EU VAT OSS and IOSS
Selling into the EU from the UK, with the tax treatment recorded per order.
Selling to EU consumers from the UK means VAT is due where the customer is, not where you are. OSS and IOSS are the schemes that let you account for that through one return instead of registering in every country.
How it works
- The destination and the customer type feed the tax decision, so the same product is treated differently for a consumer in Dublin and a VAT-registered business there.
- The treatment is recorded per order, which is what a return needs.
- Documents show the breakdown a customer’s accountant will ask for.
The threshold to watch
IOSS covers consignments under a value threshold; above it, import VAT and duty are handled at the border instead, and the customer may be asked to pay before the parcel is released.
That is a customer-experience problem as much as a tax one. A buyer surprised by a bill at the door refuses the parcel, and you pay for the round trip.
What it does not do
It does not register you for OSS, file your return, or decide whether you should be registered somewhere. This records the position accurately; a qualified accountant decides what the position should be. Ask before the volume arrives, not after.
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