
HMRC Trade Tariff Tool For Your Commodity Code
A commodity code is a code that allows sellers to categorise their goods. This allows the products to go through customs much more efficiently and will make filling in declarations and other paperwork much simpler. This code allows sellers and customs agents to work out what rate of import VAT should be paid, whether the duty is suspended, and whether sellers will need a license to distribute the goods. The code will vary in length but are usually a 10-digit code. The first 6 are the HS code which are recognised globally, and then the last 4 are country-specific.

UKCA Marking – Prepare Your Business
As stated, almost all the products that need the CE marking will now need the UKCA marking if you wish to sell them in the UK. This means that if you sell products in the UK that already have the CE marking it is heavily advised that you seek advice to see if the products now needs UKCA marking. This also applies to products that use the ‘reverse epsilon’ marking. The UKCA marking will only be valid in the UK, just as the CE marking will only be valid in the EU. Thus, if you wish to sell a product in both the UK and the EU it will have to have both markings – UKCA when sold in the UK and CE when sold in Europe.

The New EU VAT Rules – Ecommerce Tips
The OSS & IOSS are the biggest changes that have come into effect with the new EU VAT rules. In a nutshell, the OSS allows sellers based inside and outside the EU to report all their sales to one country in a quarterly VAT return. The IOSS works similarly, but for import VAT and for sales up to €150. The IOSS also requires monthly returns, and you may need an EU-based intermediary depending on which country you register with.

How-To Guide For VAT Registration In France
The rules regarding when you have to register for VAT in France are very similar to the rules adopted by most of the European countries. If you are based outside of France, you will have to register for VAT if you hold stock in the country, provide services related to a property in France (accommodation, office space etc.), ship goods from France and, as of the 1st of July, if you are based outside of the EU and make any sales to French consumers.

World MSME Day 2021: The Most Important One Yet
The 27th of July marks the annual World MSME Day. This day is devoted to championing Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and raising awareness of the value they provide and the struggles they face. Globally, MSMEs are responsible for about 70% of employment and 50% of GDP. Bearing this in mind, there has perhaps never been a time when recognising the significance of MSMEs has been more important…

The Amazon Launchpad Startup Of The Year
Amazon announced they were launching the competition earlier this year in order to support and champion emerging and innovative European startups. They received over 1,800 applicants from 26 different European countries who were all vying to be named as the best and most innovative startup of 2021. Amazon’s judges, who were assessing the applicants’ products on their aesthetics, social and ecological sustainability and uniqueness, have whittled the applicants down to 5 finalists. All of these finalists will receive $10,000 in prize money but only the winner, who will decided by the public vote, will receive the first placed prize of $100,000. So let’s take a look at the five finalists. Read to the end to find out how you can vote and be in with a chance of winning a £50 Amazon voucher.

Extension To Lockdown Hard To Swallow For Hospitality
One of the main factors that has caused anger for the hospitality industry is the fact that the extension hasn’t been accompanied by any further support from the UK Government. Industry leaders have pleaded for additional support, but it looks as though the UK government believe that the support they already in place is sufficient. In fairness, all the current support will stay in place. This means that the sector will continue to benefit from the reduced VAT rate of 5%. This initiative was extremely well received when it was first announced. On top of this the Recovery Loan Scheme and the furlough scheme are still available for business owners to use.

The ‘Seismic’ G7 Tax Reforms: Will You Be Affected?
What will the G7 Tax Reforms mean for the average seller? As it stands, not much. Even those on Amazon, are unlikely to see any changes to the service for a while since these reforms are still in their infancy. There is still a long way to go in terms of actually agreeing to more concrete rules of the reforms – as it stands, there is just an agreement in principle in place.

The New CE-Marked Legislation & How It Affects Amazon Sellers
nyone who imports CE-marked products into the EU to sell will be required to adhere to the new legislation. This includes Amazon sellers. The good news for Amazon sellers is that Amazon can act as your Responsible Person. Amazon offer a service called ARP (Amazon Responsible Person) which you can subscribe to. This means that your products will be covered by Amazon. You do not necessarily need to use Amazon as your responsible person, but it is highly recommended that you do.

The Flat Rate Scheme (FRS) & Online Marketplaces
From the beginning of 2021, the UK VAT regulation for overseas online sellers has been changed. However, for those traders under the Flat Rate Scheme, it might not be beneficial in terms of the input VAT claim restrictions. It is mainly because of the new VAT collection responsibly of Online Marketplaces (OMPs). Some traders mentioned that HMRC might allow online sellers to claim back VAT on the stock on hand value when the OMP’s started to deduct VAT. However, so far, there is no written guidance regarding this specific VAT treatment.