VAT blows. I setup a company in Germany years ago, reason was we had some strong leads on European business, mostly in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Those sales came through and found a local manufacturer to make the product. They charged VAT on every unit and they would remit to the government. Since I had a German VAT #, anything that I invoiced in Sweden or elsewhere would not have VAT on the invoice and they wouldn’t pay for it. So I was sitting on a prepaid tax asset from manufacturing bills for which there wouldn’t be any easy way to offset unless I was invoicing German customers. Germany then audits me because I haven’t paid them much of anything myself and they think I’m avoiding paying them what I have collected from my customers. Had to go through a two year VAT audit where every BOL had to be printed and shown that it was not being shipped in Germany. End of the audit was no finding and they paid me back what I was unable to offset.
Fuck Germany, fuck Europe. Fuck VAT.