Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers is often the last big hurdle before scaling across Europe. In this case study, we look at how an Austrian FBA fashion brand selling sustainable jeans and other apparel expanded from Austria and Germany into a multi-country Amazon setup – and used hellotax to handle VAT registrations, filings and OSS analysis while keeping their existing Austrian tax advisor in place.
The client asked to stay anonymous, but the scenario will feel very familiar if you are an Austrian Amazon seller with Pan-EU or Central Europe Program ambitions and you are trying to get Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers under control before switching on more warehouses.
1. Background: Austrian FBA brand preparing for Amazon Pan-EU
Our client is an Austrian GmbH based in Vienna, selling sustainable jeans and other clothing on Amazon FBA.
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Home country: Austria
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Current warehouses at the start: Austria and Germany
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Sales channel: Almost exclusively Amazon FBA
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Product type: Sustainable jeans and apparel
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Turnover range: Between 1 and 10 million € in the EU and UK
Existing VAT setup:
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Austrian VAT registration and local returns
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German VAT registration
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OSS registration in Austria for cross-border B2C sales
With strong demand on Amazon and good traction in Germany, the next logical step was to expand logistics via Amazon’s Central Europe Program (CEP) and potentially the Pan-EU programme:
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CEP countries: Germany, Poland, Czech Republic
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Further Pan-EU countries considered: France, Spain, Italy
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Outside the EU: The United Kingdom was also planned as an important market.
The business owner knew that Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers is not just about one extra return. Once you store inventory in several EU countries (and the UK), you trigger local VAT obligations in each of them.
2. The challenge: From two countries to a Pan-EU VAT footprint
At the start, the VAT structure was still manageable:
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Austrian tax advisor filing local Austrian VAT returns
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German VAT number and filings
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OSS in Austria for distance sales to other EU countries without local stock
The planned next steps completely changed this picture.
New warehouse countries:
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Poland
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Czech Republic
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France
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Later: the UK
Existing countries to be integrated into one VAT strategy:
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Austria (local returns and OSS via their advisor)
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Germany (VAT number already in place, but needed to be taken over by a specialised VAT provider)
Suddenly, the client was looking at 5+ foreign VAT registrations and ongoing returns, plus OSS exports and evaluations – a typical situation where Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers becomes a real operational risk if it is not centralised.
The main pain points were:
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How to keep Austrian VAT and OSS with their trusted tax advisor in Vienna…
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…while still getting reliable Pan-EU VAT compliance for all Amazon warehouse countries (DE, FR, PL, CZ) and the UK
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How to avoid manual data exports from Amazon and Excel-based VAT calculations
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How to stay flexible in case they changed their accounting setup later
They were very clear: they needed a specialised VAT partner for Amazon FBA, not a full accounting suite. Their Austrian tax advisor would remain responsible for Austrian accounting and tax – but the cross-border Amazon VAT piece had to be outsourced.
3. Why this Austrian Amazon seller chose hellotax
The client compared several providers and decided in favour of hellotax for three reasons that matter to many brands working on Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers.
3.1 Amazon FBA and Pan-EU expertise
hellotax has long experience with Amazon Pan-EU, CEP and local storage cases. The client needed a partner who understands that one click inside Amazon (activating a new warehouse) can change VAT obligations overnight.
3.2 Combination of software and local accountants
They liked the mix of:
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Automated data import from Amazon via API
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Local tax advisors and bookkeepers in each country handling registrations and ongoing returns
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A Tax Letter Inbox where hellotax receives, translates (into English) and organises tax office letters
This combination is particularly important for Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers who want automation and humans who can speak to local tax offices.
3.3 Flexible structure that fits their existing setup
The final split of responsibilities looked like this:
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Austrian returns and OSS stay with their Austrian tax advisor.
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hellotax takes over VAT registrations and filings in Germany, France, Poland, Czech Republic and the UK.
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OSS Soft module: hellotax prepares export files so that their Austrian advisor can file OSS smoothly.
3.4 Proforma invoices included for 2 years
Proforma invoices are important for customer communication and internal control, especially when shipping across several countries. Since proforma invoices were included free for 24 months in their package, they could stabilise their processes without extra tools.
4. The solution: A Pan-EU VAT layer around an Austrian core
4.1 Countries covered in the solution
The final setup looked like this:
Austria (AT):
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Local VAT returns and OSS continue to be handled by the Austrian tax advisor.
