related events have also been cited as a reason for various premium taxation changes. In France, the additional premium rates due on risks which trigger natural catastrophe coverage (property and fire, as well as certain motor coverage) are increasing. Most notably, for property and fire risks, the premium rate is increasing from 12% to 20%. As IPT is due on this additional premium, this will significantly increase the IPT due on these policies.
Climate-related issues have had a major impact on levies used to fund emergency services due on property insurance in some states in Australia, specifically New South Wales and Tasmania. There is increasing pressure to reform the levies (with mixed success) due to the spiraling costs of responding to natural disasters. The levies result in huge increases to premium values, so the Insurance Council of Australia, amongst others, has urged the states to find a more sustainable way to fund emergency services.
Sovos actively monitors changes that impact IPT and is best positioned to advise if you have any IPT queries. Contact our experts today for more information.
The taxation of insurance premiums in Hungary is unique, both in terms of the technique used to calculate the tax and how it is governed.
Regarding calculating Insurance Premium Tax (IPT), Hungary is the only country in the EU where the regime uses the so-called sliding scale rate model. It applies to both IPT and the extra profit tax on insurance premium amounts (EPTIPT), also known as the supplemental insurance tax.
The insurance premium tax law (Act of 102/2012) includes the rules of IPT. However, this law can be amended by a government decree. Government Decree of 197/2022 regulates the EPTIPT. The Hungarian Tax Office has issued guidance about the rules of insurance premium taxation, and both IPT and EPTIPT are declared on the same return template.
In Hungary, insurance premium tax (IPT) and extra profit tax (EPTIPT) are levied on the premium amounts collected by the insurance companies.
In Hungary, it is almost impossible to determine the rate and amount of the insurance premium tax for a single policy, because IPT and EPTIPT are levied on the aggregated amount of the collected insurance premium.
The sliding scale regime considers:
For IPT, the threshold is HUF 20 billion since April 2024. It was HUF 8 billion prior to that. EPTIPT has no such taxable premium threshold.
For IPT, the scale is:
For IPT, the only exception from the sliding scale regime is the Class 10 motor third party liability insurance (MTPL) premium. IPT on MTPL premium is calculated differently, hence MTPL premium amount is not part of the aggregated taxable premium. The tax rate for MTPL premium is 23%.
EPTIPT’s scale differs from those of the IPT. Although the EPTIPT computation for non-life and life policies differs, the same scales apply. The EPTIPT scale is:
The rates, as of 2024, are:
The taxable basis is the insurance premium. The insurance premium is defined by the IPT Law (point 1 article 7 of Act 102/2012) as:
“The gross premium accounted for by the insurer based on accounting regulations for insurance services, including values not accounted for as gross premiums but considered as the countervalue for insurance services as coverage for insurance services, excluding premium income received from reinsurance taken from another insurance company, which is accounted for as gross income.”
MTPL premium amounts should not be considered for IPT’s sliding scale. However, the premium collected for MTPL is included in the EPTIPT non-life aggregated premium amount.
Life policies are exempt from IPT, but EPTIPT is payable on premium amounts collected by insurance companies from life policies.
Sickness insurance is exempt from both IPT and EPTIPT.
Another notable exemption is the premium amount collected on certain agricultural policies.
Currently, the biggest challenge in Hungarian Premium Taxation is the legal environment. The Constitution and the law on special measurements in case of catastrophic environments allow the government to amend tax rules – including IPT – via governmental decrees, instead of actually changing the relevant tax law.
For example, in 2022, a governmental decree introduced a new tax: the extra profit tax on insurance premium amounts (known as supplemental IPT or EPTIPT). In 2024, the government published another decree to change the applicable brackets of the sliding scale for the IPT regime.
The Act on Insurance Premium Tax No 102/2023 was not changed in either of these cases.
Hungarian IPT regulation is regularly changing. To keep yourself in the know, subscribe to Sovos’ tax alerts.
Here’s a brief timeline of changes to IPT in Hungary:
February 2024: Change for filing and payment of EPTIPT
March 2024: Hungary changes IsPT rates
These resources can help you navigate the intricacies of Insurance Premium Tax:
Sovos’ IPT Determination solution enables you to confidently calculate and apply IPT rates at quotation. Real-time tax updates ensure tax rates and tax applicability are always accurate.
Want to ease the burden on your tax teams? Sovos’ IPT Managed Services provides support from our team of local language regulatory specialists who monitor and interpret IPT regulations around the world, including in Hungary, so you don’t have to.
The convergence of traditional Value Added Tax (VAT) and transactional compliance regimes is creating new obligations and responsibilities for companies doing business around the world. When it comes to VAT, compliance is so much more than just reporting.
Here are six pitfalls you should avoid in the pursuit of VAT compliance:
Companies with multijurisdictional supply chains must ensure their VAT determination decisions are accurate every time. Managing the validation process with VAT Determination software that checks validity before invoices are cut can save time and improve data accuracy from the outset.
It’s also best practice to complete your buyer VAT ID checks at this point in the process to avoid nasty surprises later. Checking manually can be incredibly resource-intensive so using a solution that can automate this for you can save both time and hassle.
To be considered legal for VAT purposes, invoices need to meet a specific set of requirements which vary by jurisdiction. Without legally valid invoices, you may be presented with a host of problems when the time comes to reclaim input VAT. If you have accepted an invoice that doesn’t tick the boxes that make it legal for VAT purposes, you invite the scrutiny of the tax authorities.
Aside from possible fines, the delay while anomalies are reviewed can impact your cash flow and cause reputational damage. Even in a paper world, VAT deduction is not permitted for improperly formatted invoices.
With VAT obligations always growing and adapting, the pressure on internal tax teams is greater than ever. Each government has its own approach to penalties for late submissions or overdue payments. Manual processes can no longer be relied upon to meet the demands of the authorities on time, and with accuracy.
It’s possible to streamline the reporting process using software, outsourced services or a hybrid approach; what’s best for your business depends on how your tax team is organised.
With new requirements coming thick and fast, teams are working harder and faster. As a result, opportunities for manual error are at an all-time high.
Manually processing VAT invoices can be incredibly time-consuming and leaves room for oversight and human error. Even individual errors can lead to bigger problems down the line, attracting the attention of the authorities and impacting your ability to do business.
Extracting the right data from the appropriate system modules, and then processing and mapping it so that it can be summarised, is a complicated and detailed task. To complicate matters further, each jurisdiction has its own unique reporting requirements you must meet. Automating these processes can improve accuracy and your ability to comply.
Preparing VAT Returns, EC (European Commission) Sales Lists, Intrastat Declarations and other country-specific reports for regular submission can be demanding. Add in the need to prepare a SAF-T (Standard Audit File for Tax) report and the complexity intensifies. SAF-T requirements differ by country, including transactional data (about sales and purchases) and accounting data at a minimum, but often need information about assets and inventory as well.
Combining detailed data from different source systems with an exacting submission format means the report cannot be easily eyeballed to check for possible errors. Tax Authorities use software to analyse the SAF-T filings they receive and decide where to follow up with further auditing. To safeguard the quality of the submission and avoid a call from the tax authority, it’s essential that data is thoroughly analysed before it’s submitted – ideally using tools of the same calibre that each Tax Authority is using.
It’s never been more important to seek the right advice for VAT. Admitting you need help can be a daunting but crucial step, but the fear of non-compliance should be a bigger concern.
Simply put, there comes a time for every multinational organisation when managing complex tax obligations in-house just isn’t viable anymore. Consolidating your compliance with Sovos gives you access to industry-leading software, consulting services and regulatory experts, all of which are focused on ensuring you’re compliant now and will remain so in the future.
To find out more, get in touch today.
When it was announced recently that the introduction of a new French e-invoicing mandate had been delayed until September 2026 there was a collective sigh of relief amongst many in the tax and finance world. More time to adequately prepare, put systems and methodologies in place and have your business ready to be compliant from the get-go.
Sounds optimal, but let’s focus on reality. First, the reported delay is a bit deceiving. While it may not officially take effect until 2026, you only have a matter of months to get prepared to participate in the extended trial. Human nature may be to push it to the side and focus on more short-term deadlines. However, to not take advantage of the extra time provided would be shortsighted at best.
