# Claiming back VAT paid on Business Expense purchased within EU



## buggeen (20 Jun 2007)

Hi,
I have recently started up my own company. I have purchased equipment that will be used by the company from a number of countries including the UK and Greece and have paid VAT on these purchases.
I am registered for VAT here and will be claiming back VAT paid on purchases made in Ireland.
My question is am I entitled to claim back my VAT on the purchases from the UK and Greece and how do I go about it?


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## gotsomenow (21 Jun 2007)

Anytime I have traded within the EU I just gave my VAT number and was exempt from paying VAT from the start.

G


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## Graham_07 (21 Jun 2007)

Unfortunately, you cannot claim back the foreign VAT on your Irish VAT returns. As the previous post said, if you gave your VAT number to the other EU suppliers then the goods would have been shipped EX VAT. They then go into your books as EU acquisitions. There is, I believe an office for each EU country with a VAT procedure for reclaiming VAT once it has already been paid. I can't locate that link att his time but will keep trying to find it , however perhaps other posters may have the details.


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## Nige (21 Jun 2007)

If you were correctly charged VAT, you can reclaim it with an EU 8th Directive reclaim, from the country who charged the VAT. This procedure is very slow and cumbersome and it can take a year or more to get the money back.

Some specialist companies will provide an EU 8th directive reclaim service.

However, if you were incorrectly charged the VAT, you must get that back from the supplier.


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## buggeen (21 Jun 2007)

I was charged VAT because at the time of placing the orders I was unable to supply my VAT number. I couldn't supply my VAT number because the revenue were so slow to mail it to me.
As I did not supply a VAT number I take it that the companies were correct in charging me VAT. So it looks like I will need to make an EU 8th Directive reclaim? 
Has anyone any experience of doing this? What is the best way to go about it?

Thanks for all the replies,
Daniel


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## Clarkey (21 Jun 2007)

buggeen said:


> I was charged VAT because at the time of placing the orders I was unable to supply my VAT number. I couldn't supply my VAT number because the revenue were so slow to mail it to me.
> As I did not supply a VAT number I take it that the companies were correct in charging me VAT. So it looks like I will need to make an EU 8th Directive reclaim?
> Has anyone any experience of doing this? What is the best way to go about it?
> 
> ...


 
From what you say it sound's like you bought the goods before you were registered for VAT so you are not entitled to claim back the VAT paid, nor were you entitled to buy these goods free of VAT as you weren't registered at the time. VAT Registration cannot be backdated. You should have waited until you had your VAT number before buying these goods


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## buggeen (27 Jun 2007)

Sorry for not answering sooner, I was away for a few days. 
On all my documentation from the revenue it says that I am registered for VAT from 1st May. However I did not get this documentation until the start of June. These purchases were made in the middle of May so although I was registered for VAT I did not know my VAT number and was unable to provide it to the supplier.


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