#EUVAT TWITTERSTORM: ESSENTIAL INFO (Tue 16 Dec 10am GMT / 11am CET) 10


[UPDATED TO INCLUDE EXAMPLE DUTCH TWEETS – 15/12/2014]

[UPDATED TO INCLUDE EXAMPLE ITALIAN TWEETS – 16/12/2014]

Please do not underestimate the impact the planned Twitterstorm can have.  On 25 Nov we held out first Twitterstorm protesting these new regulations in the UK – during which we sent over 20,000 tweets, getting #VATMOSS trending in the UK for over 5 hours, gaining national press coverage and getting us a seat at the table with the UK’s Tax authorities and Treasury.   Ultimately our efforts resulted in an about-turn on allowing businesses to keep their VAT exemption thresholds on UK sales –  which was a huge win for the campaign.

With so little time before the EU Parliament shuts for Christmas and the new regulations coming into force on 1st Jan 2015 –  as many of us as possible, from all across the EU, need to join together to get our voices heard at the European Commission level if we are to achieve our aim of an unilateral suspension of the new EU VAT laws for micro businesses and sole traders.

So please do join us on Tuesday (or schedule tweets if you cannot join at the allocated time) and please help us spread the word to as many people as possible!

Twitterstorm Essential Info:

[The info below will continue to be added to right up to the event so please check back for additional info]

Targets

To be effective it is essential that the right people receive our tweets, rather than just Tweeting at random.   So please direct each and every tweet you send to one of the following Twitter handles:

  • @pierremoscovici
  • @GOettingerEU
  • @Ansip_EU
  • @davidgauke
  • @hmtreasury

Hashtags

To gain press coverage we need to get the relevant hashtags trending.  Last time we used the hashtag #VATMOSS, which has gained traction, but it’s very UK specific  This time we want to make the relevance as EU-wide as possible so our primary hashtag is #EUVAT, but please feel free to use #VATMOSS as well if you have room for two.

N.B. We are aware that VAT and even the abbreviation EU have different local equivalents, but for this Twitterstorm to have the maximum impact we ALL need to use these two hashtags rather than (or at least in addition to) their local equivalent.

  • #EUVAT
  • #VATMOSS

What to Tweet

Our aims for the Twitterstorm are to:

  • Raise awareness of our discontentment on an EU scale
  • Raise awareness of how this new law will impact small businesses
  • Get more signups for this EU petition at http://chn.ge/1wyXUtU
  • Share stories widely of how people’s business will be impacted
  • Share lots of sound-bites from the survey
  • Show the EU commissioners that we are not going to stand for this
  • Get lots of media coverage

So please feel free to compose your own tweets as to how YOU personally or businesses you buy from will be affected; but, if you are not sure what to tweet here are some examples:

EXAMPLE ENGLISH TWEETS

  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #VATMOSS especially onerous for women entrepreneurs, the fastest growing sector of the entrepreneurial community. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #WAHM selling 1 PDF now needs same technical infrastructure as Amazon—without their vast resources. #VATMOSS #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] New #EUVAT regulations threaten viability of micro-businesses. EU-wide exemption on small biz needed. #VATMOSS http://chn.ge/169taUR
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Life for #freelancers after #VATMOSS: http://goo.gl/r2YDWI #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #Freelancers set to lose 30-65% of profits due to #VATMOSS. Reform #EUVAT now => http://chn.ge/169taUR
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] EU U-turn on olive oil jug ban due to public outcry. Public now demands #VATMOSS reform for microbiz + sole traders. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #VATMOSS interferes with micro-businesses, imposes unnecessary costs and takes choice away from consumers. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Threshold needed for new #EUVAT legislation. Govt will spend more processing tiny returns than VAT revenue generated. #VATMOSS
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Grannies selling < €100/year in digital patterns forced to register for VAT. Gov admin costs > VAT revenue generated. #VATMOSS #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] IT experts + accountants agree #VATMOSS unworkable. Reform demanded now for sole traders + microbusinesses. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Only 4% affected expected to be able to comply by 1st January. Reform #EUVAT #VATMOSS => http://chn.ge/169taUR
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 60% affected sell direct to customers NOT through marketplaces. Stop #VATMOSS #EUVAT => http://chn.ge/169taUR
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 45% of affected biz to stop selling altogether or exclude EU customers. That’s no #DigitalSingleMarket. #VATMOSS #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #DigitalSingleMarket objective: make it easier for innovators to start their own company. #VATMOSS does the opposite. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #VATMOSS slows growth of cross-border online shopping. 1000s to stop trading cross-border due to #EUVAT changes.
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Think #VATMOSS doesn’t apply to you? Expected to apply to physical goods from 2016. Reform now => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 10% affected businesses to close completely by 1st January due to #VATMOSS. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Think ‪#‎EUVAT‬ doesn’t apply to you? Expected to apply to physical goods from 2016. Reform now

