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Sell online to the EU? You could have a lot more paperwork from today

Michael Noonan has said new tax rules are a good thing, but not everyone is convinced.

ALL BUSINESSES THAT sell their goods online to the European Union will be subject to new tax rules from today.

From now on digital products will be taxed at the VAT rate applicable in the consumer’s member state rather than the seller’s.

The rules are being introduced to stop companies that trade online – from multinationals like Amazon, Apple and Google to start-up businesses – from routing purchases through low-VAT countries such as Luxembourg.

VAT on digital products such as e-books, music downloads and apps was previously charged in the country of the supplier. However, from today VAT will be payable in the country where the digital product is bought.

Kenneth O’Flynn, Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, said the move represents the EU’s “relentless desire to increase its take from VAT”.

This means Irish SMEs potentially have to charge and account for up to 75 different VAT rates in 28 countries.
This new Brussels tax grab will without doubt force thousands of micro-businesses to shut down.

O’Flynn said he has written to the European Commission to express his concerns.

Back in October, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said that the change is actually a good thing for Irish businesses.

“This VAT change means that member states will lose VAT revenue in respect of existing outward sales to consumers in other Member States but will gain revenue in respect of inward sales to their own consumers of these services,” Noonan said in the Dáil.

The new rules will level the playing field in Europe by removing the incentive for companies to locate in low VAT rate jurisdictions, which should enhance Ireland’s attractiveness for e-services companies.

Here’s how an upcoming VAT flip-flop could affect small Irish businesses

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40 Comments
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    Mute Norman Hunter
    Favourite Norman Hunter
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    Jan 13th 2012, 12:28 PM

    Who said that?come out where i can see you.

    103
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    Mute damien chaney
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    Jan 13th 2012, 12:39 PM

    If you have to tell people I’m not invisible……..

    78
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    Mute Martin Matthews
    Favourite Martin Matthews
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    Jan 13th 2012, 12:39 PM

    Not invisible but chameleon maybe, he can change colour from red shirt to blue maybe even green, now there is invisibility for you greens

    77
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    Mute Martin O Donnell
    Favourite Martin O Donnell
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    Jan 13th 2012, 2:39 PM

    hear hear ….hes hiding so when election time comes …sooner the better….he can say it wasnt me i didnt do anything…..fuck of you lying muppet…

    26
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    Mute Réada Quinn
    Favourite Réada Quinn
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    Jan 13th 2012, 12:56 PM

    Eamon, you mightn’t be invisible but while I’ve remained faithful to your party ye’ve been playing around.

    Sure we’ve been through a bad patch before, especially when you sleep with the blue nightie lads and lassies, but I’ve always forgiven ye. Battered wife syndrome!! :-( But there’s only so much abuse a woman can take.

    Be warned. I’m thinking of breaking it off……… And hell, you know what they say about a woman scorned!!!

    66
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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:12 PM

    Hey may not be invisible but the traditions and values of the Labour party are

    60
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    Mute Neil Kettles
    Favourite Neil Kettles
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:06 PM

    Pitiful little man who like many before him, casts his principles aside when power beckons!!

    54
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    Mute Ann-Marie Wallis
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:28 PM

    Ive seen more of Bertie in the last few months than Gilmore….and I don’t even live in Ireland anymore! Put two and two together, Eamon…Labour have shamed themselves!!

    49
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    Mute chicken ball ann
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    Jan 13th 2012, 12:29 PM

    Who said that ?????

    48
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    Mute itsme
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    Jan 13th 2012, 12:45 PM

    I Hope that Bertie is not going to be one of the people that will be speaking to the invited Soviet members

    39
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    Mute Stephen Mc Partlin
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:23 PM

    Bertie should be exiled to a soviet gulag in outer Siberia

    30
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    Mute Hanly Sheelagh
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    Jan 13th 2012, 2:01 PM

    The labour party is such a joke

    34
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    Mute Mark Neville
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:34 PM

    No, he’s not invisible. I saw him today at the BT Young Scientists Exhibition at the RDS today. I couldn’t help but note the irony of the leader of the Labour Party taking his opportunity to sample the achievements of some of our best and brightest students when his party and Cabinet collegue is trying to single-handedly destroy the opportunities and education of those same students at the behest of our European overlords. Or do we now just accept that as politics?

    24
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    Mute SilentFugitive
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:44 PM

    Doh, I meant to thumb that up sorry – you can -1 the thumbs down (and +1 the thumbs up). Very valid point. Cut backs to disadvantaged schools, tightening of 3rd level finances, the list goes on and yet he makes sure to get his face in on these events. Sickening.

    7
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Jan 15th 2012, 3:02 AM

    are you sure it was him cos wasit back in the 80s that they cloned a sheep

    1
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    Mute Gerard Wyer
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:10 PM

    …’Representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Azerbaijan will all come to Ireland in April to discuss how to settle ongoing conflicts in the area, drawing on the Northern Ireland model, Gilmore said’…

    Why on earth would they be talking to Gilmore about the peace process? Adams and Robinson are the ones with the experience.

