Materials Services Business Launched in Serbia
ThyssenKrupp Services is again expanding its materials services business and has been represented in Serbia through the new ThyssenKrupp Materials d.o.o. since January 2009. The Serbian market is being accessed from a green-field site in Indjija, 40 kilometers northwest of Belgrade. On an area of over 17,000 square meters an ultramodern materials processing and logistics center with its own rail link has been set up. Here, in the medium-term, around 15,000 tonnes of materials will be stored and the workforce expanded to around 60. The management team consists of Stevan Sefer and Petar Radovanovic.
Unpredictable Import Prices
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in December 2008 the index of import prices decreased by 5.1% compared with the corresponding month of last year. Read more
Technology Imports from China Down Slightly
From January to November 2008 Chinese commodities at a value of 54.3 billion euros were imported to Germany. This is an increase of 5.6% compared with the corresponding period 2007. Exports rose by 14.3% to the amount of 31.3 billion euros. Read more
China and Russia on Negative Watch
In the Coface country rating, 22 countries have been downgraded or placed on negative watch, including China and Russia. Read more
Price Slump of Copper and Semi-Finished Products
The index of producer prices for industrial products in Germany was up 4.3% in December 2008 from the corresponding month of the preceding year. Compared with the preceding month, the index fell by 1.0% in December 2008. Read more
Reader Promotion: Free CeBIT Tickets
From March 3 through 8, CeBIT 2009 takes place in Hannover. Readers of All about Sourcing will get the trade fair tickets for free. Read more
Top Ranking for Labour Productivity in Hungary
International enterprises in Hungary pay their employees on all levels of hierarchy around twice as much as ten years ago: in 1999, a managing director received an annual gross pay of 48,200 Euros, in 2008 this amount was 87.700 Euros. Read more
Innovation Award for Ariba
Ariba, the spend management solutions provider, has been named Best Supply Chain Management Company by Financial-i Magazine. Read more
Forecast: US Market Will Grow Again in 2010
Matthias Wissmann, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), forecasts a relatively fast recovery of the automobile industry. Read more
All VAT Rates at a Glance
The European Commission has published a survey of the VAT rates applicable in EU Member States from 1 January 2009.
The tax rates are laid down in the VAT Directive 2006/112/EC, providing in its Articles 93 to 130 and Annex III and IV the legal framework for the application of VAT tax rates in the Member States. Member States have made and continue to make wide use of the possibilities offered within this framework; as a result, the situation is in practice disparate and complex, despite clearly defined basic rules:
- Supplies of goods and services are normally subject to a standard rate of at least 15% .
- Member States may apply one or two reduced rates of not less than 5% to goods and services enumerated in a restricted list.
- They may also, under certain conditions, apply a reduced rate to specific labour intensive services.
These simple rules are however complicated by a multitude of derogations granted to certain Member States, in some instances, to a majority of Member States.
Applicable VAT rates in the EU Member States are listed on 28 pages of the following pdf file: VAT rates applicable
A reduced VAT rate can be applied to certain specified labour-intensive services, but only for an experimental period so as to test its impact. More information is given on the EUsite: VAT on Labour Intensive Services
New International Trade Fair for Ceramic Tiles
The only dedicated trade fair for ceramic tiles, “fliesen/tiles”, will be staged for the first time from 16 to 19 January 2010. fliesen/tiles will take place every two years in conjunction with Domotex Hanover, the world’s leading trade fair for the floor coverings industry, at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds. Read more
Happiness and Success for the New Year!
The future belongs to those who recognize the opportunities before they are obvious. All about Sourcing wishes you a good start for the Year 2009. Enjoy with us an exciting and successful era!
