Selling outside the EU: do you have to charge VAT?

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One of the drawbacks of being self-employed could be navigating through all these complex VAT regulations. The EU hasn't made it very easy, but hey: we're here to assist you. Within Europe, VAT is generally charged when you sell something, unless it's an intra-community supply. But what about VAT rules when selling outside the EU? Let's delve into it together.

As a Belgian seller, do I need to charge VAT on sales to a non-EU country?

For goods or services sold outside the European Union, you are not required to charge or pay VAT. It does not matter whether your customer is a company or an individual.

However, you must be able to prove to the Belgian tax authorities that your goods have left the EU. Otherwise, you may have to pay Belgian VAT retrospectively through a reassessment.

How can you prove that your goods have left the country? This can be done with documents such as:

• Copy of the invoice
• Transport document
• Import declaration from a country outside the EU

Can I deduct the VAT on these sales?

If you sell services or goods outside the EU, then you do not need to charge VAT. Therefore, you cannot deduct it. However, you can still deduct VAT on previous transactions that were specifically made for that sale.

Examples of such transactions include: the production costs for printing T-shirts, the cost of packaging materials, etc.

Want to know more about foreign VAT rules?

Check our Belgian and EU VAT guides:

VAT abroad: a guide for the self-employed
Buying something as an entrepreneur in or outside the EU: VAT rules
VAT rules in the EU: charging VAT when selling to a business customer?
New VAT rules: what does the OSS scheme mean for your EU customers?

Author - Valesca Wilms

As content marketing lead at Accountable Belgium, Valesca writes about freelancing, self-employment, and taxes based on her own experience as a freelancer.

Who is Valesca ?