A Beginners Guide to Understanding EU VAT

CONTENTS Executive Summary...................................................3 Understanding VAT....................................................4 Registering for VAT......................................................7 VAT Returns....................................................................15 Importing Goods into the EU..............................18 VIES.................................................................................20 Working with Avalara..............................................21 About Avalara.............................................................24

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Value Added Tax (VAT) Management has long been a source of complexity and exposure for many businesses. Business systems typically do not sufficiently manage the idiosyncrasies of international VAT, resulting in a reliance on labour intensive manual processes and a continual struggle with ever changing mandates in both the UK and EU. VAT compliance usually involves considerable activity from many finance and tax professionals across the organisation, whose talents could be better placed in your business to reduce risk, facilitate growth, drive efficiency and increase profitability. Managing VAT as businesses expand internationally can be incredibly complex and an unnecessary distraction from core business. Many companies face stringent VAT compliance requirements as they commence trading abroad. Whether providing goods and services across international borders, shipping products to an overseas warehouse or fulfilment centre, providing digital services to other businesses and consumers, or a host of other scenarios, they likely have a VAT burden. Getting it wrong can be expensive. Did you know: »» VAT and GST rates vary greatly around the world. In Europe, standard VAT rates range from 15%-27%. »» Companies may need to charge VAT even if they have no business presence in a country that has VAT. »» Penalties for non-compliance can be punitive: the maximum penalty in Italy is 100% of the error. In addition, tax authorities typically do not inform businesses of a transgression immediately but nevertheless impose daily compound interest on the penalty. »» Many countries now hold senior accounting officers personally liable for the company’s unpaid tax. It’s no wonder that more and more businesses are looking for help managing VAT compliance. But a new survey conducted by Avalara of over 50 multinationals revealed that 80% of organisations still rely on Excel for international VAT reporting, while almost a quarter (22%) must employ more than 20 staff to handle the growing indirect tax compliance requirements. This document outlines key concepts to be carefully managed by international sellers growing their business, but it is no alternative to discussing your business in more detail with one of our dedicated experts. Avalara has solutions to help you better manage your VAT process, either in-house using technology, or through our Managed Returns Service.

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

UNDERSTANDING VAT Introduced to the UK in 1973 by Lord Barber, VAT began as a simple 10 per cent tax on most goods purchased from a business. VAT rates have varied since then, both in the UK and abroad, and average VAT rates have risen from around 17 per cent to 21 per cent over the last two decades. Growing international trade, aided of course by the rise of internet shopping, has presented new challenges in managing compliance complexity. Organisations without efficient, automated tax compliance processes can easily waste hundreds of hours managing this manually, and potentially face fines and penalties if they get it wrong. Rates, requirements and regulations change often, and particular complexities in individual countries can easily trip up businesses.

EU VAT DIRECTIVE The rules governing the European common system Values Added Tax on goods and services are contained within the EU VAT Directive called the Council Directive 2006/11/EC (often referred to as the 6th Directive). It was created by the European Commission in Brussels, and all 28 EU member states are obliged to incorporate it into their local VAT laws — although there are optional elements and opportunities to derogate from the Directive. The Directive provides the framework for determining EU VATs: the scope; place of supply; tax point; taxable amount; VAT rate; compliance obligation; exemptions; taxable persons; and a range of special schemes. The main areas covered by the Directive are summarized below. Scope: Transactions carried out for consideration in the territory of a Member State by a taxable person acting in that capacity are subject to VAT. Imports by any person are also subject to VAT. This includes the import of goods into the EU, and intra-Community acquisitions by companies across EU internal borders. EU VAT applies to all 28 member states (with certain regional exceptions). It is applied to all taxable persons, corporate bodies and individuals, carrying out regular supplies, which typically exempts public offices, government etc. The supply of goods is the transfer of the right to use and dispose of tangible property as its owner; all other transactions are regarded as the supply of services. The import of goods into free circulation with the EU is also considered a taxable supply and liable to import VAT.

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UNDERSTANDING VAT Place of supply: It is important to determine the place of supply of goods or services to understand which countries’ VAT rules apply to the transaction. For goods, the place of supply is: »» The location at the time of supply »» Where goods are delivered, the place of supply is the point of the start of the journey. However, for intra-Community supplies, the place of supply is where the customer is located. For imports, the place of supply is the country where the goods cleared into free EU circulation. »» The place of supply of electronic services is the location of the customer, although rules for understanding where the customer is located can be complicated.