Countries handled by hellotax:
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Germany (DE) – takeover of existing VAT number
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France (FR) – new VAT registration and ongoing returns
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Poland (PL) – new VAT registration and ongoing returns
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Czech Republic (CZ) – new VAT registration and ongoing returns
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United Kingdom (UK) – new VAT registration and ongoing returns
OSS Soft module:
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hellotax generates monthly OSS export files based on Amazon data, passed to the Austrian advisor.
This structure allowed the client to keep the Austrian accounting core exactly as it was, while adding a Pan-EU VAT compliance layer around it – a model that works very well for Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers who already have a strong local advisor.
4.2 Services included
The agreed service package (monthly payment, cancellable with one month’s notice) included:
VAT registrations and number takeovers
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New registrations in FR, PL, CZ and UK
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Takeover of existing German VAT number
Ongoing VAT compliance per country
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Monthly, quarterly and annual VAT returns
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EC Sales Lists and Intrastat where applicable
Tax Letter Inbox
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hellotax receives tax letters
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Translates them, classifies them and reacts where needed
Check more about this service here.
Software access
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Unlimited Amazon integrations
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Unlimited transaction volume
Proforma service
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Proforma invoices free for 24 months
OSS analysis (Soft module)
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hellotax prepares OSS export files for the Austrian advisor based on Amazon sales data
This is a typical example of Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers: the local Austrian advisor remains responsible for national accounting and tax, while hellotax handles the complex multi-country Amazon VAT part.
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Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!
5. Implementation: From offer to live Pan-EU VAT compliance
5.1 Clarifying expectations and pricing
During the sales process, there was a small misunderstanding regarding the fees for the German VAT number takeover.
Standard pricing includes 300 € per country for a new registration or takeover. The client assumed Germany might be free, as the VAT number already existed.
To resolve this and keep the partnership positive:
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hellotax applied a special discount of 50 € per registration/takeover.
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Effectively, the takeover of the German VAT number cost only 50 €.
This gesture reinforced trust and showed the client that hellotax was willing to be flexible in exceptional cases.
5.2 Order confirmation and onboarding
Once the commercial details were agreed:
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The client chose the monthly plan for 5 countries (DE, FR, UK, PL, CZ).
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hellotax sent a personal order link by email.
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The client completed the checkout, provided company details and confirmed the order.
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The case was passed to the Account Management and VAT onboarding team.
Shortly afterwards, the client received an onboarding email with:
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A reminder to connect Amazon via API
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A list of documents needed for each country (company docs, ID, extracts, etc.)
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Information on the estimated registration times:
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Registrations: usually around 8–12 weeks
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Number takeovers: usually around 4–6 weeks
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5.3 Coordination with the Austrian tax advisor
A key success factor in Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers is smooth collaboration with the Austrian Steuerberater.
To ensure this:
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The client scheduled a meeting with their Austrian tax advisor.
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hellotax joined the call to explain:
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Which countries they would cover (DE, FR, PL, CZ, UK)
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Which VAT reports and OSS exports would be delivered
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How the OSS Soft module fits into the advisor’s existing workflow
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This three-party call ensured that:
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Everyone had the same understanding of responsibilities.
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The Austrian advisor felt comfortable with the OSS export format.
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Any concerns about double filing or gaps were addressed up front.
5.4 Amazon FBA integration and data flows
After onboarding, the client:
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Connected Amazon Seller Central to hellotax via API.
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Confirmed which fulfilment programmes they were using:
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Initially, warehouses in Austria and Germany
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Activation of Poland and Czech Republic via CEP
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Later, additional countries as part of Pan-EU
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hellotax’s system now:
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Pulls Amazon transaction data regularly.
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Classifies sales by:
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Country of dispatch
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Country of destination
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VAT rate
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Type of transaction (local sale, distance sale, intra-Community movement, export, etc.)
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Based on this, hellotax prepares:
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Local VAT returns for DE, FR, PL, CZ and UK
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Monthly OSS exports for the Austrian advisor
This automation layer is the backbone of Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers using FBA.
6. Results: A scalable Pan-EU setup for an Austrian Amazon seller
After implementation, the client achieved three main outcomes.
6.1 Clear separation of roles
Austrian tax advisor:
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Handles Austrian VAT returns and OSS filings.
