Tax consulting company –
specializing in
indirect taxes

Business Partnering

Customs experts are in demand and hard to find. With their specialist know-how they

 

  • enable smooth and efficient logistics processes,
  • protect financial competitiveness (e.g., by using free trade agreements),
  • avert potential damage from the company ("compliance keepers"),
  • and release the company’s management from liability by avoiding violations of customs law, associated sanctions, and liability consequences.

The "value" of customs experts is steadily increasing. The reasons for this are, for example:

 

  • increasing transparency and compliance requirements,

  • increased liability risks for corporate officials,

  • cost pressure and digitization initiatives,

  • current developments (Brexit, tariffs, etc.).

     

Operational activities and processes of customs clearance can be automated to a large extent nowadays. However, with regard to customs specialist and customs management tasks, the human factor is more crucial than ever.
 
Customs experts act as competent in-house consultants in companies. What is required is deep integration into the company's business processes and the provision of the greatest possible interdisciplinary expertise.


We know the challenges. Suitable specialists are often not available. Important positions sometimes remain unfilled for a longer period of time, leaving areas of responsibility unaddressed.

With our business partnering, we support you with holistic solutions to meet your resource requirements* in the short, medium, and long term. For this porpuse, we offer proven concepts that can be fully customized. Our Business Partnering solutions are suitable for the following situations, for example:

 

  • When customs functions are newly established or expanded,
  • when customs functions are reorganized
  • when there is an increased need for personnel due to crises, major projects or other circumstances.

 

The type and concrete contents of the partnership can be individually defined according to the requirement profile.

 

* refers to tasks on the following hierarchies: experts, specialists, coordinators, , consultants, (senior) managers, team and department heads, or similar.

Customs consulting

We offer advice on all aspects of customs, excise, and VAT law. In the area of customs law, we can help you with the following matters:

Customs organization

We offer support in all issues related to customs functions. These may, for example, concern the establishment of new customs departments or the reorganization or improvement of existing ones. We are also happy to advise you on make-or-buy or offshoring decisions or on setting up shared service centers.

Processes

We advise on all technical and procedural issues in all areas of customs law, including customs tariff, customs valuation, customs procedures, and the complex of issues relating to the origin of goods and preferential law. Of course, we are also available for all questions regarding authorizations,  simplifications and (binding) rulings.

Compliance Management Systems

We support you as an experienced partner in setting up new or evaluating and improving existing tax or customs compliance management systems. We advise to avert damage from the company, reduce personal liability risks and avoid penalties and fines.

Customs Digitization

The automation of customs processes promises great efficiency gains. However, the use of mass data and high levels of automation also give rise to further error, compliance, and liability risks. We are happy to support you from the decision-making stage through to the implementation of legally compliant systems.

Excise taxes

We offer advice on all aspects of customs, excise, and VAT law. In the area of excise taxes, we can support you as follows:

Energy tax

In 2020, the energy tax accounted for around 12.1 percent of federal government revenue (source: de.statista.com/). Alongside sales tax (around 30.3 percent) and payroll tax (around 28.6 percent), the energy tax is thus one of the three most profitable types of tax. The energy tax is a self-assessment tax, characterized by a high degree of formalization and significant fiscal impact. Companies need to manage the considerable risks (e.g., of double taxation or compliance-related errors) and optimize the often high tax burden by means of the numerous simplifications. We support you in all organizational and procedural questions regarding all aspects of taxation (in particular with regard to the possible tax relief), or in business models within a group of companies that are particularly susceptible to errors under energy tax law.

Electricity tax

Electricity tax is also a self-assessment tax. Regularly, the tax is payable by suppliers or self-producers, but in certain cases it may also be payable by end consumers. The regulatory situation is complicated and dynamic. Significant interactions with other types of tax, such as trade tax, also contribute to the complexity. In addition, there are specifics to other consumption taxes. Adequate organization of tasks is essential to avoid compliance risks and financial disadvantages.

Other

Excise taxes exist for tobacco, alcohol and alcoholic beverages, beer, sparkling wine, intermediate products, alcopops, and coffee. No excise tax is currently levied on wine in Germany, but there are special procedural regulations for import, export, and transit of wine. Not all conceivable purposes of consumption give rise to taxation. Tax relief is provided for certain purposes of consumption, but these are subject to complex formal and material requirements. We will be happy to assist you if you are affected by these excise duties.

Authorities

We know the authorities well and have many years of experience in dealing with the various institutions. We will always find the right tone and will be able to "open doors" in many cases. Feel free to contact us if you need support in the following areas:

Audits

We accompany you during official audits, either as a direct interface to the auditors or as a "sparring partner" in the background to reduce audit risks. We are also happy to support you in preparing for audits. For this purpose, we usually analyze relevant processes, data and documents in advance or simulate the audit process in order to prepare.

 

Authorizations, simplifications, AEO

We support you in dealing with the relevant authorities if your company applies for authorizations or simplifications with regard to customs processes. We do have extensive experience in the field of the authorized economic operator (AEO) and have, among other things, acted as lead advisors to various corporate customs departments in the application process.

 

Criminal and administrative fine proceedings

We have extensive experience in advising and representing medium-sized clients and large corporations in cases of initiated or threatened criminal and administrative fine proceedings.

Legal remedies, application proceedings

We represent you out of court and conduct appeal and refund proceedings on your behalf. If necessary, we will represent you in lawsuits and revision proceedings (if necessary, through all instances).