EU VAT Compliance For businesses with EU VAT registration providing taxable supplies of goods or services, there are a number of requirements to ensure full compliance with European VAT regulations. VAT registration Companies providing taxable supplies must register for VAT and obtain a valid, unique VAT number. Registration may be required in other EU member states where they buy and sell goods, which provides a valid VAT number against which they can record all transactions. VAT invoices Companies are obliged to produce compliant VAT invoices for most B2B transactions and some B2C transactions (such as distance sales). Articles 217-240 of the VAT Directive stipulate the invoicing rules. Basic invoicing data required includes: »» Date »» Name and address of the supplier and their VAT number »» Name and address of the customer »» Unique and sequential invoice number

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»» Description, including quantity if applicable, of the goods or services

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»» VAT rate applied

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»» Net, VAT due and gross value of the supply

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»» Details of any discounts

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»» Specific invoice messages (in English or in the local language, citing the Directive or local country article) for zero rated transactions to explain why they are zero Many countries increase the basic invoice disclosure requirements from the above. For example, they could require the seller to list their company registration number and address. Countries also stipulate the length of time a company must store hard copies of invoices. In Europe, this typically ranges from five to ten years. VAT accounting Records Businesses are required to maintain full accounting records to support their VAT transactions. For the most part, companies’ local accounting records are sufficient. However, some countries’ VAT accounting demands can prove challenging, e.g. Italy and Hungary. VAT returns To report the vatable transactions undertaken by a business, periodic VAT returns are required. This report needs to include totals for intra-Community supplies. All of the EU member states have different return forms and set their own reporting calendar. Most countries pick either monthly or quarterly reporting, typically depending on the volume of trade, and some countries also require an annual return (e.g. Germany and Italy). Many countries now permit or even oblige companies to file online. Intrastat Governments rely on Intrastat reporting to measure the health of their economies and specifically monitor their balance of trade position. VAT registered companies are required by the EU to remit monthly or quarterly Intrastat reports, separately listing all B2B intra-Community supplies of goods and services. Reports must include sales (dispatches) and purchases (arrivals) of goods across EU borders, as well as supplies to the company itself. It is not necessary to report sales direct to consumers, B2C. There are separate Intrastat reporting thresholds for EU countries.

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REGISTERING FOR VAT WHEN DO COMPANIES HAVE TO REGISTER FOR AN EU VAT NUMBER? Even with all the discussion surrounding harmonising the European VAT system, it is still up to interpretation by each country. The variation in thresholds and the handling of e-services indicate that local autonomy still plays a large part in decisions within each state. That said, the requirements to register for a VAT number should be the same in each country. Typical instances where a foreign trader is required to register for a local VAT number include: »» Buying and selling goods in another country »» Importing goods into an EU country, which can include moving goods across national borders within the EU »» Holding goods for customers in warehouses or on consignment stock in other EU countries »» Holding a live conference, exhibition or training if there is paid entrance »» Selling goods to consumers over the Internet or through catalogues (distance selling) »» Supplying and installing equipment in a limited number of situations »» Providing services in very limited number of situations (following the 2010 VAT Package reforms) Generally, non-resident companies must register for VAT immediately. There are different VAT registration thresholds for resident companies, and for ecommerce companies, which have a special distance selling VAT registration threshold regime.

DOMESTIC EU VAT REGISTRATION THRESHOLDS Generally, non-resident (no permanent establishment) businesses that must register for VAT in another EU state face a nil registration threshold. A major exception to this rule is ecommerce sellers to consumers, which face special EU distance selling VAT thresholds. Below is a summary of the 2016 VAT registration annual thresholds for resident companies in the 28 EU member states, plus Norway and Switzerland.

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

2016 VAT registration annual thresholds COUNTRY

VAT Registration Threshold

Austria

€30,000

Belgium

€15,000

Bulgaria

BGL 50,000

Croatia

HRK 230,000

Cyprus

€30,000

Czech Republic

CZK 1 Million

Denmark

DKK 50,000

Estonia

€16,000

Finland

€10,000

France

€32,600

Germany

€17,500

Greece

€10,000

Hungary

HUF 6 Million

Ireland Goods

€75,000

Ireland Services

€37,500

Italy

€60,000

Latvia

€50,000

Lithuania

€45,000

Luxembourg

€25,000

Malta

nil

Netherlands

€1,345

Norway

NOK 150,000

Poland

PLZ 150,000

Portugal

€12,500

Romania

ROL 220,000

Slovakia

€49,790

Slovenia

€50,000

Spain

NIL

Sweden

NIL

Switzerland

CHF 100,000

UK

€83,000

The information above is correct at time of creation. For the latest information visit: http://avlr.co/1RvuSpz

