VAT charged for USA download

Grumpy

Registered User
Messages
84
US company want to charge me VAT on software download.
Is this right?
They refer to EU July 2003 regulations.
 
US company want to charge me VAT on software download.
Is this right?
They refer to EU July 2003 regulations.

I would have thought unless you're VAT registered you should be charged VAT by a company outside this jurisdiction?
 
Judging by 2003 is indeed a significant date with respect to non EU online stores charging EU buyers VAT.
 
Update - see here:
 
This policy also applies to books (VAT exempt in Ireland) that you buy via download or for online reading in the US (typically technical books). In some cases the extra VAT might make the cost of the postage justifiable for the hard copy.

What about carbon footprints and product airmiles one might well ask.
 
Yes, there are several US companies that collect VAT on downloads.

Remember, the US company isn't "charging" you VAT - it's merely collecting it for the Irish government.
 
Apparently the EU are instructing US companies to collect VAT and forward it to them/it.The threat of refusing copyright protection has been made if they don't comply.
Its a strange situation where one state instructs the citizens of another state to collect taxes for it.What action can the EU take if the VAT is not forwarded on to it?
 
Yes!
IM(NS)HO EU have no right to instruct US citizens/companies, without a presence in the EU and in the absence of a US/EU agreement.
It does have the right to require its own citizens to pay VAT on goods or services sourced outside its territory.