Author: Michaela Merz

Mexico – Customs-Single Point of Contact (“Ventanilla Unica” or “VUCEM”)

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The Mexican Customs and Foreign Trade Authorities are implementing changes to modify and simplify the customs process and have a paperless customs.  These changes are mandatory and will be implemented from 1 June 2012.

VUCEM is divided in three main modules with the following functionality:

  • Customs Single Point of Contact (VUCEM): Requesting health, agriculture, defense and other import and export licenses issued by the government.
  • COVE Electronic Value Voucher (“Comprobante de valor electrónico” or “COVE”): Electronic filing of information that supports the value of the goods (e.g. invoice data), previous to the customs clearance.
  • Digitization: Electronic filing and storage of digitalized documents required for the clearance of goods at customs (e.g. Certificates of Origin, customs value declarations, import/export licenses, etc.)

The Netherlands – increase of VAT rate as per 1 of October 2012

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Dutch VAT rate will increase as per 1 of October from 19% to 21%.

Beer bath

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A long weekend with all my children at my parents’ place in the Czech Republic. On Saturday I woke up at the same time as my youngest son. As so often recently, he had wandered to my bed in the middle of the night.

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Bier-Bad

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Ein verlängertes Wochenende mit all meinen Kindern bei meinen Eltern in Tschechien. Am Samstagmorgen wachte ich gleichzeitig mit meinem jüngsten Sohn auf. Er war, wie schon öfters in letzter Zeit, mitten in der Nacht in mein Bett zugewandert.

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Germany – EORI Number

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On 10 March 2012 the German customs authorities introduced a new release of software used for customs declarations. Since that date it is a requirement to state the EORI number of the importer of goods to Germany or in case of imports to Germany with consecutive onward supply to another EU country. Please note that it is no longer possible to declare imports online without a valid EORI number, the old German customs number is not sufficient.

If you need further details, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Russia – VAT treatment of bonuses

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On 29 March 2012, the Resolution no. 11637/11 dated 7 February 2012 of the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitrazh Court of Russia was published on the Russian SAC’s website. The Company (Leroy Merlin Vostok LLC ) was granted bonuses by its suppliers of goods for having achieved target volumes, as well as for the placement of goods in stores. Read More »

Lies are catching up

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Children are clever. To lie to them in order to reach a goal or to get a little bit of peace is in my opinion a rather short-term strategy, which does not really work.

I never lie to my children, even though it is more exhausting to struggle with the truth. Read More »

Lügen haben kurze Beine

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Kinder sind klug. Ihnen Lügen aufzutischen, um ein Ziel zu erreichen oder ein bisschen Ruhe zu haben, ist meiner Meinung nach eine kurzfristige Strategie, die nicht wirklich aufgeht.

Ich belüge meine Kinder nie, auch wenn es mühsamer ist, sich mit der ganzen Wahrheit zu quälen.Read More »

Permanent establishment for VAT in Spain

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The Spanish VAT authorities have recently published several public consultations concerning different questions related to the interpretation of a permanent establishment for VAT. The new interpretation seems to differ to the previous legal position. In case that a company rents or owns a warehouse in Spain, there is a risk that this warehouse creates a permanent establishment from the Spanish VAT perspective and that the company therefore needs to charge VAT on its supplies of goods in Spain.

I would highly recommend that companies with (rented or owned) warehouses in Spain review their current situation in Spain very carefully in order to eliminate a potential risk, both from a VAT and direct tax point of view.

If you need further details please do not hesitate to contact me.

Singapore and chewing gums

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I was flying to Singapore for the first time and was very curious about that city. I had read so much about it. How does the city really look like, how is it organised, is it really as clean as described everywhere?

I boarded the plane and looked through my travel guide. There it was written that chewing and importing chewing gums in Singapore is forbidden and is punished with high fines. Read More »