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DISTANCE SELLING EU VAT RULES The explosive growth of sales to European consumers via the Internet – ‘distance selling’ – is huge. Ecommerce is set to account for over 20% of retail sales in the EU within a few years. Internet retailers must understand VAT liabilities and charges in each EU state. Failure to do so will leave any online retailer exposed to investigations and potential fines. Businesses selling goods to consumers in other countries generally have an obligation to charge and collect local consumption taxes. The EU has created a special regime, known as Distance Selling, to simplify the VAT administration and burden as far as possible to encourage free trade in the zone. The basic rules are as follows: 1. Retailers may initially sell to private individuals under their local VAT number at their home VAT rate. For example, an Italy retailer sells handbags at 22% to German customers instead of German VAT at 19% 2. Once they pass a country’s distance selling annual threshold, they must register as a non-resident VAT trader in the country. Continuing the example: if the Italian retailer sold more than €100,000 worth of goods in Germany, Germany’s VAT would apply. 3. They then continue to sell, charging the local VAT. In the example, this would mean the Italian company charges Germany’s 19% VAT, which is payable to the German tax authorities through a German VAT return. Since VAT is a tax on the final consumer, countries expect businesses to register with them and charge and collect their local VAT. Note, there are no distance selling thresholds for electronic or digital services to consumers under the new 2015 VAT rules. To help reduce the administrative burden on companies, and to encourage them to start trading across Europe, there are national VAT registration thresholds set by each country. If a foreign company is selling below these thresholds, it does not need to VAT register. Once over these limits, it must apply for a number.

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

Annual EU Distance Selling Thresholds COUNTRY

VAT Registration Threshold

Austria

€35,000

Belgium

€35,000

Bulgaria

BGN 70,000

Croatia

€35,000

Cyprus

€35,000

Czech Republic

CZK 1,140,000

Denmark

DKK 280,000

Estonia

€35,000

Finland

€35,000

France

€35,000

Germany

€100,000

Greece

€35,000

Hungary

HUF 8,800,000

Ireland Goods

€35,000

Ireland Services

€35,000

Italy

€35,000

Latvia

€35,000

Lithuania

€35,000

Luxembourg

€100,000

Malta

€35,000

Netherlands

€100,000

Poland

PLN 160,000

Portugal

€35,000

Romania

ROL 118,000

Slovak Republic

€35,000

Slovenia

€35,000

Spain

€35,000

Sweden

SEK 320,000

UK

GBP 70,000

The information above is correct at time of creation. For the latest information visit: http://avlr.co/22zleTq

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HOW DO COMPANIES GET A EUROPEAN VAT NUMBER? Once the obligation to VAT register has been established, the process can begin. As a start, companies must be VAT (EU companies) or tax (non-EU companies) registered. They are then required to complete and submit a local VAT registration form, along with supporting documentation. The application form more often than not is in the local language. EU countries have become increasingly reluctant to provide document translations as these can create misunderstandings. Companies are required to provide the following supporting documentation when registering for local VAT: • Proof of VAT or tax registration in its country of domiciliation • An original copy of the certificate of incorporation of the company • A copy of the company’s Articles of Association • An extract from the national company registrar as proof of existence • Proof of the planned trade (e.g. contracts or invoices) • A Letter of Authority or Power of Attorney (if the company is appointing a local tax agent or Fiscal Representative) Each country requires additional documents. For example, Spain requires a statement confirming that the company does not have a permanent establishment in Spain. Following the submission of the application, it takes 2-8 weeks to receive a VAT number, depending on the country. The tax authorities may well ask further questions, specifically to try to prevent VAT fraud. Some countries will not give a full VAT number Foreign companies looking for a VAT number may face additional requirements in certain countries. They may be given a local tax number, which only permits VAT on local transactions. This is not registered on the VAT Information Exchange System, or VIES (more details below), and so does not permit intraCommunity trade. In this case, additional correspondence is required to get a full VAT number.

