Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Recover the VAT paid outside of Spain

 
 
We must first make a distinction with regard to purchases that are made outside our borders. If these are done to a country of the European Union and imply that consumption of the good or service is made ​​within our borders, we must fill up our registration as intra-Community VAT operators. By filling up the registration with the tax authorities we will get an European VAT number which will be used as a common reference in dealings with the customs authorities throughout the Community. If we have the European VAT registration number purchases from other country of the European Union shall bear no VAT on your bill, while if we do not have it the seller will apply the VAT tax of its country and this cannot be deducted as such and must be accounted as a greater amount of the purchase.
 
 
But there are other expenses incurred by companies that support VAT that cannot be deducted if we have an European VAT Number. These expenses are those that companies incur as a result of movement of professional or business and their employees. So if a company has clients abroad or go to some kind of event, there may incur costs related to this activity by supporting the VAT of the country where they are.
Vehicles rentals
Expenditures hotels. Rental of meeting rooms. Meals. Entries to the exhibitions and trade fairs.
Purchase goods not transported out of the country where they were acquired. Services that are engaged in businesses such as translation services, lawyers, consultants, etc.
The Eighth Directive on the harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to turnover taxes business, provides that:
a tax payer established in the Community to which the VAT is applied in a Member State other than the one in which it is established is entitled to recover VAT, can claim back the VAT to the authorities of the Member State which the VAT has been applied. The refund must be made within six months from the date on which it was submitted to the competent authorities the application, with all relevant documentation.
You can also recover VAT in countries outside the European Union, provided there is a reciprocal agreement with Spain. Currently there are agreements with Canada, Japan, Monaco, Switzerland, Israel and Norway, among others, although some countries have limited repayment agreement depending on the operation performed. VAT recovery could be a problem due it has to be managed directly from the country where he was satisfied, which implies some administrative procedures that may discourage their claim, if the amount is not significant.

For more information on how to claim back the VAT do not hesitate to contact VP Advisers.

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