Distance selling, in simple terms, involves the sale of goods to individuals in another member state.
Today, this primarily means online marketplace sellers but it equally applies to more traditional mail order type businesses.
A VAT registered UK internet seller is required to charge UK VAT on supplies made to individuals in, say, France.
The shock for many businesses, particularly those expanding rapidly from small beginnings, is that once sales to other member sales reach a certain threshold they are, by law, begin accounting for VAT in that member state. This requires the business to register for VAT in that member state.
Currently member states can choose to set the annual distance selling threshold at either €35,000 or €100,000 or their home currency equivalents.
Registration in other member states typically requires forms to be submitted in the language of that member state which is often a problem for UK businesses. Happily, OMNIS can assist any business that is required to register for VAT in another EC member state either through our own multilingual staff or via our network of EC VAT contacts.
Thereafter, we can assist with submission of VAT returns and general VAT compliance as you require.