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

What happens after an EU VAT number is received? Once the company has received the VAT number, it is free to start trading and charging VAT on its foreign transactions. Each EU member country has a slightly different format for their VAT number system, featuring a variation of numbers and letters. It is important that companies take close care in using the correct format as the numbers are frequently checked against the VIES system, and errors may create delays or even fines. Country codes, two letters, are inserted before the VAT number if the company is using the number for the purposes of intra-Community trade:

EU Country

Country VAT Number Code Format

Austria

AT

U12345678

9 characters The first character is always a ‘U’

Belgium

BE

1234567890

10 characters Prefix with zero ‘0’ if the customer provides a 9 digit VAT number

Bulgaria

BG

123456789 1234567890

9 OR 10 characters

Croatia

HR

12345678901

11 characters

Cyprus

CY

12345678X

9 characters The last character must always be a letter

Czech Republic

CZ

12345678 123456789 1234567890

8, 9, OR 10 characters If more than 10 characters are provided delete the first 3

Denmark

DK

12345678

8 characters

Estonia

EE

123456789

9 characters

Finland

FI

12345678

8 characters

France

FR

12345678901 X1234567890 1X123456789 XX123456789

11 characters May include alphabetical characters (any except 0 or 1) as first or second or first and second characters

Germany

DE

123456789

9 characters

Greece

EL

123456789

9 characters

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

EU Country Hungary

Country VAT Number Code Format HU

12345678

8 characters

Ireland

IE

1234567WA (companies) 1234567FA (individuals)

8 or 9 characters Incudes one or two alphbetical characters (last, or second and last, or last 2)

Italy

IT

12345678901

11 characters

Latvia

LV

12345678901

11 characters

Lithuania

LT

123456789 123456789012

9 OR 12 characters

Luxembourg

LU

12345678

8 characters

Malta

MT

12345678

8 characters

Netherlands

NL

123456789B01

12 characters The 10th character is always B

Poland

PL

1234567890

10 characters

Portugal

PT

123456789

9 characters

Romania

RO

1234567890

10 characters

Slovakia

SK

1234567890

10 characters

Slovenia

SI

12345678

8 characters

Spain

ES

X12345678 12345678X X1234567X

9 characters Includes 1 or 2 alphabetical characters (first or last or first and last)

Sweden

SE

123456789012

12 characters

United Kingdom

UK

123456789

9 characters

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

Once registered, a business is then obliged to follow the rules on EU VAT Compliance, as well as complete regular EU VAT Returns. VAT rates differ per EU country, with standard rates ranging from 17% to 27% and multiple reduced rates between 0% and 18% for certain product types.

EU COUNTRY

Standard Rate

EU COUNTRY

Standard Rate

Austria

20%

Italy

22%

Belgium

21%

Latvia

21%

Bulgaria

20%

Lithuania

21%

Croatia

25%

Luxembourg

17%

Cyprus

19%

Malta

18%

Czech Republic

21%

Netherlands

21%

Denmark

25%

Poland

23%

Estonia

20%

Portugal

23%

Finland

24%

Romania

20%

France

20%

Slovakia

20%

Germany

19%

Slovenia

22%

Greece

23%

Spain

21%

Hungary

27%

Sweden

25%

Ireland

23%

United Kingdom

20%

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

VAT RETURNS Once registered for VAT in any EU country, businesses are required to complete VAT returns. These declare any VAT transactions and applicable taxes and indicate the VAT due or refundable.

HOW SIMILAR ARE VAT RETURNS ACROSS THE EU? VAT Returns vary considerably from country to country. Differences include: »» The number of boxes on returns varies from 6 on the Irish return to 587 on the Italian return »» The language of the return is the language(s) of the country in question »» The submission format of the electronic file is different for each member state »» Direct electronic submission may or may not be permitted »» The use of ECB exchange rates may be required

WHAT GOES INTO AN EU VAT RETURN? All 28 EU member states have their own formats for VAT returns. Some basic key requirements include: »» Sum of all taxable transactions (sales and purchases) at net value »» VAT charged on all taxable sales and purchases (includes standard rate VAT and reduced rate VAT) »» Value of goods with nil VAT based on intra-Community supplies, separately showing dispatches and arrivals from other EU countries »» Net VAT due

HOW OFTEN ARE VAT RETURNS SUBMITTED? EU Member States are free to set their own calendars for VAT return reporting. Countries typically follow the formats below: »» Monthly reporting is the most common cycle. With the growing problems of VAT fraud, countries are increasing the number of foreign companies on monthly reporting. »» Quarterly reporting is the majority of other situations. »» Annual reporting is required in addition to monthly or quarterly reporting in certain countries, e.g. Italy. Other countries may only require a single annual return if there is very limited activity e.g. Germany.

