Thai Food and Automotive into the EU: One Entity for Both

Food: from export brand to EU brand

European buyers already like Thai food. With your own BV, your group keeps the margin on these sales. The BV acts as the EU food business operator and handles labelling and producer responsibility for packaging (EPR). It supplies retailers from EU stock and handles direct sales to consumers through the OSS system.

Food, cosmetics, medical devices or chemicals? See which EU representative your product needs, by sector.

Automotive: the supplier's role

EU purchasing teams prefer to sign contracts with EU companies. They want consignment and call-off stock near the production line, local handling of claims, and invoices from within the EU. The Dutch BV can sign these contracts, and your plants in Thailand keep producing. With Article 23, you defer the VAT on imports to your VAT return.

One setup for both businesses

You can use one EORI number, one VAT registration and one set of accounts for both businesses. The fixed costs per business are then lower, so you earn back the cost of the entity sooner. For quality checks and inspection on arrival, see the import compliance rules.

Compare the Netherlands with Ireland and Germany on tax, substance, running costs and time. See setting up a Dutch subsidiary for a foreign parent company.

The entity

For the setup from Thailand, see how Thai companies set this up.