    24
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    Mute Proinsias Ó Fearghail
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    Jan 13th 2012, 7:25 PM

    ah, but Gilmore would know the Soviets better from the old WP days! Maybe invite North Korea too?:-)

    2
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    Mute Simon
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    Jan 13th 2012, 2:27 PM

    Yet another denial from Gilmore. Does he ever say anything positive? Everything he has said since February is, “Tainiste denies…”, “Gilmore rejects”, “Minister for Foreign Affairs does not accept….” etc.
    Hardly a wonder the people feel as negative as they do.

    22
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    Mute Conor Gallagher
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:21 PM

    If only he was more like they fella who went on high profile foreign trips wearing yellow trousers and was always seen opening pubs, shopping centres, bookies and filled the Sindo when he was Taoiseach. How did that work out?

    21
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    Mute Dan
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:10 PM

    The invisible spineless man! Enda: “Eamon go out there & show the people you actually exist & your still hanging around claiming a wage. Schnell!!” Eamon: “Yes sir Me Kenny sir.”

    20
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    Mute 1 Human Being
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    Jan 13th 2012, 2:17 PM

    So foreign and trade minister and tanaiste will basically be on a nice tour of the world this year so expect a expanding waistline. All those banquets will make him more like the bloated man than the invisible one. Enjoy your feasts while Ireland continues on the economic merry go round.

    20
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Jan 15th 2012, 2:59 AM

    or Horror go round @1 Human Being

    1
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    Mute Stephen Mc Partlin
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:29 PM

    Casper the friendly ghost who said it would be ‘Frankfurts way or Labours way’..He promised on his pre-election campaign lies that there would be no cutbacks to S.N.A s either. He’s a disgrace..

    19
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    Mute On the Dole
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:43 PM

    No two ways about it complete and utter gobshite … Bye bye in the next election !

    18
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:37 PM

    Gilmore Gilmore hmmm did he not run for the prime ministers job.

    17
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:58 PM

    Oh sorry about last comment did he not take a job in Frankfurt directing the bailout boys to the airport

    13
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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Jan 13th 2012, 4:00 PM

    4 jobs and i bet this man of the people is getting paid for them all.

    16
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    Mute jimbo
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:19 PM

    come out you b@llix i know ur in there.

    16
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Jan 13th 2012, 11:52 PM

    lol lol lol Jimbo

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    Mute Darren
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:45 PM

    But if you were invisible what would you do?

    15
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Jan 14th 2012, 12:02 AM

    If i could be invisible for 1 week i would haunt the shower in Dail Eireann scare the life out of them HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE we would soon see the lot of them gone

    2
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    Mute Bigbirtha
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    Jan 13th 2012, 1:24 PM

    Hes working so hard that the pounds are falling off of him! Look at that jaw line!

    13
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    Mute Gerard Dillon
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    Jan 13th 2012, 3:43 PM

    Four jobs – just highlights the nonsense of a system that we have -maybe he should just do one and do it properly instead of whinging about how hard he works.

    10
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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Jan 13th 2012, 10:53 PM

    Too right Gerard ….One man one job !
    What are Eamonn’s ”priorities” for us tho ?
    Do your job here first.Then if you do well go and preach the word.

    2
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    Mute Frank2521
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    Jan 13th 2012, 5:05 PM

    I agree with him he is not invisible! His achievements are!!!!!!!!!!!!

    8
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    Mute William O'Shea
    Favourite William O'Shea
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    Jan 13th 2012, 5:42 PM

    I’m getting tired now of expressing my outrage at Labour’s betrayal of their principles…….. and of the workers of Ireland…….. I hope he becomes even more invisible after the next election.

    8
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    Mute Karl Doyle
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    Jan 13th 2012, 4:15 PM

    Who’s he? *sarcasm*

    6
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    Mute Dearbhla Carmody
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    Jan 13th 2012, 7:53 PM

    He is busy at his german classes

    6
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    Mute Adam Magari
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    Jan 13th 2012, 5:56 PM

    If you’re fending off the charge of invisibility, you have pretty much hit the rocks.

    5
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    Mute Bud O'Rourke
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    Jan 13th 2012, 5:45 PM

    Eamon who???

    5
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Jan 13th 2012, 11:48 PM

    Eamon Gilmore???? who is he what is he

    4
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    Mute Dearbhla Carmody
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    Jan 13th 2012, 7:51 PM

    Eamonn who??

    4
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    Mute Sean Mac Gabhann
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    Jan 15th 2012, 12:25 AM

    Mr. Gilmore, im sure, has some skeletons in the closet. They all do. Look at what skeletons did to the last government. Tá fios agat cad atá mé ag caint faoi, nach bhfuil. So… Why so quite.

    2
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    Mute One-Off Ireland
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    Jan 13th 2012, 5:03 PM

    christ ..who would be a politician. Its like p.ie on here

    2
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