EXAMPLE GERMAN TWEETS

  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Nur 4% der Betroffenen werden in der Lage sein, rechtzeitig #VATMOSS zu befolgen. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 60% der #VATMOSS Betroffenen verkaufen via eigener Webseite nicht via Marktplätze. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 50% der Betroffenen glauben, nie in der Lage zu sein, #VATMOSS zu befolgen. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Kunden werden höhere Preise + kleinere Auswahl haben, da viele Verkäufer ihren Handel einschränken. #VATMOSS #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 10% der Betroffenen werden wegen #VATMOSS zum 1.1. den Betrieb komplett einstellen. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE]  45% der #VATMOSS Betroffenen werden den Verkauf digitaler Produkte aufgeben o. in andere EU Länder einschränken. #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE]  20% der Betroffenen werden Preise erhöhen, um die Kosten für Software + Verwaltung zu decken. #VATMOSS #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Bitte unterzeichnet die Petition um #VATMOSS für Kleinunternehmer auszusetzen => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT

EXAMPLE DUTCH TWEETS

[N.B. It’s called MOSS in Holland as well, but VAT is BTW in Dutch.]

  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE]  Denk je dat ‪#EUVAT #‎EUBTW‬ niet geldt voor jou? Verwacht in the gaan voor fysieke goederen vanaf 2016. Hervorming moet nu
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #Freelancers verwachten 30-65% winstverlies vanwege #VATMOSS ‪#‎BTWMOSS‬. Hervorm #EUVAT #EUBTW nu
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Nieuwe #EUVAT #EUBTW wetgeving brengt kleinbedrijf in gevaar. Uitzondering voor kleinbedrijf binnen hele EU is nodig.
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE#EUVAT #EUBTW vooral bezwaarlijk voor vrouwelijke ondernemers, de snelst groeiende sector van de ondernemersgemeenschap.
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] IT experts + accountants eens: #VATMOSS #BTWMOSS is onwerkbaar. Hervormingen nu geeist voor eenmansbedrijven en kleinbedrijven.
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 60% van de betreffenden verkopen direct aan klanten NIET via online marktplaatsen. Stop #VATMOSS #BTWMOSS #EUVAT #EUBTW
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 45% van betreffende bedrijven sluiten deuren of stoppen met verkopen aan klanten uit EU #VATMOSS #EUVAT
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 10% van betreffende bedrijven sluiten deuren volledig op 1 januari vanwege #VATMOSS #BTWMOSS.#EUVAT #EUBTW

EXAMPLE ITALIAN TWEETS

  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Le più colpite saranno le piccole imprese. Riforma adesso #EUVAT ‪#‎UEIVA‬‪ #VATMOSS #‎MOSS‬
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Free-lance forse perdono 30-65% di profitti a causa di #VATMOSS  #MOSS. Riforma adesso #EUVAT #UEIVA
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Regolamenti nuovi #EUVAT #UEIVA minacciato vitalità di piccole imprese. Un’esenzione su scala UE per piccole imprese è necessario.
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #EUVAT #UEIVA specialmente oneroso per imprenditrice, il settore che cresce più veloce nella comunità imprenditoriale
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Informatici e contabile concordano #VATMOSS #MOSS è irrealizzabile. Pretendete riforma adesso per piccole imprese.
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 60% colpite vendono direttamente a loro cliente NON per mercati on-line. Arrestate #EUVAT #VATMOSS #MOSS #UEIVA
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 45 % imprese colpiti cesseranno commerciale in tutto o escluderanno cliente UE. #EUVAT #UEIVA
  • [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 10% imprese colpiti chiuderanno in tutto per 1 gennaio a causa di #VATMOSS #EUVAT #MOSS #UEIVA

Itching to get going before Tuesday?

