3. ⢠A world wide tax (almost)
⢠C130 countries (and growing)
⢠Compare US SALT taxes
4. VAT law
⢠European legislation â EU VAT Directive
⢠UK legislation â Value Added Tax Act
1994
⢠Secondary/Tertiary legislation
(Statutory instruments etc)
⢠Case Law
⢠HMRC Notices & Leaflets â generally
interpretive only â not law
5. Scope of the tax
⢠VAT shall be charged on:
- any supply of goods or services
- made in the United Kingdom
- where it is a taxable supply
- made by a taxable person
in the course of furtherance of any
business carried on by him
VAT Act 1994 Section 4(1)
6. ⌠any supply of goods or services âŚ
What is a supply? â no legislative
definition, but:
- âincludes all forms of supply, but not
anything done otherwise for a
considerationâ
7. ⌠any supply of goods or services âŚ
⢠Supply of goods = transfer of title (the
right to dispose of)
⢠Supply of services = anything which is
not a supply of goods .. done for a
consideration
8. ⌠any supply of goods or services âŚ
⢠Distinguishing between goods and
services is important:
- VAT liability
- Place of supply
- Time of supply
9. ⌠made in the United Kingdom âŚ
⢠UK VAT only applies to supplies made
in the UK:
- âplace of supplyâ rules
10. ⌠where it is a taxable supplyâŚ
⢠Taxable supplies:
- Standard rate â 20%
- Zero rate â 0% (e.g. books, new houses,
exports of goods)
- Reduced rate â 5% (e.g. domestic fuel &
power, residential conversions)
⢠Exempt supplies (e.g. finance, education,
some residential accommodation etc)
⢠Difference between zero rate and exempt
11. ⌠where it is a taxable
supplyâŚcontinued
⢠Other supplies/transactions:
- Outside the scope of VAT (e.g.
compensation, grants etc)
- Disregarded supplies, i.e. neither
goods or services (e.g. sales within
VAT group, TOGC)
- Deemed supplies (e.g. gifts,
âmovements of own goodsâ etc)
12. ⌠made by a taxable personâŚ.
⢠A person who makes or intends to
make taxable supplies and is (or is
liable to be) registered for VAT:
- Compulsory registration -
ÂŁ81,000p.a.
- Voluntary registration
- Caution â thresholds differ between
EU countries
13. ⌠in the course of business
⢠âBusinessâ not defined, but includes
âany trade or vocationâ
- Purely private transactions are
outside the scope of VAT
- EC law (VAT Directive) refers to
âeconomic activityâ
- Includes ânot-for-profitâ
activities & organisations
14. Key principles - recap
⢠VAT is a tax on business transactions
⢠Collected through the supply chain
⢠VAT systems worldwide â but the
detailed rules vary
⢠Not all transactions are subject to VAT
⢠Need to understand the transaction to
determine the VAT treatment
15. Time of supply
⢠Determines when to account for VAT
⢠Goods:
âBasic tax point is date when goods
are removed or made available for
customer use
⢠Services:
âBasic tax point is time when the
services are performed
16. Actual tax point
⢠Actual tax point overrides the basic tax
point
⢠Actual tax point created by:
âVAT invoice being issued or a payment
being received before the basic tax
point; or
âInvoice being issued up to 14 days after
the basic tax point. This does not
override a tax point created by an early
payment
17. Goods tax point?
⢠Goods delivered on 8 June 2013
⢠Payment received 31 May 2013
⢠Invoice issued 12 June 2013
⢠What is tax point?
⢠Answer - 31 May 2013
18. Services tax point?
⢠Services performed on 27 September
2012
⢠Payment received on 4 November
2012
⢠Invoice issued on 5 October 2012
⢠What is tax point?