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»» Reporting on an activity basis. This is very rarely allowed (e.g. France) for companies with irregular trading.

WHAT ARE THE DEADLINES FOR VAT RETURNS? Again, countries may set their own reporting deadlines for their returns. Germany, for example, requires VAT filings within 10 days of the reporting period end. Most other countries expect returns by the 20th of the month following the end of the return period.

MAKING VAT FILINGS AND PAYMENTS Increasingly, EU countries are now requiring electronic filing via the internet. Whilst one or two countries do provide English-language returns and online portals, the majority are in the local language. Most countries expect immediate payment of any VAT due. This can be done by international bank transfer. In some countries, a local bank account may be more practical, e.g. Romania.

VAT RETURNS AND INTRASTAT FOR E-RETAILERS Once VAT registered in a new country, there are EU VAT compliance regulations to follow. These include ensuring invoices are issued according to local laws. Regular VAT returns have to be submitted to the respective country/ies. In addition to VAT returns, retailers may also be required to complete separate Intrastat filings. These detail the movement (dispatched) of the goods from their home state to the state of their customer. They are only required once the value of the goods surpasses a certain threshold.

TRIANGULATION AND REDUCING EU VAT REGISTRATIONS When the European Union single market was created, and the current EU VAT system implemented, one particular trading scenario was identified as needing simplification to avoid forcing companies to register multiple times for cross border trade: triangulation.

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Example of EU VAT Triangulation Triangulation occurs when three companies in three different EU countries are involved in a single supply of goods. For example: a French company with a French VAT registration sells goods to a German customer, but the French company first has to buy the goods from a Spanish supplier, who then ships directly to the Germany customer. This would require the French company to VAT register itself in Spain for Spanish VAT to record the purchase and onward dispatch (sale) to the Germany customer (The French company could also register for Germany VAT to do the same). To avoid this scenario, the triangulation simplification exemption was created within the EU VAT law. It is implemented across all member states so that, in situations like the one described above, the French company does not have to register for VAT in Spain. Rules for Triangulation Simplification To avoid triangulation, the three parties must be resident in three separate EU member states: 1. The Spanish supplier issues a sales invoice with its VAT number to the French company with no VAT charge, as this is a regular intra-Community dispatch of goods. 2. The German customer now becomes responsible for recording the arrival of goods into German as an intra-Community supply (thus shifting the reporting from the French company). 3. The French company includes the acquisition and despatch with a “T” market in its filing. Other countries have similar notifications, for example, in the UK “2” is used in the filing. How to handle the Intrastat and EC Sales Lists The French company will need to report the sale to the German customer in its French EC Sale List / DEB. All triangulation sales in a month/quarter are generally reported as a single line transaction by the customer. It is important not to mix regular sales from triangulated sales. For Intrastat, the Spanish supplier shows the despatch, and the German customer shows the arrival of the goods. In most countries, there is no need for the French company to declare any movement of goods, as they did not pass through France.

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IMPORTING GOODS INTO THE EU If your company is importing goods into the European Union (‘EU’), then it will face complex and varying rules on VAT compliance and charging. Rules depend on the type of goods, the countries involved and their local rules, and whether or not all the parties in the chain are VAT registered. Below are some if the issues companies need to consider. First of all, is the transaction an import or intra-Community supply of goods?

Import or Intra-community Supply? Imports charged with VAT For the purposes of EU VAT and customs, bringing goods into the EU for the first time from a non-EU country is termed an import. Generally, the country of arrival will look to charge its standard VAT rate (e.g. Germany at 19%) on the import transaction. The rate must be settled prior to the release of the goods from customs. The goods are then in ‘free circulation’ and may be stored and sold or sent to another EU country. IZero-rated intra-Community supplies If you are selling or moving goods from one EU country to another, then you will not have to charge any VAT. However, a number of important criteria must be met: »» Both parties in the transaction must have a valid VAT number. »» You must check your foreign customer’s VAT number with the EU VIES. »» You must note your customer’s VAT number on your sales invoice. »» You must have documentary proof (e.g. goods transport documentation) of the movement of the goods across the border. »» The goods must leave the country within a set time – typically three months. If these conditions are not met and then irregularities arise, the tax authorities may find you liable for any missing VAT. If your customer does not have a valid VAT number, or you are selling to individual consumers, then you must charge the VAT rate of the country of dispatch.