Please help us spread the word to get as many people as possible to join in on the day!  Tweets you can send now:

Share links to key documents such as the petition and the survey:

  • Petition:  http://chn.ge/169taUR
  • Press Release:  http://bit.ly/1qMdn7p
  • Survey and other actions: http://bit.ly/1qDXzDz

Use specific hastags to spread the word among affected communities:

  • Indie #musicians selling online #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • #bbloggers selling ebooks or ecourses, #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • #lbloggers selling ebooks or ecourses, #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Are you a #mompreneur selling digital products? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell #coaching courses online? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell indie #comics online? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell #crochet patterns online? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell your #ebook online? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell #indiedev games online? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell #knitting patterns online? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell #WordPress themes/plugins? #EUVAT #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Selling online?  Have you joined the #VATMOSS #EUVAT fight yet? #crafthour Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Selling online?  Have you joined the #VATMOSS #EUVAT fight yet? #crafthour Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Selling online?  Have you joined the #VATMOSS #EUVAT fight yet? #buyonlinehour Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Selling online?  Have you joined the #VATMOSS #EUVAT fight yet? #handmadehour Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Selling online?  Have you joined the #VATMOSS #EUVAT fight yet? #makehour Twitterstorm 16/12 PLS JOIN http://bit.ly/1zR6cwn
  • Sell #WordPress themes/plugins? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Sell #knitting patterns online? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Sell #indiedev games online? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Sell your #ebook online? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Sell #crochet patterns online? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide). http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Sell indie #comics online? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide) => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Sell #coaching courses online? Sign petition to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide) => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Are you a #mompreneur selling digital products? Sign to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide) => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • #lbloggers selling ebooks or ecourses, sign to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide) => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • #bbloggers selling ebooks or ecourses, sign to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide) => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT
  • Indie #musicians selling online, sign to reform #VATMOSS (affects EVERYONE worldwide) => http://chn.ge/169taUR #EUVAT

ONLINE BUSINESS GURUS TO TWEET FOR SUPPORT

Let’s cc: the big ‘online business’ gurus to ask for their support and to RT us to recruit more supporters.

They all make their living telling us that we can make a great living online and advocate passive income / automated products – this could seriously impact their bottom lines too!

  • @marieforleo
  • @patflynn
  • @tferriss
  • @garyvee
  • @chrisguillebeau
  • @johnsw
  • @derekhalpern
  • @Leonie_Dawson

If you have any additional suggestions for Tweets (especially in languages we haven’t covered yet), please leave your suggestions in the comments below.


Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

10 thoughts on “#EUVAT TWITTERSTORM: ESSENTIAL INFO (Tue 16 Dec 10am GMT / 11am CET)

  • Lotte

    Thank you so much for this super comprehensive guide. Buffering tweets as I type.

    Thought I should just point out example 11 on English Tweets is missing the #EUVAT hashtag…in case anyone else doing a mass copy and paste session like me!

  • virginiacreeper

    A selection of our tweets in Dutch:

    It’s called MOSS in Holland as well, but VAT is BTW in Dutch.

    1. Think #EUVAT doesn’t apply to you? Expected to apply to physical goods from 2016. Reform now

    Denk je dat #EUBTW niet geldt voor jou? Verwacht in the gaan voor fysieke goederen vanaf 2016. Hervorming moet nu

    2. #Freelancers set to lose 30-65% of profits due to #VATMOSS. Reform #EUVAT now

    #Freelancers verwachten 30-65% winstverlies vanwege #BTWMOSS. Hervorm #EUBTW nu

    3. New #EUVAT regulations threaten viability of micro-businesses. EU-wide exemption on small biz needed.

    Nieuwe #EUBTW wetgeving brengt kleinbedrijf in gevaar. Uitzondering voor kleinbedrijf binnen hele EU is nodig.

    4. #EUVAT especially onerous for women entrepreneurs, the fastest growing sector of the entrepreneurial community.

    #EUBTW vooral bezwaarlijk voor vrouwelijke ondernemers, de snelst groeiende sector van de ondernemersgemeenschap.

    5. IT experts + accountants agree #VATMOSS unworkable. Reform demanded now for sole traders + microbusinesses.

    IT experts + accountants eens: #BTWMOSS is onwerkbaar. Hervormingen nu geeist voor eenmansbedrijven en kleinbedrijven.

