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If your company imports goods in the EU on a regular basis, you probably know that VAT has to be immediately paid upon importation unless a postponed accounting mechanism is available in the Member State of importation.

In Poland, postponed accounting has already been introduced for years but it was subject to specific conditions. The access to this beneficial regime has however been broadened since July 01st  2020.

In order to take advantage of the postponed accounting of import VAT in Poland, it was previously necessary to hold an AEO certificate or to clear the goods under customs simplification (art. 166 or 183 of the Union Customs Code).

As of July 01st, 2020, these conditions have been abolished and all businesses registered for VAT in Poland may now benefit of the postponed accounting of import VAT. However, there are still conditions to be fulfilled (e.g. confirmation of the settlement of import VAT to be communicated within 4 months after the importation but this will be abolished as of October 01st 2020).

If your company is authorized to apply the postponed accounting, the import VAT does no longer have to be paid at the time of the customs clearance. The payment is somehow “deferred” until the moment the VAT return is filed: the import VAT is indeed merely reported as due in the VAT-7 form. As the deductible VAT is simultaneously reported, there is no cash flow impact (provided your company can fully deduct the input VAT of course).