Here are five ways you can make this extra time work for you:
Note: portions of this section originally appeared in the Sovos blog, France: B2B E-Invoicing Mandate Postponed, updated 19 September 23.
Businesses will soon be able to register proactively for the pilot program, which has been designed to allow businesses to test the PDP platform. This program is intended to build knowledge and confidence and ensure businesses are on the path to readiness.
Therefore, it would be prudent to regard the delay as a mere six-month postponement, with the beginning of the pilot program acting as the de facto starting date. To understand the full impact on their business processes and data flows, companies will need to thoroughly test up to 36 use-cases.
The good news is that the many software vendors helping companies to streamline their purchase-to-pay and order-to-cash processes will be eager to test the compliance of their solutions as early as possible in what has become a completely new ecosystem.
We are proud to say that Sovos is one of the first 20 candidates for service provider (PDP) accreditation in France and as such, will be fully prepared to assist your organization through the trial process and beyond.
Looking for more information about how to comply with the French Mandate?
Download our French Mandate eBook or Contact our expert team.
Note: The Finance Law for 2024 has been officially adopted and published in the Official Gazette on 30 December 2023. Our blog, France: B2B E-Invoicing Mandate Postponed, is promptly updated whenever there are changes to the rollout of the French mandate.
Tax compliance in France is already complicated. New e-invoicing and e-reporting regulations being introduced by the DGFIP will mean companies doing business in the French Republic face some of the most onerous compliance obligations of all VAT jurisdictions.
One significant change for many businesses will be the need to use Partner Dematerialization Platforms, also known as PDPs. The role of a PDP is highly specialised. Indeed, strict legal requirements and technical specifications must be met to become a registered PDP.
The timeline affecting all businesses is clear. However, depending on your industry, you may need to rely on a PDP to ensure you’re fully compliant with the new requirements. Key industries include:
Companies that need to use a PDP to achieve compliance with the French mandate face an additional, critical decision in what is already a complex new process to navigate. The need for a PDP raises the stakes, making it crucial to have dependable answers to the following:
We’ve created a rundown of key questions to consider when choosing a PDP.
In addition to the existing requirement for B2G invoices (Public Procurement), the French Mandate reform will require B2B invoices to be exchanged electronically. As each B2B e-invoice is progressed, its status will shift. There are 14 status possibilities that need to be communicated between trading parties. Of these 14, 4 must also be automatically reported to the tax authority platform. The result will be a huge amount of additional data flowing in multiple directions.
Additionally, the transaction details of B2B cross-border sales and purchases – excluding non-EU imports of goods – and B2C sales and payment data for Services Sales must be reported electronically to the tax authority.
Meeting these processing and capacity demands will be a significant undertaking for solution providers. For context, 100 million B2G e-invoices are processed annually. With the addition of B2B e-invoicing to the French mandate, this number will now be in the billions.
Why does this matter?
You want to be able to trust that your PDP can cope with increased capacity and processing needs as well as evolving compliance requirements. You want to set yourself up for success for France as well as to deal with the growing obligations across Europe and beyond.
The French Mandate is part of a global trend towards tax digitization. E-invoicing mandates are constantly changing, being modified and updated.
Take Italy, for example. Since January 2019, the e-invoicing mandate has been revised over 40 times.
The French tax authority has already released four versions of the upcoming French Mandate specifications and these will continue to evolve. Will your chosen software solution be robust enough to handle these changes so they don’t negatively impact your business? By asking the right questions, you may find that some aspiring PDPs, who also happen to be existing e-invoicing providers, are out of their depth.
On top of this, there’s the EU-wide VAT in the Digital Age initiative and the changes it will bring. Your future PDP must have the bandwidth and agility to keep up with the inevitability of these future developments. You will also need to consider whether this PDP can take care of your compliance needs beyond France too.
Trust is everything. A seasoned partner with experience navigating and solutioning for diverse e-invoicing obligations is important for your business. As government interest in business data grows, it’s essential to avoid blind spots, often created by complex supply chains, across multiple countries, within and beyond the EU. You’ll need a holistic view of your data that’s broader than e-invoicing and CTCs (continuous transaction controls). Think SAF-T and the other domestic obligations you face, alongside compliance challenges like VAT determination and periodic reporting.
If you’re also doing business beyond France, these need your attention too.
Let’s be clear. Despite what you may have heard about France’s e-invoicing mandate, this is not more of the same.
Yes, electronic invoice requirements used to be relatively manageable. They needed to be readable and unalterable, providing clear proof of the original supplier’s identity.
The scheme that will be introduced with France’s mandate complicates matters, adding requirements for:
Failure to meet the exact stipulations of the reform will result in invalid invoices.
Without legally valid invoices, not just VAT collection and VAT recovery are jeopardised: This would impact your company revenues and your trading partners, creating cash flow and profitability risks.
Make no mistake, the commercial and reputational impact of not meeting these minimum requirements are even more significant than the potential penalties.
French companies may be used to correcting e-invoice errors at a later date, but soon that will no longer be an option. The mandate ushers in continuous transaction controls, so any data or syntax errors will be glaring. If problems arise with e-invoicing, it won’t be possible to revert to paper or PDFs producing a significant cash flow risk for suppliers. E-invoices must be correct and compliant first time, every time.
Reliance on an experienced and knowledgeable PDP for e-invoicing and associated compliance obligations doesn’t just join the dots in your data. It makes good business sense.
For traditional e-invoicing, a large business network has been a supply chain advantage. A large network allows any one business to connect with a multitude of suppliers and buyers that choose to automate billing and invoice payments.
However, the interoperability requirements of the upcoming mandate erode the power of network size. Every supplier and buyer will need to connect through France’s e-invoicing system (Portail public de facturation or PPF) either directly, or indirectly through a PDP. Giving you more freedom when selecting the right PDP for your business.
While each registered PDP is required to cover both inbound and outbound invoice flows, they’re not required to cover all 36 specific use cases mentioned in the official documentation so far. Each use case needs an adapted treatment, which creates complexity that PDPs must address.
It’s important to ask any PDP you’re considering about their plans to address these use cases and any future ones that could arise as requirements evolve.
Our experts remain close to the requirements of the French Mandate. Especially as these evolve. Make it easy for yourself; connect with us.
Speak to us about our future-proof tax compliance solution, for the French Mandate and beyond, or download our deep dive guide on preparing for France’s mandatory continuous transaction controls.
Note: The Finance Law for 2024 has been officially adopted and published in the Official Gazette on 30 December 2023. Our blog, France: B2B E-Invoicing Mandate Postponed, is promptly updated whenever there are changes to the rollout of the French mandate.
France will implement a mandatory B2B e-invoicing and an e-reporting obligation. Every company operating in France is affected.
Electronic invoicing in France requires using a (partner) dematerialization platform. The already enacted legislation leaves the choice of which platform up to companies.
Should you use the public platform (‘PPF – Portail Public de Facturation’, i.e. Public Invoicing Portal) or a third-party private platform (‘PDP – Plateforme de Dématérialisation Partenaire’, i.e. Partner Dematerialization Platform)? And which organisation registered as a PDP should you opt for?
There is a lot to consider – including the type of invoices, data management, customer/supplier relations, transmission, functionalities, and more – this blog will help you make a decision.
The electronic invoicing process includes formatting, controlling, reporting, routing tracking, transactions, whether between trading parties (domestic B2B e-invoices) or with the PPF (domestic B2B e-invoices, cross-border B2B sales and purchases, B2C sales, payments received on services). In this respect, PDPs are essential.
French legislation allows companies to choose their dematerialization platform for submitting and/or receiving domestic B2B invoices and reporting transactions. A public solution exists, the PPF, alongside which other PDPs position themselves.
What parameters should you consider when choosing a dematerialization platform? What are the conditions for becoming a PDP and when will they be operational?
This blog discusses the elements that enable companies to understand the role of dematerialization platforms in managing electronic invoicing. If you wonder how to choose the right PDP for your organization, read this blog about Choosing the right PDP – 5 Questions to ask Yourself.
The need to use a dematerialization platform is part of the electronic invoicing requirements, which come into force for business-to-business (B2B) transactions with go-live of the mandate.
