top of page

Case Study : VAT Registration in France for a Non-EU Company


French flag, VAT sign with stars on beige, map of France in soft lighting; suggests tax theme.
VAT Registration in France

Client Profile



An Australian entrepreneur managing sourcing operations through Hong Kong and Mainland China, now looking to sell directly to the European market. France was selected as the entry point into the EU due to logistics convenience and market demand.



Overview of the Full Expansion Strategy



This step marks the third phase in a global expansion journey. The full roadmap includes:


  1. Company formation in Hong Kong

  2. WFOE creation in Mainland China

  3. VAT registration in France

  4. Integrated accounting across jurisdictions

  5. Opening a corporate bank account in China

  6. Implementation of Monday.com as a digital backbone

  7. Sourcing optimization and supply chain management



Each phase is documented to illustrate ASC Consulting’s end-to-end support across markets and compliance layers.



Context & Objectives



The client needed:


  • A French VAT number to sell goods directly to EU customers

  • The ability to act as importer of record and declare goods at French customs

  • A structure to store, distribute, and invoice from within the EU

  • Compliance with EU tax legislation, including support for OSS and DDP models

  • Full visibility over VAT filings and documentation, with remote handling




Our Intervention – Eurofiscalis APAC for his VAT Registration in France


  • Eligibility Analysis: Assessed and confirmed VAT registration in France feasibility for a non-EU entity

  • Fiscal Representation: Appointed our local representative to meet French legal requirements

  • Registration Process: Handled all filings with the French tax authorities and obtained the VAT number within the expected 4–6 weeks

  • Import Framework: Supported the setup of EORI number, validated the import flow from China, and ensured DDP readiness

  • Filing Automation: Connected VAT flows to the client’s accounting system (Xero) and internal project manager (Monday.com)

  • Client Enablement: Designed a visual dashboard to track monthly declarations and invoice reports




Results


The client received a fully functional French VAT number and began importing under DDP terms just weeks later.

This structure allowed them to hold ownership of goods until the moment of entry into France, making them legally recognized as the importer of record.

They now store and deliver goods locally, which makes them far more attractive to European clients expecting quick and tax-inclusive pricing.

The DDP setup also enabled better control over total landed costs, improving transparency and profitability.

VAT declarations are filed monthly with minimal effort thanks to automated workflows and live dashboards.

The client is now able to scale easily into other EU countries and is already planning to activate OSS for cross-border B2C sales.



Suggested Next Steps


  • Expand VAT registration to Germany and Italy

  • Activate OSS scheme for pan-European ecommerce

  • Automate cost tracking and VAT forecasting per country





Comments


bottom of page