Why Purism should send an "Contribution Document" instead of an "Invoice"

As many of us are concerned about Tax and VAT it would really help us to get a document that clearly specified that we did not buy a Librem 5 but that we BACKED its crowfunding project instead of a getting a “classical” invoices. Or, at least, mentioned it clearly on the invoice.

As you probably know, regulators outside the US are quite painful sometime… actualy, inside the US too and all the time :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

So, to ease/prevent situations like:

“The parcel is blocked by the customs and they ask me to prove that I didn’t purchase a product but instead, that I did participate in a crowdfunding to support the development of a project and that the device is a reward from my donation/contribution.”

It is good to know that according to the EU regulations (that I am currently aware of) there is no tax to pay on a reward (only the reward not the delivrery cost!!) that you get from a crowdfunding project that you’ve backed.

I was confronted to this situation when my Pine64 arrived at the customs here in Belgium.
They asked me to declare and pay the importation taxes + the VAT for it or they will simply destroy it…
Fortunatly for me, I was able to prove that the Pine64 was a reward so I didn’t have to pay these taxes.

BUT, as “they” are real pain in the a… I had to pay the VAT on the delivrery cost because it was coming from outside the EU and it didn’t included them… 21% on 10$ (on wich I had to apply the right daily $/€ conversion of my contribution!). When I say they are pain in the…

The good news for the EU backers is, the Librem 5 is sent for free so we don’t have to worry about this :+1:

So, to me, the solution would simply be that Purism makes a document that certified that the content of the parcel is a reward for a contribution in the “Librem 5 crowdfunding project”.

Please, don’t hesitate to tell us here if you have more recent or accurate info on the matter than mine.

In the mean time, I d’ like to congratulate all the backers and, of course, Purism for this successful campain!

WELL DONE! :rainbow:

A+
Debcool

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This seems like an important issue that would be a concern to almost everyone who has backed the project from outside of the US. You should send an email to Purism to make sure this gets the official attention it deserves.

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@jeff, what do you think about that?

That could be an opportunity for Purism to have more customers and it’s not a fraud as it’s actual crowdfunding (for the Librem 5 at least).

+1 to the op but “they” will find a way at some point to milk the cash cow like “they” allways do.