COSMOPOLITE GROUP
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ABOUT
Cosmopolite is present in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and has sales offices in the United Kingdom and the United States. Cosmopolite serves more than 300 of the world’s leading clients in 29 countries.
VAT refund
COSMOPOLITE GUARANTEES THE PROPER USE OF EUROPEAN DIRECTIVES ON VAT REFUNDS
Any company, whether European or not, can recover VAT on business expenses (trade shows, commercial trips, etc.) incurred in any of the EU countries.
The Eighth and Thirteenth EU Directives provide access to these tax refunds.
- Eighth Directive – December 6, 1979
- Thirteenth Directive – November 17, 1986
VAT refunds are possible by respecting certain rules:
Applications must be submitted in accordance with the rules of each of the countries in which the expenditure was incurred. Given the legal disparities in all countries, it may be appropriate to use a tax representative to present the files.
VAT REFUND: WHY AN INTERMEDIARY?
Like any administrative procedure, this one involves gathering a certain number of documents and therefore sorting, for a given year, supplier invoices (stands, locations in a trade fair) but also employees’ expense reports!
Moreover, the 27 administrations with which we must interact do not all have the same languages, the same criteria or the same media. These laws are also evolving at various speeds.
COSMOPOLITE has constant contact with the European tax authorities and immediately applies any changes. With a single intermediary, COSMOPOLITE, our customers can manage all their refunds in each of the countries where it is possible to do so!
VAT refund: Total support...
- Check and select the correct invoices and return those that cannot allow the refund
- Sort invoices in chronological order for each country
- Enter the details of these invoices into our software and print the refund request
- Scan all parts to ensure the traceability of your expenses
- Submit the file to the administrations concerned
- Regular tracking on the status of your refund request
- Return submitted invoices for the proper follow-up of your accounting
- Always stay on top of tax information and keep you informed
In addition, we only charge you when you have received the refund, directly, through the administration!
You have nothing to lose with VAT Refund: no risk, no wasted time, no costs incurred: only profit!
VAT Refund : 3 examples
Case N° 1: VAT refund on business travel expenses in Germany:
As part of your activity, you are required to send your staff on trips to the EU and especially to Germany, which entails hotel costs, catering, car rental, taxi etc. The local VAT charged on these different services is recoverable!
Simply send us all invoices mentioning German VAT for these various costs, once a year, before June, 30 the following year.
All these supporting documents bear a VAT of about 15% (in Germany) which can represent a significant amount each year.
CASE N°2: VAT refund on a representative office in France:
A Japanese entity has set up a representative office in France. VAT on the costs incurred for the operation of this office: rent, electricity, telephone etc… is deductible!
- Types of invoices: rent, EDF, office supplies, photocopier maintenance, social fees, newspaper subscription, fire extinguishers maintenance, etc.
- Amount recovered per year: between €10,000 and €12,000 on average depending on the size of the office
Simply send us all the invoices mentioning the French VAT for these different costs, once a year, before June, 30 the following year.
CASE N°3: VAT refund on motorway tolls in Italy
You are a transport company and you travel within the EU, VAT on fuel and tolls are recoverable in the majority of EU countries
Monthly invoices (badges) or invoices bearing VAT must be collected and submitted to the Italian state before June, 30 the following year.
