We are using the SimplyVAT service for ages. They never let us down. Very reliable and responsible company with great customer managers. Highly recommended.
A very professional firm that has taken the pain away from our monthly EU VAT filings. I can only vouch for their high level of service and quick response time to our various questions. What a difference from our previous provider (VatGlobal). Do not hesitate to use them.
The world of EU VAT registration is fraught with complexity and unseen hurdles. SimplyVAT navigated all of this for us efficiently and effectively, indluding extracting refunds!
Communication was excellent!
I love being creative and sharing my work with the world, but taxes does my head in, and EU VAT even more so! However, with the help from everyone at SimplyVAT - from the initial client call, to signing up, to registering with the EU for VAT - I've had excellent support.
Especially the calls I have had with Tamara and Debbie have been priceless, they walked me through my VAT return step-by-step, using language I could understand (translating TAX-lingo whenever needed).
With their guidance and reassurance I feel confident my business will run smoothly, with all EU VAT requirements met. Can't recommend SimplyVAT enough
SimplyVAT provided exceptional service from day one. Their team took the time to understand our business needs and offered tailored advice that streamlined our VAT processes. Communication was always prompt, and their support made a complex task feel straightforward.
As a small business looking to expand internationally, we were overwhelmed by VAT regulations. SimplyVAT’s team guided us through every step with confidence and professionalism. Their expertise gave us the assurance to enter new markets without worrying about compliance issues.
Working with SimplyVAT has been a game-changer for our business. Their team is incredibly responsive, ensuring all our VAT filings are submitted on time without any hassle. They’ve taken a huge weight off our shoulders, allowing us to focus on growth.
I was dreading dealing with VAT for our growing e-commerce business, but SimplyVAT made it so much easier. Their team provided clear, step-by-step guidance and was always available to clarify doubts. It’s rare to find a service that combines expertise with such approachable support.
SimplyVAT has been a fantastic partner for our business. Their team is always proactive, answering questions before we even ask them, and their expertise has saved us countless hours on VAT compliance. Highly recommend their services to any business looking to simplify their tax processes.
Really smooth process from start to finish. I represent a Kiwi company entering the EU market and looked around at options for helping sort VAT. SimplyVAT were excellent right from the start - making what would have been a very complicated process simple and clear. Clear communication and a nice backend portal made the process run smoothly.
Flawless service, by SimplyVAT have had excellent service first by Liza and then Sonja. Both have been amazing
Full Review: Amazing experience! This is a game changer for those in the E-commerce space etc. They quickly understand your needs and finds the best approach. Would highly recommend
We have been working with Simply VAT for years now. We always get a great service from them and Vittoria always looks after our account really well.
Our account manager, Vittoria, provides a consistently high level of communication and service, which. She is very quick at replying and is very thorough in her responses as well. Our previous account manager wasn't great and we were considering leaving SimplyVAT, but to her credit, Vittoria came in and restored our faith in the company. Thanks again 🙂
VAT (Value Added Tax) is a type of consumption tax charged on goods and services supplied for consumption in the EU. The idea is that VAT is always ultimately paid by end consumers rather than businesses that merely collect and remit the tax to the authorities. All 27 EU member states have VAT. And many other countries around the world have adopted a similar system. Each country has a different name for it. In France, it’s known as TVA. Spain calls it IVA. And in Germany, it’s Mwst. Each country also applies its own VAT rates. VAT collected on supplies is a key source of revenue for any government.
Being an indirect tax, VAT is collected as a percentage of the price paid by customers to sellers who then remit the VAT amount to the tax authorities when filing their VAT returns.
There are standard, reduced and zero VAT rates which vary from country to country. To make things easier, we’ve collated the various VAT rates into a downloadable EU VAT Rates PDF . If you’re unsure which VAT rate is applicable to your goods or services, get in touch and we can help you to determine the correct VAT rates to apply.
This depends on which country you are registered in. Some countries will ask for VAT returns each month, others – quarterly or even bi-monthly. At SimplyVAT.com, we will ensure you never miss a deadline through our timely email reminders.
Yes, penalties and interest charges can be issued for both late submissions and late payments including backdated VAT returns. The amount of penalty and interest charges differ from each tax authority.
In order to facilitate trade between EU countries, the EU created the Reverse Charge mechanism. The Reverse Charge moves the responsibility for the recording of a VAT transaction from the supplier to the buyer for the good or service sold between 2 businesses. This removes the burden of paying VAT upfront for the business customer and eliminates the need for the seller to VAT register in the business customer’s country.