An electronic invoice must be delivered in a structured format, leaving it to the trading parties and their PDPs to agree on the standard. By default, PDPs must be able to process the three core set formats, UBL, CII, or UNCEFACT, with the obligation for the platforms to produce a legible version of each invoice, or Factur-X hybrid format (XML+PDF/A-3).
PDPs may also offer to process any other structured formats (e.g. EDI formats such as EDIFACT), subject to acceptance by both the buyer and the seller. In both cases, PDPs will have to extract mandatory data from the issued e-invoice and map it into one of the core set formats – and then report them to the PPF within 24 hours of the e-invoice issuance.
The corresponding flows can be exchanged under various communication protocols (EDI, API, etc.)
Using a PDP isn’t mandatory from a legal point of view. However, using a PDP will be necessary for companies who want to exchange invoices in specific formats due to the specificities of the invoice flow (not supported by the PPF).
The PPF will be used for the obligatory transmission of invoice data to the tax authorities.
It will manage the following for companies:
The PPF performs other functions including management of the Central Directory (in which any registered company subject to VAT will be identified), data collection and transmission to the tax authorities, and retention of e-invoices.
Like the PPF, a Partner Dematerialization Platform (PDP) ensures the submission of invoices and conversion into one of the three core-set formats – CII, UBL or Factur-X.
But, contrary to the PPF, they will allow the exchange of invoices in any EDI format (other than the three core-set formats).
The PDPs will allow the following:
In addition to these mandatory functionalities, they may also offer the following:
A PDP is a platform registered and authorised by the French tax authorities. The official registration number will be issued based on an application file submitted by an operator. This file will have to document how the regulation requirements (decree and order published in October 2022) are met, particularly the ability to perform the functions expected of a PDP. These requirements are meant to be slightly revisited with a new decree/order to be published beginning of 2024 (more precisely, with the removal of connectivity tests with TA Platform as a PDP Registration Criteria)
In addition to the guarantee provided by this registration (mainly from the point of view of compliance with stringent security rules), what distinguishes a registered platform from a simple dematerialization operator is the possibility of transmitting invoices to other dematerialization platforms (PPF or other PDPs).
This registration is valid for three years and then must be renewed, based on audits to be regularly provided by the PDPs (first audit to be conducted no later than 12 months after the registration entering into force).
The first certified PDPs should be announced in the beginning of 2024 and will be published on the tax authority’s website.
Find out how Sovos can help you comply with e-invoicing regulations by speaking with one of our experts.
It’s essential to stay on top of your company’s VAT requirements. This requires sound knowledge of the rules and what authorities expect of businesses. This includes dealing with supplies of goods and services outside standard VAT obligations.
Not every product or service incurs VAT. This is VAT exemption.
Some goods and services are exempt from VAT. This depends on the sector and country you are selling within.
For more information on how to comply with European VAT, download our free eBook or read our comprehensive guide to the EU VAT e-commerce package.
If a supply is exempt from VAT, it may be because the EU considers the goods or services as essential. VAT exempt supplies include:
If your company only sells VAT exempt products or services, your business operates differently. It is a VAT exempt business and:
For example, if a company solely provides education and training services in the UK, the government would consider it an exempt business. The above rules would apply.
In some circumstances, a business might be partially exempt from VAT. Partial VAT exemption applies to VAT-registered companies that carry out both taxable and VAT exempt supplies of goods or services.
If your business is partially exempt from VAT, you can still reclaim any VAT incurred when producing or acquiring non-VAT exempt goods or services you sell to customers.
Additionally, partially exempt businesses need to keep separate records. These records should cover VAT-exempt sales and provide details on how VAT was calculated for reclamations.
VAT exemption is not the same as 0% VAT. No extra charges are added to the original sales price for either zero-rated or VAT-exempt supplies, but there are a few significant differences.
Unlike VAT-exempt supplies, zero-rated goods and services are part of your taxable turnover. Zero-rated supplies should be recorded in your VAT accounts – whereas, in some countries, businesses might only record non-taxable sales in regular company accounts.
Furthermore, in contrast to VAT exemption, you can reclaim the VAT on any purchases for zero-rated goods or services.
VAT rates and exemptions vary across the world, so we will use the UK as an example to illustrate the concept.
In the UK, most goods and services are subject to a standard VAT rate of 20%. However, some are subject to a reduced VAT rate of 5% or 0%.
Goods and supplies with a VAT rate of 5% include:
Goods and supplies with a VAT rate of 0% include:
These reduced rates may only apply to certain conditions, or in particular circumstances depending on the following:
Continuing with our UK example, if you sell, send or transfer goods out of the UK, UK VAT is often not included as they are considered an export.
You can send most exports to a destination outside the UK with a zero rating if you meet the necessary conditions:
VAT exemptions are always changing. Don’t get caught out. Contact our team for advice on how your business should manage its VAT obligations if it is exempt from VAT.
Did you know? Over 170 countries worldwide have implemented VAT or GST.
Despite how common VAT is, the tax is difficult at the best of times to understand. Knowing who pays VAT – the buyer or the seller – is straightforward, though, if you take the time to learn about the tax or have help.
That’s why we share plenty of knowledge on the topic, from an in-depth introduction to EU VAT to how VAT changes when trading between different EU countries.
With this specific blog, we explain who collects VAT and what governments expect of businesses. For questions around the EU VAT eCommerce package read this comprehensive guide.
Let’s start with the burning question, what is VAT?
VAT is a tax collected as goods and services move through a supply chain. In other words, manufacturers, distributors and retailers collect VAT as an item or service makes its way to a final consumer.
But wait. What’s GST?
Similar to VAT, GST sees tax authorities levy GST (Goods and Services Tax) on goods and services sold for domestic consumption. Consumers pay GST, and businesses remit it to the government.
Both GST and VAT share characteristics but have different names. How they work depends on the country and local legislation. For example, the EU has specific VAT compliance requirements as our free guide outlines.
Let’s start with a seller. Sellers collect VAT by adding the tax to the selling price.
The VAT charged by the seller is ‘output tax’. Sellers report this to the local tax authority on behalf of the buyer. The VAT paid by the buyer is ‘input tax’. The buyer can credit this against the VAT they charge.
Yes, we know this sounds complicated so here’s the concept in simpler terms.
In certain scenarios, VAT can be instead reported and remitted by the buyer. This is a ‘reverse charge’.
You are an eCommerce business? Read more about VAT compliance for eCommerce here.
The main differences between Sales Tax and VAT are who pays tax to the local governments and when.
VAT and Sales Tax occur at different stages in the production chain. As a tax authority, you levy Sales Tax on retail purchases of goods or services. You impose VAT on each step of the production process.
The challenge with Sales Tax is that tax authorities have no record of transactions to verify retailers’ tax payments. However, with VAT, the chain of transactions and credits creates a natural audit trail due to the cross-reporting between businesses.
The government can issue fines if tax authorities detect errors through an audit.
Usually, VAT is charged at the same flat rate across the board. This is set by a national government. However, other rates – such as a zero rate – can apply to specific supplies like children’s clothes and food.
Supplies such as financial and property transactions can also be exempt from VAT – in which case, no VAT is chargeable, nor can the related VAT be recovered by businesses.
The seller should issue a valid VAT invoice containing the following:
Local legislation defines whether additional information is required. Simplified and retailer invoices are allowed in some circumstances.
VAT encourages everyone in the production chain to maintain documentation for all transactions, making each subject accountable for their amount of revenue and compliance with tax laws.
This becomes particularly important when a business wants to reclaim VAT, as they will be required to produce evidence that the tax was incurred in the first place.
Businesses will document and report the VAT paid to their suppliers and the VAT collected on their sales. To claim a VAT credit, businesses must keep proof of the VAT incurred, such as purchase invoices and import documents.
Not all businesses may need to register for VAT. Some circumstances may trigger a VAT registration. These include:
In certain circumstances, it’s possible to register for VAT voluntarily, with the main benefit being the ability to recover the input VAT incurred on purchases.
Registered businesses file periodic VAT returns in respect of each prescribed accounting period. The format and frequency may vary from country to country.
Registered businesses also keep VAT records, charge the right amount of VAT to their supplies, submit VAT returns, and pay any VAT due in a timely manner.
