VAT and IOSS fulfilment in Europe handled properly
Sell across EU borders with fewer surprises at the door: find partners that list VAT and IOSS support, then confirm what each registers, files and applies for you.
The difference
Fewer charges at the door, more parcels delivered
Cross-border tax is where a good European sale turns into a refused delivery and a chargeback. The matching only shows partners that list VAT/IOSS support when you need it, so you can shortlist on it and confirm exactly what each one handles before the parcel ever ships.
Ask how they handle IOSS
Some partners work with an IOSS intermediary for you, some apply an IOSS number you already hold, and some ship without it. Listings carry one VAT/IOSS support flag you can filter on, so confirm which of the three a partner means before you sign.
No surprise at delivery
When VAT is collected at checkout under IOSS and the customs duty is prepaid too, the customer is not asked to pay again on the doorstep, which is where cross-border conversion quietly leaks away.
How it works
- 01
Set your requirements
Tell us the EU countries you sell into, your monthly volume, and whether you need VAT/IOSS handling.
- 02
Compare shortlists
Partners that serve your countries and offer every need you ticked, including VAT/IOSS handling, are shortlisted, then scored on countries, needs, platforms and volume.
- 03
Request an intro
Send a request with a short message to the partners worth talking to. They see who you are once they accept, so state your VAT and IOSS needs up front.
- 01
List your tax handling
Mark whether you support VAT/IOSS and describe how in your listing, along with the countries you serve, your carriers and your integrations.
- 02
Get matched to demand
Your listing surfaces for the cross-border sellers whose countries and needs you cover, not for anyone who typed a keyword.
- 03
Take qualified intros
Requests arrive in your dashboard with the brand's message. Accept to see who they are and how to reach them.
Find partners for cross-border VAT and IOSS
Start from the directory, or publish a store profile and let the matching shortlist partners that list VAT/IOSS support, then confirm they handle it the way you need.
What is IOSS?
The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is the EU scheme for collecting VAT on goods worth up to 150 euros sold to EU consumers from outside the EU. With IOSS, VAT is charged at checkout and declared through a single monthly return, so the customer is not asked to pay VAT on delivery. IOSS covers VAT only, not customs duty or the EU handling fee, which the seller has to prepay if the customer is not to be charged at the door. It applies only to parcels shipped to EU customers from outside the EU, and each seller needs its own IOSS number, which non-EU sellers usually get through an EU-based intermediary. In fulfilment terms, partners differ in how they handle it: some work with an intermediary for you, some apply an IOSS number you already hold to your shipments, and some ship without it, which pushes the VAT charge onto your customer at the door.
Also called: Import One-Stop Shop
Cross-border VAT and IOSS, handled
How EU import VAT actually works for ecommerce, and what a fulfilment partner should genuinely take off your plate.
IOSS and the €150 threshold, in plain terms
Since July 2021, VAT is due on virtually every commercial parcel entering the EU, and how it gets collected depends on value. For consignments up to €150, the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) lets you charge VAT at checkout and remit it through a single monthly EU return, so VAT is not collected from your customer at the door. IOSS covers VAT only: since 1 July 2026 these parcels also carry a flat customs duty of €3 per item, and an EU handling fee of €2 per item is due to start by 1 November 2026, so unless you prepay them, the carrier can still charge your customer. Above €150, IOSS is not available and standard import VAT and duty apply at the border. Selling from stock already inside the EU is different again: IOSS does not apply, you generally need a VAT registration where the stock sits, and sales to consumers in other EU countries are taxed in the customer's country, usually through the Union One-Stop Shop (OSS). The practical upshot is that the same product can be taxed three different ways depending on where it ships from and what it is worth, which is exactly why cross-border sellers treat VAT handling as a deciding factor when choosing where to hold stock and who fulfils it.
Choosing a partner that files, not just ships
A fulfilment partner cannot be your tax adviser, but the right one removes most of the friction. That means correct customs paperwork on every outbound parcel, accurate commodity codes and values, an IOSS number applied properly to in-scope shipments, and clean data you can hand to whoever files your returns. Some 3PLs go further and offer VAT registration support or work with an IOSS intermediary, which matters because non-EU sellers usually need one to use the scheme at all. The failure mode to avoid is a partner that ships beautifully but generates messy or missing customs data, you only discover it when parcels are held at the border or your accountant cannot reconcile a return. Filter partners on the VAT/IOSS support they list, then confirm what they file for you versus what they leave to you, before volume makes a gap expensive.
Common questions
Do European fulfilment centres handle VAT and IOSS?
Some do and some do not, and the difference matters. Certain providers arrange IOSS for you through an intermediary they work with, others apply an IOSS number you already hold, and others ship without it, which can leave your customer facing an unexpected charge on delivery. Confirm which of the three applies before signing, because it changes both your paperwork and your customer experience. IOSS only applies to parcels shipped into the EU from outside it; a partner shipping from stock inside the EU deals with VAT registration where the stock sits and OSS instead.
What happens if a parcel ships without IOSS?
Import VAT is then paid at the border. If the parcel ships duties unpaid, the carrier usually collects it from the recipient, plus a handling fee, and if VAT was also charged at checkout, the customer effectively pays it twice. You can instead ship duties paid and settle import VAT yourself. Either way, the customs duty of 3 euros per item applies, IOSS or not. Unexpected charges at the door lead to refused parcels, which erodes both margin and conversion on low-value cross-border orders.
Do I need my own IOSS registration?
Yes, if you sell through your own shop. Each seller needs its own IOSS number, and you can never ship under another business's number. Non-EU sellers usually register through an EU-based intermediary, which may be one your partner works with, and partners then apply your number to shipments. The exception is marketplace sales: when a marketplace is the deemed supplier, it charges and declares the VAT under its own IOSS number.
Does IOSS cover every order?
No. IOSS applies to consignments valued up to 150 euros sold to EU consumers from outside the EU, except excise goods such as alcohol and tobacco, and it covers VAT only, not customs duty. Higher-value orders and B2B shipments follow standard import VAT and customs rules. A good partner will be clear about which of your orders fall inside IOSS and how the rest are handled.