In a letter dated 1 December 2021, the German Federal Ministry of Finance adopts the principles of the business-friendly judgment of the German Federal Fiscal Court for the purposes of the “customary trade description” in invoices. Henceforth: What is usually accepted among merchants as a description of goods and services rendered is sufficient for the purposes of input VAT deduction as regards the customary commercial description of what was supplied. This simplification applies equally to all traders. However, the taxpayer bears the burden of proof as to what is considered customary. Proper invoices thus remain a frequent target of the tax authorities when it comes to VAT.
Source: KLMZ