There are specific triggers that could prompt queries from the tax office. Usually, these are changes in the company’s status – such as a new registration, a de-registration, or structural changes. VAT refund requests also fall into this category.
Due to their structure and business model, certain businesses are naturally subject to audits. Groups commonly selected for scrutiny include large companies, exporters, retailers, and dealers in high-volume goods.
Tax authorities, especially those trading with the European Union, often identify individual taxpayers based on past compliance and how their information compares with specific risk parameters.
Therefore, unusual trading patterns, discrepancies between input and output VAT reported, and many refund requests may appear unusual from the tax office and produce questions.
Finally, another common reason for the tax authorities to request further information from taxpayers is the so-called “cross-check of activities”. In this case, the tax office will contact their counterparts to verify that the information provided is consistent on both sides.
Whether a business decides to handle the audit in-house or request the support of an external advisor, it is essential to consider the consequences of the audit – especially if high amounts of recoverable VAT are at stake. In the case of an audit, the main objective should be a successful and fast resolution to limit any detrimental impact on the business.
Our explanation about who pays VAT, the buyer or the seller, has explained things but do ask our experienced team any extra questions you might have. They are here to help.
A seller collects VAT from sales and reports it to the local tax authority on behalf of the buyer. A buyer may also end up charging VAT if it is selling its own goods or services.
Yes, a buyer pays VAT to sellers and if a buyer sells goods or services to its own customer base and meets the threshold for VAT registration, it will charge VAT itself and pay this to the government.
Sellers do pay VAT, as it’s a consumption tax involved in every step of the supply chain.
This depends on the transaction, where the buyer or seller sits in the transaction supply chain, and whether the goods are exempt from VAT.
Sales Tax is different to VAT. The consumer only pays Sales Tax when buying the final product, whereas businesses collect VAT at every stage of production – meaning all purchasers pay VAT.
Speak to our sales team to find the right solution for you or take a look at our VAT solutions.
The European Union is a collective but its Member States have their own rules and nuances where VAT is involved. Knowing what rules are at play is essential when trading in the EU, and that’s where Sovos’ EU VAT Buster comes in.
Each Member State has its VAT threshold for sales. Though, collectively, things changed when the EU VAT Reform came into force. Bookmark this blog so you always have the key facts available when dealing with EU VAT.
For intra-EU B2C supplies, the VAT registration threshold in the EU changed on 1 July 2021. The EU introduced a new lower threshold of €10,000 for businesses established in the region, while a threshold does not govern those outside the region.
For European businesses, that threshold applies annually and is related to all sales in the EU. There is no revenue threshold for non-European companies, and they must be VAT registered in all Member States they sell within.
For other activities, many EU Member States have domestic supplies for established companies, whereas in most instances non-established companies do not benefit from any threshold.
The table below highlights a selection of EU Member States and the VAT number format for the country.
The below table shows VAT details for several countries. The VAT rates were last updated on 17 February 2023 and include the main reduced rates (countries may also have zero rates – read our blog to better understand how VAT works between European countries).
For more information, including relevant data on additional countries, speak to our expert team.
Country | Current VAT Rate | VAT Number Format | |
Standard | Reduced | ||
Germany | 19% | 7 | Format: Nine characters.
Example: DE 123456789. |
Hungary | 27% | 5, 18 | Format: Eight characters.
Example: HU 12345678. |
Romania | 19% | 5, 9 | Format: From two to 10 characters.
Example: RO 12, 123, 1234, 12345, 123456, 1234567, 12345678, 123456789, 1234567890. |
Spain | 21% | 4, 10 | ES X12345678, 12345678X, X1234567X
Format: Nine characters. Includes one or two alphabetical characters (first or last or first and last). |
Switzerland (non-EU) | 7.7% | 2.5%, 3.7% | Format: Nine characters, ends with MWST/TVA/IVA.
Example: CHE 123.456.789 MWST. |
United Kingdom (non-EU) | 20% | 5% | Format: Nine characters.
Example: GB 123 4567 89. |
EU VAT is a vast topic, especially considering each country within the union has its own nuances. As such, many questions are asked of us regarding it. Here are some of the most common phrases you may encounter, as well as some frequently asked questions – and the answers.
The Destination Principle is a concept which allows for VAT to be retained by the country where the taxed product is being consumed. It’s applied to the Goods and Services Tax in India, and on many EU supplies.
The VAT Origin Principle is a concept which requires that the applicable VAT rate for a transaction is determined by the Member State where the seller is based.
The Union OSS (One Stop Shop) is a scheme for intra-EU business-to-consumer supplies of goods and services. It was introduced in July 2021.
The Non-Union OSS (One Stop Shop) is a scheme for companies that are not established in the EU. It allows them to register and pay VAT for all business-to-consumer supplies of services in a single EU Member State. It was extended from the previous Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS) in July 2021.
All goods imported into the EU are subject to VAT. Businesses selling imported goods under EUR 150 can utilise IOSS (Import One Stop Shop) to simplify their VAT Compliance. To obtain an IOSS VAT registration, most non-EU companies need to appoint an intermediary – such as Sovos.
Marketplaces may become the deemed supplier of some business-to-consumer transactions when they cross borders, taking on VAT obligations. This means that a marketplace would gain responsibility for collecting and reporting VAT from the consumer.
To stay compliant with tax regulations, companies need to know the varying VAT thresholds of the EU Member States. In July 2021, the EU introduced a universal distance selling threshold of €10,000. For other activities, many EU Member States have domestic supplies for established companies, whereas in most instances non-established companies do not benefit from a threshold.
Cross-border supplies involve goods being transported from one country to another. In some cases, goods may cross multiple borders on the journey from the supplier to the final destination of sale. When dealing with cross-border supplies, you may create a requirement to register for VAT.
There are no customs charges when goods are transported from one EU Member State to another. There are customs charges for goods originating outside the EU. Such charges are generated from customs controls at borders and are dependent on a specific set of rules.
In the EU, Import duty is tax payable based on the value of imported goods and can include VAT and customs duties.
Hungary has the highest standard VAT rate of any European country, sitting at 27%. Croatia, Denmark, and Sweden are joint-second at 25%.
Luxembourg has the lowest standard VAT in the EU at 16% for 2023, though this will return to 17% in 2024. No country can charge a standard VAT rate below 15%.
No EU Member State can charge under 15% as a standard VAT rate. Luxembourg has the lowest standard rate among the Member States at 16% (albeit temporarily).
Although the European Union has somewhat created a uniform tax protocol, each EU Member State has its own VAT rates.
If you buy or receive goods for business purposes from another country in the EU, you must pay VAT on the transaction at the rate dictated by the type and place of supply.
Businesses need to know the unique VAT threshold of the EU Member States. As of July 2021, the VAT threshold for distance selling in countries in the EU is €10,000. For other activities, many Member States have domestic supplies for established companies – though, typically, a threshold is not applicable for non-established companies.
VAT registration is applicable for non-resident companies to trade in a country, with specific requirements outlined by the EU and individual tax authorities.
Interested in finding out more about VAT registration options and the various OSS schemes? Contact our sales team today. Refer to this page for our solutions around VAT compliance for eCommerce.
Aimed at making life easier for businesses, the EU E-Commerce VAT Package simplifies the VAT reporting requirements when trading across European Union Member States. This package is part of wider EU VAT reform.
Our live blog collates vital information on the package, with updates whenever governments or tax authorities provide new information. Bookmark this blog or subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated with the latest developments.
Download our eBook, Understanding European VAT Compliance for more information on EU VAT.
Update: 14 June 2023 by Russell Hughes
Following Brexit and the introduction of the IOSS, EU customs has seen a significant increase in trade volumes. Now, the EU Commission has put forward proposals to reform current EU customs practices.
The new measures will embrace the digital transformation and lead to a simpler customs process by introducing a data-driven approach to EU Customs that will replace traditional declarations. The aim is to provide customs authorities with the tools and resources to prevent fraudulent behaviour from traders, enabling them to pick out those imports that threaten the EU’s tax take.
The new framework would simplify customs reporting requirements for traders, reducing the time needed to complete import processes by providing a single EU interface and facilitating data use.
