Czech VAT rate to increase 1% to 21% in 2013
It has been proposed that the Czech Republic raises its VAT rate from 20% to 21% from the 1 January 2013.
Updated 27 December 2012 – the President has now approved this change, and it will go into place on 1 January 2013.
This follows a previous Czech 1% VAT increase in 2010.
It was originally proposed in 2011 that the standard and reduced VAT rates (currently 14%) would be brought into line at 17%. This would include a widening of the tax base to help fund the cut to the higher, standard rate. However, this has now been dropped.
The Czech government is struggling to keep its deficit close to the Euro currency entry level of 3% of GDP. It has been hit by the slow down across its crucial Western Europe markets.
Should you register for Czech VAT?
Foreign companies offering local goods or services may be required to register for Czech VAT. As with the rest of the EU, the common situations triggering a registration include:
- Importing goods into the Czech Republic
- Intracommunity sales (dispatches) or purchases (acquisitions) of goods from other EU member states
- Trading, buying and selling goods in Czech Republic
- Holding goods under consignment stock arrangements in the Czech Republic for sales to local customers
- Internet retailing goods to Czech consumers, subject to a local distance selling threshold
- Running live events, exhibitions or conferences with paid admission on the door
- If a company is otherwise a non-VAT trader, but is receiving services in Czech Republic under the reverse charge rule.
- The self supply of goods.
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