For a bunch of supposedly smart people there is some really profound misunderstanding of European VAT on this thread. I was going to put it right but I can't be

For a bunch of supposedly smart people there is some really profound misunderstanding of European VAT on this thread. I was going to put it right but I can't be bothered with the pedantic armchair experts. I'm in Finance at a large multinational, and I'm responsible for over $100m of trade in goods across the world. I'm going to state the facts and armchair pedants be damned. My business pays no VAT. I reclaim all import VAT and any other purchase VAT. I can't reclaim import duties (tariffs). Therefore VAT is not a tariff. The end.