The EU Commission has proposed a new EU Customs Authority to oversee an EU Customs Data Hub. Over time, the Data Hub would replace the existing customs IT infrastructure in EU Member States, which they believe will save up countries up to €2 billion a year.
The idea of the new Data Hub is that businesses can log all the information on their products and supply chains into a single online environment. This technology will compile the data provided by businesses, providing customs authorities with a 360-degree overview of supply chains and the movement of goods through machine learning, artificial intelligence and human intervention.
Based on the transparency of inputting information into the portal, these businesses will become trusted traders – allowing them to release their goods into circulation into the EU without any active customs intervention. This will allow customs authorities to prioritise their resources and prevent illegal and unsafe goods from entering the EU.
The Data Hub is looking to open by 2028 for e-commerce traders and 2032 for other importers. This will initially be voluntary up until it becomes mandatory in 2038.
The final pillar of the new reforms will be the abolishment of the €150 threshold at which customs duties are charged, effectively expanding the IOSS scheme. Currently, any goods imported at €150 or below are exempt from customs duties, whilst VAT is collected and reported on the IOSS return.
However, this reform will remove that threshold to ensure all goods will be brought into the customs duty regime and prevent fraudulent traders who look to undervalue goods for customs purposes. It is currently believed that around 65% of parcels entering the EU are undervalued.
Under the new reforms, online platforms and e-commerce sellers will become ‘deemed importers’ responsible for ensuring goods sold online to EU customers comply with customs obligations. Such platforms and sellers will charge VAT and duties at the point of sale and settle this via the IOSS return, no matter the value of the order. Therefore, import VAT and duty charges at the border for imported goods will no longer hit the consumer.
Looking for advice on how to handle these proposed changes? Contact our team of experts.
Update: 28 June 2022
In this episode of the Sovos Expert Series, Cécile Dessy speaks with Russell Hughes, Consulting Services Manager at Sovos, to explain how these new schemes have evolved during their first year.
Still have questions on how to stay ahead of OSS? Speak to our experts.
Update: 15 April 2022
It’s been just over nine months since the introduction of one of the most significant changes in EU VAT rules for e-commerce retailers, the E-Commerce VAT Package.
Under the new rules, the country-specific distance selling thresholds for goods were removed and replaced with an EU-wide threshold of €10,000 for EU-established businesses. Non-EU-established businesses now have no threshold.
Initially, the thought of charging VAT in all countries businesses sell to was overwhelming. Though, businesses now see many benefits from the introduction of OSS.
The biggest benefit for businesses is VAT compliance requirements simplification. OSS implemented one quarterly VAT return instead of meeting many different EU Member State filing and payment deadlines.
Businesses that outsource their VAT compliance have reduced their costs significantly by deregistering from the VAT regime in many previously VAT-registered Member States. Businesses also receive a cash flow benefit under the OSS regime as VAT is due quarterly instead of monthly or bi-monthly.
As part of this EU VAT reform, we saw the removal of low-value consignment relief. This change meant import VAT was due on all goods entering the EU. It brought many non-EU suppliers into the EU’s VAT regime, with the European Commission (EC) announcing over 8,000 currently registered traders.
EU Member States had some hiccups, including not recognising IOSS numbers upon import, leading to some double seller taxation. But for most businesses, IOSS enables them to streamline the sale of goods to EU customers for orders below €150. The EC recently hailed the initial success of this scheme by releasing preliminary figures showing €1.9 billion in VAT revenues collected to date.
Want to know more about the EU VAT reform and One Stop Shop and how it can impact your business? Download our detailed guide.
Update: 22 November 2021
As with any new initiative, IOSS has not been without its issues. Here we look at some of those issues early into the new VAT system.
Some clients tell us there is some confusion with their freight forwarders, who continue to operate the “landed cost” model even though the seller intended to sell under IOSS.
Under this model, the seller charges the customer an amount including VAT. The freight forwarder then imports the goods in the name of the customer. Then, the freight forwarder settles the customer’s import VAT liability and seeks reimbursement from the seller.
In this case, the local tax authority receives the VAT due as import VAT. However, freight forwarders still use this model in cases where the seller has provided its IOSS registration number.
Although the customer pays import VAT, the seller also accounts for supply VAT on its IOSS return. Double taxation must be funded by the supplier if the seller reimburses the freight forwarder without correcting the error.
The EC removed low-value consignment relief on 30 June 2021. It levelled the playing field and reduced the VAT gap by dealing with fraud. However, there appears to be a gaping hole in the system, meaning fraud is just as possible, and the playing field is anything but level.
Where a shipping document includes an IOSS number, the underlying assumption is that the goods are under €150, and the seller will pay the VAT due. The IOSS number is checked for validity but not identification of IOSS number ownership.
IOSS numbers are widely available online, especially for online marketplaces. We are hearing that some unscrupulous sellers are using valid IOSS numbers that belong to other businesses.
This activity allows them to sell goods knowing they will never have to account for VAT in the EU, thereby undercutting local suppliers. The owner of the IOSS number does not account for this VAT, and the tax authority will find this discrepancy during an audit.
There is confusion around certain categories of goods and their IOSS treatment. Businesses can sell magazines and other goods under a subscription service, and the subscription period can often be more than one year.
In an annual subscription scenario, there will typically be one payment at the beginning of the subscription and then a succession of deliveries of goods – 12 for a monthly subscription.
So, the question is, how are subscriptions treated under IOSS? Where IOSS is applicable, if the seller reports the full amount at the outset, there will be a mismatch between the VAT return and the imports. If the seller reports an amount equal to one month’s subscription month, then VAT is accounted for late since VAT is generally due at the earlier of the issue of the invoice or the receipt of the payment.
How is the IOSS eligibility assessed? Is it the value of each shipment or the value of the subscription considered when determining whether the intrinsic value is less than €150?
There is speculation that each consignment’s value determines if a seller can use IOSS. We put this question to one EU tax authority. They replied that we could find the issue of subscription treatment within the rules on when the seller must account for VAT. The rules clearly state that tax authorities consider goods supplied at the time when the seller accepts payment.
In this case, the tax authority recognises all 12 magazines as supplied when the seller accepts payment. If that payment is above €150, then IOSS is not available. Not all Member States share this view. It raises the question of which tax authority decides – where the business is registered for IOSS or where the VAT is due?
Need more information on IOSS and how it could impact your tax compliance? Get in touch with our team.
Update: 8 September 2021
Unfortunately, there were initial delays and teething problems when the EU introduced the E-Commerce VAT Package. We expected this with the adoption of such significant EU VAT reform, but as with any new scheme, the tax authority can resolve this over time.
Some examples include:
Some Member States disallow the import of specific categories of goods due to local restrictions, e.g. foodstuffs, plants, etc.
It’s sometimes unclear if freight forwarders have used IOSS or not. This confusion could lead to repeated errors of VAT underpayment or overpayment.
Some non-EU vendors are trying to avoid an IOSS registration by stating that the customer is the importer of record. While this occurred before IOSS, it did not occur as much as it does now – and was not always spotted or queried.
However, since the introduction of the IOSS, some tax authorities, including Germany, have questioned this approach. In some cases, the carrier who imports the goods acts for the non-EU vendor and the buyer is unaware of their identity.
Sovos is here to help you understand the latest EU VAT reform. Download our e-book or contact our sales team for more information.
Update: 29 October 2020
On 30 September 2020, the EC published its Explanatory Notes on VAT E-Commerce Rules. It provides practical and informal guidance on upcoming e-commerce regulations. The EU initially adopted this EU VAT reform under Directive 2017/2455 and Directive 2019/1995.
The Explanatory Notes set out to explain the practical aspects of the upcoming changes to place of supply rules and reporting obligations for certain online supplies in Europe. It specifically addresses: B2C distance sales of goods imported from third countries, intra-community distance sales of goods, and cross border supplies of services.
The explanatory notes provide further guidance on applying OSS and IOSS schemes. It includes scenarios where Electronic Interfaces (such as marketplaces) are liable for VAT collection and remittance relating to underlying suppliers transacting on their platforms.
For EU-EU goods deliveries, suppliers are no longer required to register and file VAT returns in every EU Member State where they’ve exceeded distance selling thresholds. Instead, a new EU-wide threshold of €10,000 applies, after which VAT must be collected and remitted based on the destination of the goods.