The European Commission maintains a website that can be used to check the validity of VAT numbers, including Northern Irish VAT registration numbers. If you need to find out if a customer’s VAT number is valid – please visit the EC VIES Website .
Some EU tax authorities require a non-EU business to appoint a Fiscal Representative to represent them for VAT purposes. A Fiscal Representative is jointly and severally liable for any VAT owed by the business it represents. At SimplyVAT.com, we work with trusted fiscal representatives when needed to keep all VAT communication in one spot for our clients.
When importing into certain countries, import documents will be completed and issued on the import of the goods. Within the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Turkey, the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia, there is one standard import document called the SAD (Single Administration Document) used for customs declarations. In the UK, the equivalent document is known as a C88.
Intrastat stands for ‘Intra-community statistics’ and is a mandatory report (once thresholds are exceeded) requested and used by the EU authorities to monitor the economic health of the EU countries.
Depending on the country, you might need to provide different documents. Your VAT registration application may require documents such as photo id, proof of company incorporation or even evidence of trade within the country.
We specialise in everything VAT! From registrations and return filings to audits and consultancy – we keep your business compliant whilst you grow internationally. Some of our most popular services include: local VAT registrations, OSS & IOSS , EORI registrations, EC Sales Lists and Intrastat.
Once we have all the paperwork, the registration process can take anywhere between 3 – 10 weeks to receive a VAT registration number, depending on the country. It’s best to plan ahead and make sure you return the documents as soon as possible so we can get the registration sent to the tax authorities. Ready to get started? Let’s get your business registered !
Yes, we do and we would love the opportunity to work with you. We pay a commission for every client signed up who was introduced by you. Visit our partnership page to find out more.
Prices vary depending on which country you need to register in. Please contact us for a quote or book a time to talk with a member of our team today.
No, under the new EU VAT rules for ecommerce, the distance selling thresholds have been abolished. For EU-based businesses, an intra-EU threshold is set at EUR10,000. There is no threshold for non-EU sellers (e.g. UK or USA-based ecommerce businesses). As such, you will need to register from your first sale or first importation.
If you are an EU-based business, you will need to register for the OSS scheme in your member state of establishment. For non-EU sellers holding inventory and dispatching goods from within the EU, the OSS registration will need to take place in one of the member states where stock is held and dispatched from.
If you use Amazon’s Pan-EU Fulfilment Service , you will need to VAT register locally in the countries where you hold your stock. You will also need to file EC Sales Lists to account for any cross-border stock transfers. If you sell your goods which are valued below EUR150 and imported in the EU via a marketplace eg. Amazon or eBay, the marketplaces will now be responsible for the collection and payment of the VAT to the relevant tax authority. If you as the seller are based outside the EU and sell goods of any value which are already in free circulation in the EU via a marketplace, the marketplace will now be responsible for the collection and payment of the VAT to the relevant tax authority.
The Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) scheme is an optional simplification, working in parallel to the One Stop Shop, that allows online businesses to report distance sales of imported goods with a value below EUR 150.
IOSS covers the distance sales of goods below EUR 150 from any country outside the EU. This means that if you’re selling goods based outside the EU, to EU customers, in packages below EUR 150 in value, you can report all of these EU sales in one return, rather than multiple local registrations & returns. For goods imported in consignments with a value above EUR 150, normal customs and import tax procedures apply.
The intrinsic value of a consignment is the price your customers pay for the goods at the point of sale, excluding transport, insurance, and any other charges unless these are already included in the price rather than indicated separately. Please note that VAT is still applied to the total value of the sale.
If you are an EU-based business, you should register for IOSS in the country where you are established. If you are a non-EU business, you will normally need to appoint an EU-established intermediary who will be jointly and severally liable for any import VAT owed. You can do this either directly with the tax authorities, or via an intermediary such as SimplyVAT.com. If you would like to register for IOSS, please contact the team .
No, this was abolished on 1 July 2021, meaning that from that date VAT is due on all goods sold into the EU regardless of the value.
VAT MOSS has been expanded to cover all cross-border B2C sales of services to consumers in the EU and has been renamed One Stop Shop (OSS) . You can register for the non-Union OSS scheme if you are based outside the EU, or the Union-Scheme if you are based within the EU.
Not sure if you have VAT compliance obligations in a specific country?
Ask one of our VAT experts or check out our Essential VAT Guides to EU countries.