    6. 60% affected sell direct to customers NOT through marketplaces. Stop #VATMOSS #EUVAT

    60% van de betreffenden verkopen direct aan klanten NIET via online marktplaatsen. Stop #BTWMOSS #EUBTW

    7. 45% of affected biz to stop selling altogether or exclude EU customers.

    45% van betreffende bedrijven sluiten deuren of stoppen met verkopen aan klanten uit EU

    8. 10% affected businesses to close completely by 1st January due to #VATMOSS. #EUVAT

    10% van betreffende bedrijven sluiten deuren volledig op 1 januari vanwege #BTWMOSS. #EUBTW

  • Pingback: VATMOSS Updates and Twitter storm – UK and EU creators, please read! | Sally Jane Thompson's blog

  • virginiacreeper

    Italian:

    It’s called MOSS in Italy as well, but EU VAT is UE IVA in Italian.

    1. The worst hit will be small businesses. Reform #EUVAT #VATMOSS now.

    Le più colpite saranno le piccole imprese. Riforma adesso #UEIVA #MOSS

    2. #Freelancers set to lose 30-65% of profits due to #VATMOSS. Reform #EUVAT now

    Free-lance forse perdono 30-65% di profitti a causa di #MOSS. Riforma adesso #UEIVA (I don’t know if there is a free-lance #)

    3. New #EUVAT regulations threaten viability of micro-businesses. EU-wide exemption on small biz needed.

    Regolamenti nuovi #UEIVA minacciato vitalità di piccole imprese. Un’esenzione su scala UE per piccole imprese è necessario.

    4. #EUVAT especially onerous for women entrepreneurs, the fastest growing sector of the entrepreneurial community.

    #UEIVA specialmente oneroso per imprenditrice, il settore che cresce più veloce nella comunità imprenditoriale

    5. IT experts + accountants agree #VATMOSS unworkable. Reform demanded now for sole traders + microbusinesses.

    Informatici e contabile concordano #MOSS è irrealizzabile. Pretendete riforma adesso per piccole imprese.

    6. 60% affected sell direct to customers NOT through marketplaces. Stop #VATMOSS #EUVAT

    60% colpite vendono direttamente a loro cliente NON per mercati on-line. Arrestate #MOSS #UEIVA

    7. 45% of affected biz to stop selling altogether or exclude EU customers.

    45 % imprese colpiti cesseranno commerciale in tutto o escluderanno cliente UE. #UEIVA

    8. 10% affected businesses to close completely by 1st January due to #VATMOSS. #EUVAT

    10% imprese colpiti chiuderanno in tutto per 1 gennaio a causa di #MOSS #UEIVA

  • virginiacreeper

    EXAMPLE ITALIAN TWEETS:

    [NB: It’s called MOSS in Italy as well, but EU VAT is UE IVA in Italian.]

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Le più colpite saranno le piccole imprese. Riforma adesso #UEIVA #MOSS

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Free-lance forse perdono 30-65% di profitti a causa di #MOSS. Riforma adesso #UEIVA

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Regolamenti nuovi #UEIVA minacciato vitalità di piccole imprese. Un’esenzione su scala UE per piccole imprese è necessario.

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] #UEIVA specialmente oneroso per imprenditrice, il settore che cresce più veloce nella comunità imprenditoriale

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Informatici e contabile concordano #MOSS è irrealizzabile. Pretendete riforma adesso per piccole imprese.

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 60% colpite vendono direttamente a loro cliente NON per mercati on-line. Arrestate #MOSS #UEIVA

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 45 % imprese colpiti cesseranno commerciale in tutto o escluderanno cliente UE. #UEIVA

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] 10% imprese colpiti chiuderanno in tutto per 1 gennaio a causa di #MOSS #UEIVA

  • virginiacreeper

    Two more German ones:

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] please provide us with a legally binding, unambiguous algorithm to determine location of consumer #VATMOSS #EUVAT

    [INSERT TARGET HANDLE HERE] Bitte erklaeren Sie uns eine legal akzeptierte, logische & immer zutreffende Rechenanweisung um Adressen festzustellen #EUVAT

  • Su Butcher

    If you want your followers to see that you’re tweeting the targets, don’t put the target’s @handle right at the front of the tweet, put it somewhere else like at the end or in the middle. That way your tweets will show up in your followers timelines too.
    Might be a good idea to be selective how much you tweet if you do this though, perhaps a bit of both!

  • Pingback: Don’t Let EU VAT MOSS Kill Your Business! Ecommerce Solutions