1.Excise goods already released for consumption in one Member State, which are purchased by a person, other than an authorised warehousekeeper or a registered consignee, established in another Member State who does not carry out an independent economic activity, and which are dispatched or transported to another Member State directly or indirectly by the vendor or on his behalf shall be subject to excise duty in the Member State of destination.
For the purposes of this Article, ‘Member State of destination’ shall mean the Member State of arrival of the consignment or of transport.
2.In the case referred to in paragraph 1, the excise duty shall become chargeable in the Member State of destination at the time of delivery of the excise goods. The chargeability conditions and rate of excise duty to be applied shall be those in force on the date on which duty becomes chargeable.
The excise duty shall be paid in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Member State of destination.
3.The person liable to pay the excise duty in the Member State of destination shall be the vendor.
However, the Member State of destination may provide that the liable person shall be a tax representative, established in the Member State of destination and approved by the competent authorities of that Member State, or, in cases where the vendor has not respected the provision of paragraph 4(a), the consignee of the excise goods.
4.The vendor or tax representative shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)before dispatching the excise goods, register his identity and guarantee payment of the excise duty with the competent office specifically designated and under the conditions laid down by the Member State of destination;
(b)pay the excise duty at the office referred to in point (a) after the excise goods arrive;
(c)keep accounts of deliveries of excise goods.
The Member States concerned may, under conditions determined by them, simplify these requirements on the basis of bilateral agreements.
5.In the case referred to in paragraph 1, the excise duty levied in the first Member State shall be reimbursed or remitted, at the vendor's request, where the vendor or his tax representative has followed the procedures laid down in paragraph 4.
6.Member States may lay down specific rules for applying paragraphs 1 to 5 to excise goods that are covered by special national distribution arrangements.