⢠Answer - 5 October 2012
19. Place of supply of goods
âFor goods being transported = where
the goods are when journey begins
âFor goods not being transported =
where they are physically located
âFor goods being supplied and installed =
place where the goods are being
installed
⢠Special rules for intra-EU movements
(dispatches, distance sales) and exports to
non-EU countries
20. Place of supply â GoodsâŚ..continued
⢠A UK supplier supplies goods to a US
customer and the goods are transported
to the US
⢠Place of supply = UK
⢠But â export rules may apply
21. Place of supply â GoodsâŚ..continued
⢠A UK supplier supplies goods to a US
customer but goods remain in the UK
⢠Place of supply = UK
⢠A UK supplier supplies goods to a US
customer. Goods are installed in Germany
⢠Place of supply = Germany
22. Place of supply of services
⢠Basic rule: âwhere the recipient has established his
businessâ
⢠If recipient has more than one place of business: place
of business which is âmost closely connectedâ to the supply
⢠Exceptions to basic rule for:
â Land/immovable property e.g. property
management, surveying, legal services on
conveyancing
â Transport services
â Live artistic, sporting, cultural and exhibition
services e.g. pop concert
â Intellectual services e.g. engineering services
â Electronic services (will change in 2015)
23. Place of supply â ServicesâŚ..continued
⢠A UK supplier supplies office rental property in
the UK to a US customer
⢠Place of supply where the property is located =
UK
⢠A UK supplier supplies office rental property in
the UK to German customer
⢠Place of supply = UK
⢠A UK supplier supplies office rental property in
Germany to a German customer
⢠Place of supply = Germany
26. European Community
⢠Members (28)
Austria Germany The Netherlands
Belgium Greece Poland
Croatia Hungary Portugal
Cyprus Ireland Slovak Republic
Czech Rep Italy Slovenia
Denmark Latvia Spain
Estonia Lithuania Sweden
Finland Luxembourg Romania
France Bulgaria
UK Malta
⢠Candidate countries
Macedonia Turkey
27. Imports
⢠Goods from outside the EU
⢠Import VAT
- same rate of VAT as if goods supplied in UK
- payable as a duty of Customs
- payable when duty is due (i.e when goods
cleared)
- taxable amount = value for Customs purposes
- deferment
- import VAT is reclaimable - Box 4
29. *
*Zero-rated (subject to certain conditions)
*Value of goods exported â include in Box 6 of VAT
return
*Need EORI number in order to export
*Usually: VAT number with
* Prefix GB
* Suffix 000
- Non-registered? - Apply to HMRC for EORI
https://www.gov.uk/economic-operator-
registration-and-identification-eori-scheme
31. *
Need to:
*Declare to HMRC by SAD (aka C88)
*Classify goods by Commodity Code
*https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff
*Declare Customs Procedure Code (CPC)
*Declare what you are doing with the goods (eg
temp export)
32. *Declaration Unique Consignment Reference
*Part of audit trail
*Part 1 â Year
*Part 2 â Country
*Part 3 â EORI number
*Part 4 â Your ref
*Value (usually FOB)
33. *
*internationally recognised standard trade
terms
*Set out responsibility for:
*cost of transporting the goods, including
insurance, taxes and duties
*where the goods should be picked up from and
transported to
*who is responsible for the goods at each step
during transportation
35. *
âCustoms Handling of Import and Export Freightâ
Allows you to track the movement of your goods
through ports and airports, and complete customs
information electronically.
https://www.gov.uk/chief-trader-import-and-export-
processing-system
36. *
National Export System for export declarations
Enables export declarations to be made electronically
Use of NES is mandatory for exporters and you must
be authorised to use it.
https://www.gov.uk/export-declarations-and-the-
national-export-system-export-procedures#the-
national-export-system-and-how-to-use-it
37. *
Export Control System - The EU system for the
control of indirect exports, such as export
consignments that are declared for export at a
location in one Member State but exit the EU via
another Member State.
