I’d like to share some concerns about the potentially problematic way Amazon implements its obligations under the EU’s DAC7 directive. I've been experiencing a deeply frustrating issue and want to raise awareness—not just for myself, but also because I've seen other EU sellers struggling with similar problems.
What's the issue?
Under EU law (specifically DAC7), Amazon is required to verify and report certain tax-related information, including VAT numbers, for sellers based in the EU—even if we're selling on the Amazon US marketplace. While this requirement itself is understandable, Amazon’s practical implementation raises serious social and legal questions.
Practical Example from My Experience
I'm a sole proprietor based in the EU. My official VAT registration is done under my registered trade name, which is standard practice and fully compliant with EU regulations. Despite this, when I attempt to complete Amazon’s DAC7 tax interview, it fails to verify. Amazon seller support then explicitly demands that I enter my trade name in the tax interview, to match my VAT registration. But here's the catch:
This creates a direct contradiction:
Moreover, when I've sought support from Amazon, their responses have compounded the confusion:
This scenario is NOT an isolated event—I have opened multiple cases with Amazon seller support both recently and before this year, always receiving the same impossible-to-implement instructions. This strongly suggests a systemic failure rather than an individual misunderstanding.
To repeat, like seller support, I have opened MULTIPLE support cases with Amazon both recently and before this year. Each time, seller support provides precisely the SAME UNWORKABLE INSTRUCTIONS, indicating a deeper systemic issue rather than mere individual misunderstandings.
Potential Legal Issues (DAC7 & Digital Services Act):
Upon careful review, this issue raises legitimate legal questions about Amazon’s compliance with EU laws:
1. DAC7 Directive (Council Directive EU 2021/514) clearly requires platforms, including Amazon, to collect and accurately report VAT numbers and income for sellers residing in the EU, regardless of the marketplace location. [DAC7 Directive Source: Council Directive (EU) 2021/514] (URL not allowed to be shared on forums)
2. The Digital Services Act (DSA) also places obligations on large platforms like Amazon to ensure their interfaces and verification processes facilitate rather than hinder compliance. ("compliance by design") and they must maintain clear, fair procedures. [DSA Source: Regulation (EU) 2022/2065] (URL not allowed to be shared on forums)
In short, Amazon’s current approach—refusing valid VAT numbers due to internal limitations and repeatedly sending sellers through impractical loops—may place it in questionable legal standing under both DAC7 and the DSA.
Moreover, in a few replies seller support asked me to alter official EU-validated VAT registration details with authorities, simply to fit Amazon’s internal system constraints. This could constitute a potentially problematic overreach of Amazon's authority, potentially violating fundamental EU principles of proportionality and fairness.
Other Sellers Experiencing Similar Issues
To confirm I'm not alone in this Kafkaesque loop, here are examples from other sellers who've faced similar challenges:
Other sellers on Amazon forums have described similar frustrating experiences, including this leading to trying to submit a sole proprietorship as a legal company, for example:
Why This Matters:
These concerns aren't just frustrating. They raise significant legal compliance issues that could affect many EU-based sellers on the Amazon US platform. If Amazon’s processes lead to inaccurate reporting or failure to collect required information properly, it could potentially put both sellers and Amazon at risk of penalties from EU tax and regulatory authorities.
Possible Solutions:
To address these potential compliance issues, Amazon should consider:
Recent seller support cases: 2024 (1) case 16349763131, 2024 (2) case 16463603461, 2024 (3) case 16517870671, 2024 (4) case 16629440731, 2024 (5) case 16664811831, 2025 (unanswered) case 17357720891, 2025 (1) case 17396769041, 2025 (2) case 17447843021
My recent forum posts: related to this issue
I know that this issue is a wound for you. And you know that I can’t give you a solution for this. Out of curiosity I would like to know following: on your Dutch tax invoice is there your “Trade name”, your private name or both?
And - more important - what name is on your VAT return?
To add to this post. Even adding your business name won't work. I managed to get my business name to show up in the DAC7 form by revalidating my account info. I managed to submit the DAC7 info, and it was accepted and then thrown out again a few weeks later.
Amazon is now saying to add my personal name to my business name under Account and Tax Info, but after my question if that'll be OK for my VAT verification since, the VIES shows my business name, I have not received a reply yet.
If Amazon wants more cases to look at, you may add these to the list:
16355232141, 16692226661, 16768790471, 17354967711, 17362027231, and 17454461651 (still open)