Our valued sponsor

New company for 0% VAT in EU?

Cabbage500

New member
Sep 7, 2017
39
13
8
54
Visit site
Hi everyone

Need some help :)

We sell digital services into EU from a Seychelles company. We have lost our bank account recently and now face a dilemma. We need to set up a new company that can sell into the EU, without charging VAT as it would make our service uncooperative. We mainly sell to consumers, not companies.

Ideally with a low corporate tax rate.

Please can anyone suggest how we would achieve this?

Turnover is about 1 million pa

Thanks
 
  • Like
Reactions: koohl
Maybe this article will help you get started:

 
Yup you may also want to read this link first. I talked about this back in 2018. VAT when selling into EU is fact of life you will have to live with sadly.

 
  • Like
Reactions: GPT
you cant sell digital services legally to eu customers without paying local vat rates

I know some EU countries have used creditcard payment data to verify if some eCommerce shops in EU were evading VAT in their country.

I dont know what actions they would take against a Non-EU Company who dont pay VAT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jony Di
you cant sell digital services legally to eu customers without paying local vat rates

I know some EU countries have used creditcard payment data to verify if some eCommerce shops in EU were evading VAT in their country.

I dont know what actions they would take against a Non-EU Company who dont pay VAT.
Worst case scenario they block the bank account if it is in Europe. In which case, just setup a new company and open a new bank account.
 
Hi everyone

Need some help :)

We sell digital services into EU from a Seychelles company. We have lost our bank account recently and now face a dilemma. We need to set up a new company that can sell into the EU, without charging VAT as it would make our service uncooperative. We mainly sell to consumers, not companies.

Ideally with a low corporate tax rate.

Please can anyone suggest how we would achieve this?

Turnover is about 1 million pa

Thanks

I will urge you to consider Cyprus. It is an EU country and offers a low tax package.

Also, If your business qualifies for IP box regime your effective tax rate will be just 2.5%. Of course, proper planning is necessry to achieve a solid structure.

For the VAT component if you have B2C transactions in EU the place of supply is where the consumer lies and you will need to pay VAT to the country of the consumer. For this there is a new platform “OSS platform” (one stop shop) whch reduces the administrative hassle and you just have to register report and pay to one country and the funds are transmitted to the relevant countries automatically.

Hope this helps
 
thanks for the responses, so seems that it cant be done Legally.

Exactly.

OK .... they won't pursue the company or share holders for the unpaid VAT?

Yes they will. Extradition for VAT fraud happens. Just google it. Pay the VAT due to EU or don't sell to customers in EU. VAT collection and import duty is almost a national security issue in some countries as it forms a significant part of government financing. It is not a light crime.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GPT and RealDude
It’s full of people on the street willing to act as nominees for a few bucks, and you don’t need to give them your ID and sign a contract.
What you're talking about here is fraud and potentially a plethora of other crimes, not nominees in the manner the term is normally used.
 
Since the guy wants to do VAT fraud, it’s better that he does it in a proper way.
My understanding from the question posed is whether this can be done legally, I don't think he indicated at any point that he is willing to commit fraud...or to open himself or others to potential criminal liability.

You should have in mind the following:

(a) In the EU now the nominees have the obligation to register the details of the UBO in the national UBO register.

(b) Nominees will point out to the UBO once they realise they are in trouble with authorities.

(c) Even though the company is a separate entity the corporate veil can be pierced in a number of cases, such as fraud and take action against the shareholder.

What you suggest could have been possible many years ago or in some third world countries. Certainly not today and no in the EU.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GPT
My understanding from the question posed is whether this can be done legally, I don't think he indicated at any point that he is willing to commit fraud...or to open himself or others to potential criminal liability.

You should have in mind the following:

(a) In the EU now the nominees have the obligation to register the details of the UBO in the national UBO register.

(b) Nominees will point out to the UBO once they realise they are in trouble with authorities.

(c) Even though the company is a separate entity the corporate veil can be pierced in a number of cases, such as fraud and take action against the shareholder.

What you suggest could have been possible many years ago or in some third world countries. Certainly not today and no in the EU.
I heard of people (vat fraudsters) who find nominees on the street (homeless etc.), pay them a few bucks and send them to apply for a passport. Then they use the passport so obtained to appoint the person as a director/shareholder of the fraudulent company. Eventually the company goes bust, but the authorities never find the responsible. They might find the homeless guy in the street, but that guy has no idea of who is the person who paid him for the passport.

It is 100% illegal but it works.
 
I heard of people (vat fraudsters) who find nominees on the street (homeless etc.), pay them a few bucks and send them to apply for a passport. Then they use the passport so obtained to appoint the person as a director/shareholder of the fraudulent company. Eventually the company goes bust, but the authorities never find the responsible. They might find the homeless guy in the street, but that guy has no idea of who is the person who paid him for the passport.

It is 100% illegal but it works.
It works but its illegal and gives many years in jail if caught High risk High return.

Many poor East europeans are used for this. The criminals go and offer them some money or a job. In return they give their identity.
 

Latest Threads