edmundgray
commented
1 year ago A gift voucher could be included as part payment. However the Invoice could not reference a voucher as it is usually not known in advance if the Buyer will provide a voucher.
Background
French Use Case n°25: Gift voucher and card management
Vouchers and gift cards may be single-use or multiple-use, depending on whether or not the place of delivery of the goods or supply of the services and the VAT due on these goods or services are known at the time of issue.
Examples:
Step 1 - Issuing the voucher :
The sale of a single-use voucher is subject to VAT when, at the time of issue, the place of supply of goods or services to which the voucher relates and the related VAT are known (base, rate, territoriality). The sale of a single-use voucher is subject to VAT on each transfer, and this VAT is payable under the conditions applicable to the underlying transaction: supply of goods or services (cf. article 269 and BOI-TVA - BASE-20-40). Thus, if the underlying transaction linked to the BUU constitutes a supply of goods, VAT will be payable when the voucher is handed over, and if the underlying transaction linked to the voucher constitutes a supply of services, VAT will be payable when the price relating to the acquisition of the voucher is collected. The physical delivery of goods or the actual provision of services in exchange for a BUU accepted in full or partial consideration by the supplier or service provider is not considered a separate transaction.
Each subsequent transfer of the single-use voucher will also be subject to VAT, which will be payable under the same conditions as the first transfer.
Each transfer of the single-use voucher by a taxable person will fall within the scope of e-invoicing (sale of gift cards to a taxable person) or e-reporting (sale to private individuals) for the company selling it.
Step 2 - Using the gift voucher
The use of the single-use voucher by its beneficiary (voucher holder) in exchange for the supply of goods or services is not subject to VAT.
On the other hand, when the issuer of the BUU is distinct from the supplier or provider of the service or delivery linked to the BUU, the supplier or provider is deemed to have delivered or supplied the goods or services linked to this voucher to this taxable person, and must therefore invoice the issuer for this service (e-invoicing).
The VAT relating to this transaction will be payable under the same conditions as the underlying transaction. Thus, when the voucher gives access to a service, VAT will be payable when the sums invoiced by the service provider to the issuer are collected. Where the voucher gives access to goods, VAT is payable when the goods are delivered in exchange for the voucher.
When the issuer of the voucher is also the supplier or service provider, the delivery of the voucher in exchange for goods or services to the customer is not subject to VAT, as it is not considered a separate transaction from the sale of the voucher (see step 1).
Commissions or management fees may be charged throughout the voucher marketing chain, and are subject to VAT. They must be invoiced separately, including the relevant VAT, and this invoicing will fall within the scope of e-invoicing.
Step 1 - Issuing the voucher
The sale of a multi-purpose voucher is not subject to VAT if, at the time of issue, the place of supply of the goods or services and the VAT due on these goods or services are not known.
The sums paid for the acquisition of multi-purpose vouchers are outside the scope of VAT and do not fall within the scope of electronic invoicing or e-reporting.
Step 2 - Using the gift voucher
The use of the multi-purpose voucher by its beneficiary (voucher holder) in exchange for a supply of goods or services is subject to VAT. This is a transaction between a taxable person and a non-taxable person, which falls within the scope of e-reporting.
VAT is payable under the same conditions as the underlying transaction. Thus, the tax is due on the date of acceptance of the multi-purpose voucher by the supplier in the case of a voucher giving access to a good.
If the multi-purpose voucher gives access to a service for the benefit of its beneficiary (voucher holder), the voucher becomes payable upon collection of the transaction price, i.e. when the issuing company collects the reimbursement.
When the issuer of the voucher is also the service provider, giving the voucher in exchange for a service will make the VAT due.
Commissions or management fees may be charged throughout the BUM marketing chain, and are subject to VAT. They must be invoiced separately, including the relevant VAT, and this invoicing will fall within the scope of e-invoicing.
Figure 27: Management of multiple-use vouchers
NOTE: The above text was taken from case no. 25 of the PDFs - originally from the French government site: https://www.impots.gouv.fr/specifications-externes-b2b (see uses cases V2.2 & our translated use cases V2.3)