Under the OSS, suppliers (or deemed suppliers) may elect to register once in their Member State of identification and file a single, simplified OSS return for all their EU distance sales.
A similar scheme, the Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS), already exists for electronically supplied services by EU and non-EU suppliers. The EU will broaden its scope to include all B2C services where the VAT is due in a country where the supplier is not established.
B2C suppliers participating in OSS must use it for all supplies under the scheme. However, it shouldn’t be seen as a drawback because the EU designed the OSS scheme to reduce admin burdens.
For example, in addition to simplifying registration requirements, OSS imposes no obligation to issue a VAT invoice for B2C supplies. (An EU Member State may opt to impose invoice requirements for service invoices only, but not for goods).
Distance sales of goods imported from third countries, with an intrinsic value no greater than €150, may be subject to the new IOSS simplification regime. It is designed to facilitate smooth and simple VAT collection on B2C imports from outside the EU.
With the concurrent repeal of the €22 low-value consignment relief, IOSS is an attractive option for suppliers looking to reduce administrative and compliance burdens.
Under this new EU VAT reform, a supplier (or deemed supplier) may elect to register – via an intermediary for non-EU suppliers – for IOSS in a single Member State. It allows them to collect VAT in the respective EU country of destination and remit monthly IOSS VAT returns.
The new e-commerce rules explanatory notes emphasise the overriding goal of making VAT collection more effective, reducing VAT fraud, and simplifying VAT administration.
Nevertheless, businesses must be careful to ensure that their internal systems are properly configured prior to the changes taking effect.
To learn more about this new EU VAT reform, listen to our on-demand webinar: A Practical Deep Dive into the New EU E-Commerce VAT Rules
It can be difficult to know where you stand regarding EU VAT changes and European tax laws. There have been sweeping changes implemented in recent years.
This blog breaks down the major updates, including the EU VAT reform, to help ensure your business is on the right path. Additionally, you can speak with our team of experts for personalised assistance with VAT compliance or have a look at our solutions for VAT compliance for e-commerce.
To keep up with the digital age, the EU changed how its VAT system works in July 2021. The EU e-Commerce VAT Package was part of this. So was the One Stop Shop (OSS), which intends to make cross-border trade less of a headache.
With OSS, companies can declare and remit the VAT due on certain sales in a single language and within just one Member State tax administration.
OSS introduced three schemes:
Prior to the EU VAT reform, e-commerce sellers of goods needed to have a VAT registration for each of the EU Member States that they traded in – providing they had a turnover above a particular threshold. The threshold was dependent on the country.
With the changes that arrived on 1 July 2021, these thresholds were replaced by a single, universal threshold of €10,000 for EU businesses. If turnover exceeds that figure, VAT must be paid in the Member State where the goods are delivered. Non-EU businesses have no threshold.
While the EU’s lowest agreed standard rate is 15% as per the VAT Directive. Luxembourg has the lowest standard rate at 17%, whereas Hungary has the highest at 27%. Other countries fall within that range.
On 8 December 2022, the European Commission proposed changes in relation to the VAT in the Digital Age initiative.
While nothing was been implemented at the time of publishing, the proposal offers up significant changes and is one of the more prominent developments in the history of VAT in Europe.
The Commission proposes changes to the VAT Directive, specifically affecting:
Again, the regulatory change is yet to come into effect. It requires formal adoption by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, as well as a unanimous positive vote by the Member States but if approved these will include significant changes.
If your company is based in the EU then VAT is likely to be chargeable on both purchases and sales of goods within the region. Exceptions do exist, however.
Where VAT is charged depends on the type of supply and is determined by the EU’s place of supply rules which determine where VAT is due, i.e., country of supplier or country of delivery.
The One Stop Shop abolished distance selling thresholds that were in place and created a centralised electronic platform for VAT. The change means that where intra-EU supplies exceed the €10,000 EU threshold (no threshold for non-EU companies), VAT is due in the Member State of the delivery – regardless of the level of sales in that country.
European businesses can take care of all their VAT obligations for sales across the entirety of the EU through the OSS. The scheme allows for any VAT due to be accounted for in a single VAT return, making life easier for businesses that trade across the EU. Companies trading in the EU are eligible to utilise OSS, and there is also a non-union OSS scheme for businesses outside the EU for digital supplies.
Visit our OSS guide for more in-depth knowledge of the scheme.
Get in touch today to understand how ever-changing VAT e-commerce rules in the EU affect your business.
Still have questions? Maybe we have answered them already below:
The most recent country to leave the EU was the United Kingdom. The UK hasn’t changed its VAT system however businesses selling into Europe have needed to change their business practices.
No, the UK maintains its own VAT rate and tax system. Different rules apply for businesses in Northern Ireland.
Yes, an EU country can change its VAT rate within the guidelines set by the EU VAT Reform.
Update: 28 March 2023 by Maria del Carmen
On Friday 31 March 2023 the grace period granted by Mexico’s Tax Administration Service (SAT) in the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution 2023 (RMF) ends. Taxpayers must transition to version 4.0 of CFDI, Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet, the electronic billing schema.
Document formats that will no longer be accepted following the end of the grace period include:
Authorized CFDI Certification Service Providers (PSCCFDI) must update their integration mechanisms to remain compliant with the new CFDI 4.0. Taxpayers must align their technologies with the changes that their PSCCFDI notifies.
The authority has the power to impose fines for non-compliance with the new CFDI tax provisions, when executing verification powers or within are fund application process.
These fines range from $ 19,700.00MXN ($ 1000.00 USD approx.) to $ 112,650.00MXN ($ 5500.00 USD approx). Repeated non-compliance can result in the tax authority preventively closing the taxpayer’s establishment for a period of three to fifteen days.
Fines of $ 400.00MXN ($ 20.00 USD approx) to $ 600.00MXN ($ 30.00 USD approx) will be issued for tax receipts that don’t include the relevant supplements as outlined in the SAT’s guidelines.
In extreme cases where damage to the federal treasury is proven, this is considered comparable to tax fraud. This would involve when CFDI is used for taxes calculation with non-compliance requirements of Articles 29 and 29-A of the Federal Tax Code.
The CFDI Version 4.0 became the only way to invoice, the tax authority has updated the following documents ahead of CFDI v4.0 transition:
Companies will need to be mindful of these changes and how to implement them to ensure ongoing compliance during the transition to CFDI 4.0.
Need to discuss compliance with Mexico’s e-invoicing requirements? Speak to our experts.
Update: 1 February 2023 by Maria del Carmen
CFDI, which stands for Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet, is the electronic billing schema defined by the Mexican federal tax code. It has been mandatory for companies that do business in Mexico since 2011.
CFDI aims to increase visibility into companies’ tax liabilities so the government can ensure it is receiving accurate payments. It has been successful, with audits based on the legislation revealing a 34% increase in VAT collected in a single quarter.
Tax legislation in Mexico requires additional information when companies make certain transactions. Named “complementos” or supplements, the additional information must be attached to the main CFDI.
There are 30 main CFDI ‘complementos’, each with its own essential components and requirements. There is also a validation process and cancellation process to follow and a wide range of penalties for non-compliance.
Read our Mexico e-invoicing guide to learn more and ensure compliance with this complex VAT landscape.
On 27 December 2022, the Mexican Tax Administration Service (SAT) published the Resolution Miscellanea Fiscal (RMF) 2023. Each annual revision sets outs rules and adjustments for CFDI, a key component of Mexico’s electronic invoicing system.
The RMF entered into force on 1 January 2023.
Among the most important rules is the extension of the grace period for issuing certain documents. Now extended to 31 March 2023, the provision covers the following documents:
The RMF 2023 states cancellations of the CFDI cannot be made later than the month in which the annual declaration of the ISR (tax on income) must be submitted. That’s in April for individuals, and in March for companies.
The resolution also states that corrections to the payroll payment CFDI (CFDI de nómina) can only be made once and no later than 28 February 2023.
Taxpayers that carry out volumetric controls of hydrocarbons and petroleum products may continue to issue a daily, weekly, or monthly CFDI for all operations carried out with the public, until 31 December 2023.