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DO YOU NEED AN EU VAT NUMBER OR REGISTRATION TO IMPORT GOODS? Probably. The tax authorities will want to record any movement of goods, and potential tax liability, against a unique VAT number held by a company. This includes both imports and intra-Community supplies. If you are importing goods into the EU, customs will require either you or your customer to provide a valid EU VAT number. Typically, since you will not want to disclose the customs cost value of the goods to your customer for commercial reasons, it is better for you to provide the VAT number. In addition, many customers now insist on goods being fully cleared for VAT purposes. This then obliges you to provide a valid VAT number, or to register for one if you do not have one. Companies should be careful about incurring import VAT without having a valid EU VAT number. A number of countries (e.g. Italy and Poland) can make the process of recovering any VAT paid to customs very complicated and slow.

WHAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A VAT NUMBER IN THE COUNTRY OF IMPORT? You can use your domestic VAT number if you are an EU company from a different state than the country of import or intra-Community arrival. However, there may be circumstances when this is not valid. For example, if a French company imports into Germany and then sells locally, it may need a Germany VAT registration. If it had moved the goods to Spain, it may not have needed a Spanish VAT number. If you are a non-EU company, then you will almost certainly have to register your non-EU company as a non-resident VAT trader in at least one EU country. Some countries do operate special schemes to help imports avoid this requirement (e.g. Netherlands), and/or provide VAT cash flow deferment programs (e.g. Czech Republic).

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VIES The VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) is a free online service that enables companies to verify that businesses they are trading with are properly VAT registered. EU VAT number checking is a requirement for all companies; if not completed, it can trigger investigations and heavy fines.

European Online VIES To help trading companies comply with this requirement, all EU member states have created databases of companies within their countries that are VAT registered, which are shared on the European’s online VIES system. Traders can visit this site to check that their customer has the VAT number claimed, and the intra-Community supply can go ahead without a VAT charge.

VIES VAT Number Checking Traders with a valid VAT number can log onto the VIEW site to check the validity of any European VAT number. However, the VIES site does not confirm the name or address of the business in all member states. Follow this link: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/vieshome.do?selectedLanguage=en

National Variations in VIES Whilst most countries participate in the above system, there are some variations, including: • German VIES – which is for German tax registered users only • Italian VIES – which only holds Italian VAT numbers • Spanish VIES – which only holds Spanish numbers Some other countries still only offer a telephone checking service.

HOW TO DEREGISTER ON EU VIES DATABASES For most countries, receiving a VAT number will automatically trigger entry on the relevant country’s VIEW register. There are exceptions, which mandate additional work at the time of registration, or subsequently when the authorities are willing to accept the company. Variations are due to fears of fraud in the EU VAT system around intra-Community supplies. Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria may require additional proof.

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EU Guide to VAT © Avalara 2016

ABOUT AVALARA MEETING YOUR GLOBAL TAX NEEDS »» Servicing the largest multinationals through to the smallest entrepreneurs »» Thousands of customers processing and remitting billions in VAT, GST and US Sales Tax each year »» Cloud-based VAT and Sales Tax calculations & reporting on over 400 ERPs and ecommerce platforms »» 1,000+ tax staff across the Americas, EMEA and Asia

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Avalara helps businesses of all sizes achieve compliance with VAT, sales and excise tax and other transactional tax requirements by delivering comprehensive, automated, cloud-based solutions that are fast, accurate, and easy to use. Avalara’s end-to-end suite of solutions is designed to effectively manage complicated and burdensome tax compliance obligations imposed by state, local, and other taxing authorities across the globe.

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UK +44 (0) 203 126 4996 US +1 877 780 4848 [email protected] www.avalara.com

Avalara offers hundreds of pre-built connectors into leading accounting, ERP, ecommerce and other business applications. The company processes millions of tax transactions for customers and free users every day, files hundreds of thousands of transactional tax returns per year, and manages millions of exemption certificates and other compliance related documents. A privately held company, Avalara’ s venture capital investors include Sageview Capital, Battery Ventures, Warburg Pincus, Technology Crossover Ventures, Arthur Ventures, and other institutional and individual investors. Avalara employs more than 1000 people at its various offices across the U.S., UK, Belgium and India. More information at: www.avalara.com

EU Guide to VAT Rev 04.11.16 Page 21