https://www.gov.uk/export-control-system-ecs-
supporting-guidance
38. *
Goods go directly from UK to non-EU country
Proof of export required to support zero-rating
39. *
Goods travel through other EU country or
countries before arriving in non-EU country
Additional VAT requirements
40. *
4-Stage Process:
1. Make declaration to inform HMRC goods are on
their way
2. Message sent to CHIEF when they arrive at port
3. Customs make any checks and clear the goods
(âPermission to Progressâ â P2P)
4. Departure message*
*Crucial to proof zero-rating for VAT
42. * Acts in your name
* Acts on your behalf
* You remain responsible for
compliance
* You remain responsible for
Customs debts
* Agent acts in own name
* Agent acts on your behalf
* Joint responsibility for
compliance
* Joint responsibility for
Customs debts
*
45. Exports
⢠Sale/removal of goods outside the EC
⢠Zero rated providing
- Goods physically removed within 3mths
of 'time of supply
- Exporter obtains and keeps 'proof of
export'
- No delivery to UK address (ex. for
processing etc)
⢠Otherwise standard rated
46. Exports
⢠Official evidence (provided by HMRC)
- Goods Departed Message (GDM)
- Export declaration (SAD/C88)
⢠Commercial evidence
- Authenticated sea-waybills/ air-waybills
- Bills of landing
- Certificates of shipment
- CMR/ International consignment note
47. Proof of export
Continued
⢠Supplementary evidence
- orders, contracts, correspondence, etc
- consignment note, packing list, etc
- insurance/freight charges, evidence and
payment
⢠HMRC make the rules (Notice 703)
⢠Ex-works sales
48. Intra-EC trading - goods
Supplier:
Germany
Customer:
UK
Goods
Invoice
'Despatch' 'Acquisition'
Zero rate sale provided: 'Acquisition tax' (UK VAT):
- quote customer UK VAT No - A/c for VAT on UK return
- obtain 'proof of removal' - Reclaimable (subject to
normal rules)
49. Acquisitions
⢠Goods from elsewhere in the EC
⢠VAT registered customer responsible for
'acquisition tax' accounting
⢠Acquisition tax
50. Dispatches
⢠Sale/removal of goods to other EC member
states
⢠Zero rated provided:
- goods physically removed from UK
- goods 'acquired' by VAT registered customer
- supplier quotes customer VAT number
- supplier obtains and keeps 'evidence of
removal'
⢠Otherwise standard rated
⢠Movements of own goods
⢠VAT return: boxes 6 and 8
51. EC Sales List (ESL)
⢠Details of zero rated supplies of goods to
EC customers
- customers VAT number
- 'total value' of goods supplied
⢠Calendar quarters
⢠Sent automatically by HMRC (Box 8)
⢠Now required for services
52. Intrastat
⢠Statistics on trade in goods between EC
countries
⢠Boxes 8 and 9 of VAT return
⢠Supplementary declarations:
- Dispatches (ÂŁ250k)
- Arrivals (ÂŁ600k)
- Monthly
⢠Physical movements of goods
⢠Penalty regime
53. Overseas expenses
⢠EC 8th Directive - recovery of VAT
incurred elsewhere in EC
⢠Conditions - taxable person etc
⢠Claim - period, original invoices
⢠EC 13th Directive â recovery of EU VAT by
businesses not registered or established
in the EU
54. VAT on services: international
issuesVAT impact of services supplied into and out
of UK/EU
⢠Place of supply
⢠âImportationâ of services into UK/EU
⢠May be subject to âreverse chargeâ VAT
55. Headline Rate
⢠SR VAT - 1/6th of gross value
- Impact on margin
⢠Compare other taxes
⢠Ignore it at your peril!
56. Complexity of Regime
⢠Old legislation â needs updating (e.g. food,
handicapped persons)
⢠New legislation â Torture!
⢠Pace of change â Continuous process (Budget
Day no longer âan eventâ)
⢠Volume of material
⢠Volume and range of case law (FTT â CJEU)
(28 countries)
57. Penalty Regime
- Criminal offences
- e.g. fraudulent evasion
- Up to 7 years in jail
- Civil penalty regime
- e.g. errors/misdeclarations
- 0% to 100% of the tax
58. Penalty Regime
- HMRC attitude
- Focus on âbehaviourâ not âtax lossâ
- Proportionality
- Mitigation and suspension
59. HMRC
⢠Aims â plugging the tax gap
⢠Technical (and other) resources constrained
⢠Inconsistency
⢠Easy targets