Including supplement “Hidrocarburos y Petroliferos” in the CFDI will become mandatory 30 days after the SAT publishes the complement on its website.
The RMF states until 31 July 2023 no fines will be imposed and it will not be considered under the crime of smuggling if the Carta Porte supplement does not have all the requirements indicated in the CFDI Filing Guide.
To prove the transport of goods or merchandise, the intermediary or transport agents must now issue the CFDI type income (CFDI tipo ingreso) with the Carta Porte Supplement – instead of the CFDI type Traslado.
Taxpayers involved in the motor transport of dedicated services are subject to additional rules. Those who provide the service to a single client or contractor through the specific assignment of vehicle units may issue the CFDI type income (CFDI ingreso) to cover the entire service provided without the Carta Porte Supplement.
In these instances, the client or contracting party must issue the CFDI of transport (CFDI de transporte). This includes the Carta Porte supplement for each trip, which must be related to the CFDI type income (CFDI ingreso) issued by its carrier.
Additional regulations are established regarding the issuance of CFDIs related to bareboat charter services, for a specific time, per trip, and ferry modality.
The RMF includes information about the Resource Identification Supplement and Expense Bill of Third Parties provision, this will become mandatory 30 days after the tax authority publishes it on its website.
For further questions don’t hesitate and get in touch with our experts today.
All European countries charge VAT on goods and services. VAT is a consumption tax added during each production stage of goods or services.
Although VAT is near-universal according to the EU VAT Directive, VAT rates within the EU do differ.
This is because the EU VAT Directive allows Member States to choose whether to implement specific measures. Our guide on understanding VAT compliance explores this in more detail. Refer to this resource for VAT compliance for eCommerce.
Authorities in the EU charge VAT on all taxable supplies of goods or services at each stage of the supply chain. Our blog on who pays VAT, the buyer or seller, explains why in more depth. This is a significant distinction from Sales Tax, which only applies to the final supply. Some goods and services, such as healthcare and financial services, are exempt from VAT.
Companies must also distinguish if they are supplying goods or services to another business (B2B) or a private individual (B2C). This difference dictates how and where they need to charge VAT.
The general rule for B2B is that the product or service is taxed where the customer is established, while B2C services are taxed in the supplier’s country.
There are some special rules, however, such as those related to immovable property or events.
The situation starts to get complicated when transporting goods between countries. The taxable person must take the nature of the goods supplied and how the supply takes place into account.
When dispatching or transporting goods between businesses in different EU Member States, Intra-Community Supply (ICS) and Intra-Community Acquisition (ICA) of goods occur. An Intra-Community Supply of goods is a transaction where the goods are dispatched or transported by, or on behalf of, the supplier or customer between the EU Member States and is exempt, providing it meets certain conditions.
At the same time, a customer making an Intra-Community Acquisition is a taxable transaction. Where the ICA has been carried out define the location of tax, namely the location of the goods after the transport has finished.
Different rules apply to the export of goods to countries outside of the EU where the VAT is charged in the country of import. Instead, the location of the goods once they’ve arrived sets where the supply is. It is then treated as zero-rated in the Member State of export if it meets specific evidence requirements.
We know how complicated this sounds and our experienced team can answer your questions about this side of VAT. Contact our VAT experts here.
Generally, the business charges output VAT on the supply when the supplier carries out a taxable supply. The customer then deducts input VAT on the purchase, if valid to do so.
In some instances, the reverse charge mechanism applies. The reverse charge requires the customer to account for the VAT and is also known as a ‘tax shift’.
Where it applies, the customer acts as both the supplier and the customer for VAT purposes. The company charges itself the applicable VAT and then, where that service relates to taxable supplies, it recovers the VAT as input tax in the VAT return. The VAT charged is instantly reclaimed.
Typically, the customer must provide the supplier with a valid EU VAT number to use the reverse charge.
For an entry-level explanation of VAT, why not read our blog ‘An Introduction to EU VAT?’ or our EU VAT Buster.
Whilst the general rule on supplies of goods above applies, the rules have changed over the years to apply VAT where the goods are consumed.
When a business sends goods from one Member State to a private individual residing in another Member State, the VAT rate of the country of the customer should apply – unless the supplier can benefit from the EUR 10,000 threshold per annum.
In such a case, the supplier can charge the domestic VAT rate and report the sales below this threshold in the domestic VAT return. However, this exemption does not apply to suppliers established outside the EU or keeping stock in several EU countries.
To minimise the administrative burden of businesses registering in all EU Member States where the goods are delivered, the EU launched the OSS (One Stop Shop).
OSS schemes have simplified the supply of goods by taxable persons to private consumers:
Businesses established in the EU are entitled to use the Union and Import schemes, whereas non-EU companies can take advantage of the non-Union, Union and import schemes.
IOSS (Import One Stop Shop) simplifies the registration obligations for sellers established outside of the EU that sell goods to private individuals in the EU. Similar rules apply for the OSS, allowing the seller to register in one Member State where they account for VAT in their VAT returns.
Other advantages of using this scheme include exemption from import VAT and avoiding customs duties. This scheme, however, is restricted to consignments up to EUR 150.
As per the legislative proposal published by the European Commission on 8 December 2022, the EU intends to widen the scope of OSS to cover more goods and services.
Ready for a deeper dive into VAT rates? Here’s an overview.
The EU’s lowest agreed standard VAT rate in the VAT Directive is 15%, but it is not applicable in any of the EU Member States. The lowest standard VAT rate in the EU is in Luxembourg at 17%, followed by Malta at 18% and Cyprus, Germany and Romania at 19%. Hungary is one of the EU countries with the highest VAT rate at 27%, followed by Croatia, Denmark and Sweden with 25%.
Annexe III of the VAT Directive mentions the threshold for applying reduced rates within the EU Member States. The rate cannot be below 5%.
There are three types of special rates:
When concluding if you should charge VAT to your customers in the EU, consider the following:
EU VAT is always subject to change, so don’t be caught with outdated information. Follow our blog for the latest news on EU VAT rates and analysis of major developments the moment they happen or speak to an expert.
The EU VAT E-Commerce package has been in place since 1 July 2021. This applies to intra-EU B2C supplies of goods and imports of low value goods. Three schemes make up the package. These are based on the value of goods and the location of the sale of goods.
All OSS schemes are currently optional. The schemes mean taxpayers can register in a single EU Member State and account for the VAT due in other Member States.
For companies outside of the EU, the package schemes that apply are:
Want to understand how OSS and IOSS work? Keep reading!
Have IOSS specific questions? Our tax experts answer common questions in our IOSS guide. Or learn more about VAT compliance for eCommerce here.
Exporting products to the EU is challenging. Couriers often have a bewildering number of services. Prices differ from service to service.
There’s no easy way to find fast, cost-effective shipping services, but here are tips to help:
Businesses with a certain turnover must register for VAT. This varies from country to country. For example, the UK’s VAT threshold is £85,000 for established businesses. If you are interested in a business solution, please get in touch with our sales team.
Registering for VAT takes time. Each Member State has its own process for obtaining a VAT number. VAT compliance differs from Member State to Member State.
For non-EU companies, appointing a Fiscal Representative might be necessary. A Fiscal Representative acts on behalf of companies in a local VAT jurisdiction, managing VAT reporting and other requirements. For IOSS, most non-EU businesses will need an IOSS intermediary.
We know registering for VAT is difficult and involves understanding place of supply rules, fiscal representation and many other elements.
The EU VAT E-Commerce package enables taxpayers to register in one Member State to account for VAT in all Member States.
In most cases, a VAT number will be mandatory because of your business’ activity; in some cases, it will be voluntary. There are many benefits to applying for a VAT number.
These include preventing financial penalties and receiving EU VAT refunds. EU VAT refunds depend on certain circumstances, such as on VAT exempt items.
The OSS scheme is currently optional. Before registering businesses should consider the benefits and impact on their supply chain.
When a supplier obtains either an the Member State that grants the VAT number becomes known as the Member State of Identification.
As the UK is no longer part of the EU, registering for OSS as a UK business means using the Non-Union OSS, Union OSS or IOSS schemes. There is no need to have a normal VAT registration in the EU to apply for IOSS or a non-Union OSS VAT registration, however, a local EU registration is required before obtaining the OSS registration.
