What is VIES and How it works

VIES

Vat Information Exchange System

Why VIES

To prevent VAT fraud To make it easier for businesses to sell to other countries in the EU Your business can sell to EU businesses without charging Irish VAT and your customer does not have to worry about import documentation and being charged VAT.

VIES VAT number validation

Where to check any EU VAT number using the EU website

Process

You must either use the Revenue Online System (ROS) to either upload a file created by your software, use the Revenue offline software or use the ROS online web software and file a return.

VIES transactions only apply to businesses registered for VAT in the EU and Northern Ireland Only for EU Business to Business sales, consumers must be charged VAT Business customer’s must give their VAT number to you, you check that it is a valid vat number and that it does belong to them You should keep evidence that the vat number matches the customer You must put your VAT number and their VAT number on any sales invoices sent to them

Important: If you don’t check the vat number or don’t place that vat number on the sales invoice you may have to pay over 23% vat on the value of that sales invoice.

Completing the VIES

Try and do it monthly to find missing or incorrect codes early.

Filing Requirements and Dates

A statement is required in respect of each calendar month if the value of supplies exceeds the quarterly threshold of €50,000 for goods. Suppliers of services may opt to file quarterly or monthly statements only. N.B. Where a supplier makes no supplies to other Member States in a particular period, a “Nil” statement must be submitted for that period.

Turnover Data

The VIES Statement involves the furnishing of aggregate turnover information only. Traders should not provide details of individual transactions on the VIES Statement but merely a total value figure for trade with each intra-EU VAT registered customer in another Member State in the course of each period.

Trader Obligation to File

Although traders identified by the VIMA unit as being currently involved in intraCommunity trade may be advised of their obligations under the VIES system, the onus is on the traders to supply this information even if not specifically advised of their obligations by VIMA.

More information

VIES and INTRASTAT Trader’s Manual