Importing from Alibaba to Italy — SAD/DAU Customs Documents and Why VAT Deduction Keeps Failing
By the Agence Octo team
Sources
- Italian Agenzia delle Dogane — Official Italian customs authority; maintains TARIC database for HS code classification and tariff treatment
- Incoterms 2020 (ICC) — International Chamber of Commerce definitions for DDP, DAP, and CIF; clarifies risk and duty allocation between buyer and seller
- EU VAT Directive 2006/112/EC — Establishes import VAT treatment and conditions for VAT deduction by EU-registered businesses
- Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) — Issues guidance on VAT deduction claims and documentation requirements for importers
- r/Alibaba community thread (2026-05-25) — Practitioner-reported case of SAD/DAU importer-of-record mismatch affecting VAT deduction