RE: EU Directive-For non-EU traders - selling digital services

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Well, what this means for a layman like me is as follows:

Lets, for example, say that I am a digital service provider (selling software, ebooks, games, any kind of downloads, electronic services like hosting, SEO services, web-designing, domain registration, auction services like ebay, etc) and I am based in USA - lets assume for this example (anywhere outside Europe).

If in any sale, my client is a consumer based in UK (for example), then I have to charge him VAT based on the VAT rate in UK (17.5%). If my client was based in Germany, then I would have to charge him German VAT rate. 15 EU countries are covered in this scheme and if my client is based anywhere in these 15 EU countries, then I would have to charge the VAT rate of my clients country.

Now lets assume the second case, where my client (who is a VAT registered business - e.g. [url=http://www.rkgconsulting.com]RKG Consulting Ltd[/url] based in UK)  who is buying a software from me, then I do not have to charge him VAT. He will account for VAT himself (reverse charge) and pay the VAT to [url=http://www.hmce.gov.uk]Her Majesty's Custome & Excise[/url] - the VAT collecting agency in UK. So he will self account and this will be displayed in his VAT return.

The assumption here is that I do not have any establishment (office or trading presence) in the European Union.

If you have any further simple questions, please post them here.[/url]