The first step is to understand if an needs appointing. The intermediary, usually an agent or broker, submits the IOSS returns on behalf of the company.
The UK business will need to choose the Member State it wants to register with for the non-Union OSS scheme.
If the UK business has warehouses in the EU, then the company will still need local in each Member State with a warehouse, but they can choose one Member State for OSS registration.
The Northern Ireland Protocol adds even more complexity to cross-border trade. Stop browsing the internet for unhelpful answers; contact our experts for advice instead.
Our team of experts can help you understand OSS and IOSS further. Don’t hesitate to get in touch today, especially about the Northern Ireland Protocol’s effect on trade.
The USA doesn’t have VAT. The equivalent is Sales Tax, with its own permit and tax ID.
If a US company wants to sell goods into Europe it can register for a VAT number with the relevant Member State tax authority. The business’ supply chain will determine if / where a VAT registration is required.
This depends on the product or service and whether the US company has activity in the UK that requires it to become VAT registered such as selling low value goods or importing in its own name into the UK.
The cost of international shipping to Europe varies, depending on where you send goods from and how quick delivery is.
Costs for shipping from the USA to Europe vary, depending on if they are express or standard shipping times. Different couriers charge different prices too.
This depends on package size, insurance and delivery speed.
Shipping from the EU to the US can take anywhere from four days to four weeks, depending on customs and import requirements.
Speak to our experts. They will navigate you through the complexities of the EU VAT landscape.
Tax has always been challenging and ever-changing VAT regulations across Europe add to the complexity, requiring technology adoption to support compliance- related activities.
It’s time for businesses to evaluate how efficiently they’re handling their VAT compliance obligations.
We created this checklist to help you assess whether you already have an effective, scalable solutions that’s optimized for the diverse range of compliance requirements and future-proofed to adapt to coming changes.
If you can tick all the boxes, you’re on the right path to mitigate risk and meet the demands of VAT digitization.
How does your current VAT compliance solution measure up?
Can’t check all the boxes? Don’t worry, Sovos helps ease the increased demands of tax digitization so you can prioritise your core business . We take a future-facing approach to always-on tax compliance with intelligent tools that provide data insights for a competitive advantage.
Let us remove the stress of constantly changing legislation: Get in touch with an expert now.
Learn more about Sovos’ periodic reporting solution for VA T and SAF-T and mandatory e-invoicing solutions.
Nearly every major economy has a form of VAT. That’s 165 countries, each with its own compliance and reporting rules. The main exception is the United States. VAT is by far the most significant indirect tax for nearly all the world’s countries. Globally VAT contributes more than 30% of all government revenue.
Levying VAT is a term used to describe when a company collects VAT on behalf of a tax authority. This happens at each stage in a supply chain when a taxable event occurs. A country’s tax rules define what a taxable event is.
In a nutshell, VAT essentially turns private companies into tax collectors.
VAT is due on nearly all goods and services. This is up to, and including, the final sale to a consumer – that’s you and me.
Applied correctly, VAT should be cost neutral for most businesses. Companies collect VAT from their suppliers, then pay this money to the government. In the UK, this is normally every three months.
As a business this means:
Companies can reclaim the VAT on some of their purchases. When applicable, this means your business pays less VAT when its VAT return is due.
Essentially, this encourages businesses to spend and help an economy grow.
Another thing a company can do is postpone its VAT accounting. There are different reasons why this is allowed, for example, in relation to import VAT.
We know VAT isn’t easy. Speak to one of our tax experts today about overcoming your VAT compliance headaches. Or read this easy-to-understand guide to learn more about the EU e-commerce VAT package.
So what is a VAT return?
A VAT return is a document listing all the VAT you have collected and what you are reclaiming VAT on along with various other information on sales and purchases in the period.
Submitting VAT returns is a legal requirement in most countries. The format and frequency vary around the EU, so it’s essential to keep
In addition to VAT returns, businesses might have to submit other declarations. This depends on the company’s trading activity and the requirements in the Member State of registration. This could include or . These can be quite complicated, as we explain here.
Understanding your VAT obligations also requires mapping a supply chain for the country of registration.
The following information applies to larger businesses or businesses selling into the EU.
EU VAT can be overwhelming and exhausting. For some relief, why not download our European VAT guide or read more about VAT compliance for eCommerce here.
So, what is the difference between Sales Tax and VAT?
VAT is a broad-based consumption tax and a form of indirect taxation. It is imposed on goods and services at each stage of the supply chain, with each party paying the government the tax and passing the final cost onto the ultimate consumer.
The idea is that each party effectively only pays VAT on the value added to the product or service. This is because the party can recover the VAT on associated costs (of course, there are exceptions). One of the disadvantages is that it requires accurate accounting.
On the other hand, sales taxes are generally taxes placed on the sale or lease of goods and services.
Usually, the seller collects the tax from the purchaser at the point of sale. Sales tax is calculated by multiplying the purchase price by the applicable tax rate. The seller at a later stage transfers the tax to the responsible government agency.
The EU VAT Directive 2006/112/EC establishes the rules for where VAT is due in the EU. Member States must implement these rules in a uniform way to avoid the possibility of double or no taxation. This blog goes into details how VAT between European countries works.
VAT in the EU happens when:
There’s a supply of goods – Where goods are not transported, the place of taxation is where the goods are made available to the customer. Where the goods are transported, the place of supply is where the transport starts (unless an exemption applies).
There’s a supply of services – For B2B transactions the place of taxation is generally where the customer has established their business. This applies to “intangible” services where the place of consumption cannot be determined easily.
There are certain where the place of consumption can be determined. These are:
A thing called intra-community acquisition of goods occurs – The place of taxation is the place where the transport ends (i.e., the EU country where the goods are finally located after transport from another EU country).
At the point goods are imported – The place of taxation is where goods imported from non-EU countries are generally taxed (i.e., in the EU country where they are cleared for free circulation).
There are many reasons why an EU country uses VAT.
VAT can be adjusted up and down depending on how a country’s economy is performing quickly. This means a country can raise taxes quickly or support a certain sector by reducing VAT.
Once collected, the money can be spent on public services, infrastructure, healthcare and other important growth initiatives.
But wait, what about those pesky questions like “should I charge VAT to EU customers?” or “do I pay VAT if buying from Europe?”. We hear these all the time from customers who struggle with VAT rates across different EU countries.
Standard rates, reduced dates, special rates. What’s the difference?
And then you have super reduced rates and zero rates? Let’s not forget intermediary rates.
If your business is expected to charge VAT to EU customers, or you yourself are faced with paying VAT on a purchase when buying from Europe, it’s important you feel confident applying the right VAT rate each and every time.
Have a question about the many different types of VAT rates in the EU? Our tax experts are yet to receive a question that stumps them, and they will happily help unload you from this burden.
Sometimes companies don’t have to pay VAT. This happens when the goods or products they sell fall into an exempt category.
Some examples of exceptions include education and training, charity fundraising and insurance. Insurers instead pay a tax called (IPT).
A VAT exempt business cannot register for VAT, nor can it reclaim VAT. This is slightly different to zero-rated goods or services. In that case, VAT is charged, but at 0%. Some companies can be partly exempt too.
VAT exemptions differ country to country so it’s important to check a tax authority’s website to see whether your business needs to pay VAT. ? We love setting our clients free from their tax compliance burdens so they can focus on growing their business.
Read our blog to VAT exempt goods and services in Europe.
The seller collects VAT from their buyer and pays to the relevant tax authority.
Learn more about buyer and seller VAT in our blog.
Yes. A person or company buying a service or product pays the tax when the item is chargeable.
Sellers pay VAT on any items they purchase for their own business. The VAT they collect from their own customers is paid to HRMC. In some cases, sellers also need to self-account for the VAT due from their customers.
VAT is 20% in the UK. A buyer pays this to the seller when they purchase an item, product or service. There are also some cases where the seller pays the VAT by way of a self-accounting mechanism.
Sales tax is found in the United States and is a tax applied at state government level on the purchase of goods or services. VAT is a consumption tax and is collected by all sellers in a supply chain, not just charged to the final consumer.
Our large advisory team can help you navigate the complexities of modern VAT compliance. Don’t hesitate to get in touch today.