Taxation and Cross-Border E-Commerce – Updates from the EU and China

The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has led to a boom in cross-border e-commerce in both the EU and China. In China, cross-border e-commerce totaled 1.69 trillion yuan in 2020, with a 31.1 per cent increase year-on-year. In the meantime, cross-border e-commerce in the EU also expanded by 24 per cent and was worth and was worth 573 billion euros. In this context, the taxation of cross-border e-commerce has become increasingly relevant for both European and Chinese businesses.

The EU SME Centre and the European Chamber are thus pleased to invite you to our upcoming Working Group meeting. In this meeting, European Commission Head of Sector for Value-Added Tax (VAT) legislation and VAT fraud, Mr Ludwig de Winter, will provide an overview of the recent updates on EU VAT regulations on cross-border e-commerce. In addition, Mr Edward Sheehan, Corporate Services Manager at RsA Asia Tax Advisors will provide an overview of the e-commerce taxation scene in China.

Agenda

16:00-16:10 Opening remarks by Magnus Sprenger, Chair of Finance & Taxation Working Group, European Chamber; Partner at EY

16:10-17:00 Presentation by Ludwig de Winter, European Commission Head of Sector for Value-Added Tax (VAT) legislation and VAT fraud; and Edward Sheehan, Corporate Services Manager at RsA Asia Tax Advisors

17:00-17:30 Discussion and Q&A, moderated by Magnus Sprenger, Chair of Finance & Taxation Working Group, European Chamber; Partner at EY

Interested in joining?

If you are interested in joining this meeting, please feel free to reach out to Mr Zeyu Liu at intern008@europeanchamber.com.cn before Tuesday, 11th May COB.

About the speakers:

Mr. Ludwig de Winter

Deputy Head of Unit, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission

Ludwig De Winter is responsible for the VAT e-Commerce package, derogation requests, optional reverse charge mechanisms and VAT obligations. As deputy HoU he follows all other files within the competence of the unit, including relations with the customs colleagues. Before joining the Commission he had worked as a tax inspector with the Belgian Ministry of Finance and when he joined the Commission 25 years ago, he was active in the anti-dumping policy (1996-1997). Subsequently he moved to DG TAXUD, where he was responsible for VAT and administrative cooperation and the fight against VAT fraud. Ludwig De Winter was also responsible for the different enlargement processes where he had to verify that the candidate countries had adapted their VAT legislation and administrative capacity in order to be allowed to join the EU. He also takes part in the meetings at IOTA and OECD and bilateral negotiations such as for the Agreement on Administrative cooperation with Norway, recently concluded.

Mr. Edward Sheehan

Corporate Services Manager, RsA Asia Tax Advisors

Edward Sheehan is a Corporate Services Manager at RsA Asia Tax Advisors, having joined the team in 2019. He previously worked with R&P China Lawyers, a leading boutique law firm in China. Edward has a diverse background in both Chinese legal and business environments and focuses in investment projects, corporate activities and structuring, as well as intellectual property rights and protection. A guest lecturer at Shanghai Jiao Tong University EBA program, Edward has authored numerous articles relating to potential legal challenges that foreign companies face when doing business in China. A contributor to both China VAT: Reforms & Regulations (Springer, 2019) and China Tax Treaties Volume 1-6 (Springer, Unpublished), Edward also editorialised Invest in Africa (Springer, 2020). Edward graduated from Fudan University Law School with an LL.M in Chinese Commercial Law with a focus on Corporate Governance and Corporate Criminal Liability. An alumnus of University College Cork, Ireland and Shanghai University, China, he is currently attending the University of Law Hong Kong, with the goal of passing the HK Bar.

Mr. Magnus Sprenger

Partner at EY

Partner in Ernst & Young GmbH WPG based in Düsseldorf on secondment to Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP in Beijing. Part of the German Business Network in China, supporting German, Swiss and Austrian businesses in China as well as Chinese Businesses in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Before secondment to China spent six years in the US, thereof two in the national office, three years in Brazil and two years in Singapore. Knowledgeable in Brazilian, German and US GAAP as well as IFRS. Subject matter resource on IFRS 15 and IFRS 16. Co-authored IFRS Manual of Accounting. Co-wrote ‘Building Public Trust: The Future of Corporate Reporting (2002). Subject matter resource on automotive, chemical, industrial products and pharmaceutical industries. Seasoned IFRS converter in Brazil and Germany during first time adoption, Canada and the US. Assisted clients with acquisitions and listing in the US Securities and Debt Markets.