A value added tax identification number or VAT identification number (VATIN) is an identifier used in many countries, including the countries of the European Union, for value added tax purposes.
In the EU, a VAT identification number can be verified online at the EU's official VIES website, it confirms that the number is currently allocated and can provide the name or other identifying details of the entity to whom the identifier has been allocated.
The full identifier starts with an ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (except for Greece which uses the non-standard country code EL) and then has between 2 and 12 characters. The identifiers are composed of numeric digits in most countries, but in some countries they may contain letters.
Foreign companies that trade with non-enterprises in the EU may have a VATIN starting with "EU" instead of a country code.
Famous quotes containing the word number:
“In the end we beat them with Levi 501 jeans. Seventy-two years of Communist indoctrination and propaganda was drowned out by a three-ounce Sony Walkman. A huge totalitarian system ... has been brought to its knees because nobody wants to wear Bulgarian shoes.... Now they’re lunch, and we’re number one on the planet.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)