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Remains the central point for accounting and year-end tax.
hellotax:
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Manages VAT registrations and returns in DE, FR, PL, CZ and UK.
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Provides OSS exports and supports with VAT-related letters and audits.
This separation allowed the business to keep a trusted local advisor while benefiting from a specialised Pan-EU VAT compliance engine for Amazon.
6.2 Reduced manual work and risk
Before the project, the client was worried about:
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Manually exporting Amazon reports.
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Building Excel models for different VAT rates and countries.
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Missing deadlines or misclassifying cross-border movements.
With hellotax in place:
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VAT calculations and classifications are automated.
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Local returns in each country are handled by experts.
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OSS exports are prepared consistently month after month.
This significantly reduced operational risk and freed up internal time to focus on products and marketing.
6.3 A Pan-EU-ready structure
Most importantly, the client now has a structure that supports long-term Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers:
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They can activate new warehouse countries in Amazon (within the agreed scope) without redesigning their entire VAT approach.
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They can add more countries later, using the same hellotax framework.
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Their Austrian advisor can continue to handle the Austrian side without being overloaded by foreign VAT details.
7. How this fits into the broader VAT and accounting landscape
If you are new to Pan-EU VAT compliance or DATEV exports, it can be helpful to understand the official frameworks that sit in the background.
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For an overview of how accounting and tax advisors work with standardised formats in Germany, you can check DATEV’s international information on the official DATEV website.
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For the EU rules behind e-commerce VAT, including distance sales and OSS, the Commission’s VAT e-Commerce / One Stop Shop portal provides a clear high-level explanation:
hellotax builds on these frameworks and translates them into a practical, automated workflow for Amazon FBA sellers.
If you are also comparing different solutions, and especially if you are looking at Taxdoo or other accounting-centred tools, our in-depth article on Taxdoo alternatives for DATEV VAT exports explains why many sellers now separate their VAT engine from their main accounting setup.
Book a free consultation
Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!
8. Lessons for other Austrian Amazon sellers
This case shows some general lessons for Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers:
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Plan VAT before you switch on Pan-EU or CEP
Don’t wait until Amazon already stores your goods in new countries. VAT registrations and number takeovers can take weeks. -
Keep your Austrian core if it works well
If you trust your Austrian Steuerberater, keep them for Austrian accounting and OSS. Add a separate VAT layer for foreign countries rather than replacing everything. -
Let a specialised partner handle multi-country VAT
Pan-EU and CEP mean complex flows: local sales, cross-border transfers, exports, marketplace fees. A specialised VAT provider reduces risk and saves time. -
Use automation, but stay in control
Automation should simplify data flows (Amazon → VAT filings → OSS → accounting) while still giving you visibility into what is filed where.
9. Is this Pan-EU VAT approach right for you?
This Pan-EU setup is particularly useful if:
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You are an Austrian Amazon FBA seller with warehouses in at least two EU countries (besides Austria).
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You plan to join Amazon Pan-EU or the Central Europe Program.
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You want to keep your Austrian tax advisor for local matters.
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You need a reliable partner for VAT registrations, foreign returns and OSS analyses, without changing your entire accounting system.
hellotax acts as a specialised VAT and automation layer between Amazon and your accounting – designed exactly for Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers in this situation.
10. Next step: Talk to a VAT specialist
If you recognise your situation in this story, the next step is simple:
Book a free consultation with hellotax and let a VAT specialist:
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Map your current and future warehouse locations.
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Check your existing VAT registrations and OSS setup.
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Propose a Pan-EU VAT compliance plan tailored to your business and your Austrian advisor.
You stay focused on products and growth, while we take care of the Pan-EU VAT compliance for Austrian Amazon sellers like you.
Book a free consultation
Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!
If you are also selling from Austria and planning to use Amazon FBA or Pan-EU, it can be very helpful to see how other Austrian businesses solved similar VAT problems. On our blog, you’ll find more case studies of Austrian sellers who kept their local Steuerberater, expanded through FBA, and used hellotax as a Pan-EU VAT layer on top. These stories cover different sizes and product types, but the core challenge is always the same: staying compliant in several countries while keeping VAT work as simple and predictable as possible.
The post Pan-EU VAT Compliance for Austrian Amazon Sellers: 5 Key Lessons from a Successful Case Study appeared first on Hellotax Blog.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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