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  4. Documentation required when refuelling in the Rhine or Nordic regions

Documentation required when refuelling in the Rhine or Nordic regions

Release date:
August 2024
bp fueller, fuelling overwing
If you’re flying into Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and Sweden, here’s a reminder of the tax documents required when refuelling in these destinations.

 

Refuelling in the Rhine:

If you qualify for an exemption from mineral oil tax (MOT) in Austria, Germany, Luxembourg or Switzerland you will need to present the relevant documentation to the fuelling operator before fuelling commences at every uplift.

 

Failure to provide the relevant documentation means you will be taxed and will need to raise a claim with the relevant customs authority to get a refund. In most cases Air bp is unable to provide a refund and is not legally permitted to correct invoices.

 

Exemption licences could be single, permanent or limited but in all cases should be shown.  

 

So, what documentation is required?

 

In Austria:

  • For commercial flights you must show your exemption licence (Freischein) and a valid refuelling certificate (Betankungsschein) provided by the Austrian Customs Administration.
  • You will have to prove the commerciality by an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and the operational licence.

 

In Germany:

  • MTOW > 12t: you must present AOC or Air Carrier Certification (ACC) with operation specifications and with a confirmation for commercial transport of passengers or freight.
  • MTOW<= 12t: you must present your exemption licence (Erlaunbnisschein).
  • Proof of a military and public authority flight (e.g. aircraft registration).
  • Proof of an air rescue flight (e.g. proof of patient transport) – AOC or exemption licence if available.

 

In Luxembourg:

  • For all commercial flights, you must be registered at the Luxembourg Customs Administration (Administration des Douances et Accises).
  • You will have to prove the commerciality by an AOC and the operational licence.
  • Military and state flights also need a certificate.

 

In Switzerland:

  • Commercial traffic (category B flights) to countries with reciprocity: AOC or Specialised Operations (SPO) with operation specifications need to be presented.

 

Details of the fees that apply at different airports in the Rhine region can be found by visiting airbp.com/myairbp and for more information on our locations please click here.

Refuelling in the Nordics

If you’re flying into the Nordics, please note it’s your responsibility to have the correct tax documents when refuelling. Failure to do so could result in unnecessary charges. 

 

For many Nordics countries you are required to send us a Customer Declaration. Please go to the Air bp Customer Portal and select the appropriate country to obtain a copy of the Customer Declaration. You may also need to send us a copy of your Air operator certificate. The rules are different in each country.  

 

In Denmark: 

International airlines, who meet the criteria set by the Danish tax authorities, will be exempt from VAT. To get an exemption, an international airline needs to present a “Customer Declaration” with a Company Authorized Signatory.  

 

In Denmark an “International airline” is a company transporting passengers or goods for commercial purposes. 55% of all the company’s flights must be international i.e., not Danish domestic flights - percentage must be based on the turnover of the company and the actual distances covered. Danish airlines will generally only be exempt if their status is approved by the Danish fiscal administration. 

 

Local environmental taxes (Mineral oil tax, Carbon dioxide tax and NOx tax) will be chargeable, with the exception of:  

  • Jet A1 being supplied directly into aircraft. 
  • For Avgas 100LL, if the fuel is used for commercial purposes, local environmental taxes may be refunded but it is the customers responsibility to contact the Danish Tax office.   

The application form can be downloaded from www.skat.dk and is called form number 23.034.  

 

VAT can, for EU members, be refunded at your local fiscal administration. Non-EU members need to contact the Danish Tax office for a refund.  

 

In Finland:  

Commercial airlines using Jet A1/ Avgas, and “chiefly operating international routes”, will be exempt from VAT. Those flying domestically will be charged domestic VAT. 

 

An airline customer or aircraft owner is deemed to “chiefly operate international routes” where greater than 50% of their previous 12 months navigations relate to international transportation of passengers or goods. Evidence of which is a customer declaration together with an air operator certificate. 

 

Local environmental taxes (Energy content tax, Carbon dioxide tax and Strategic stockpile fee) will be chargeable, except for sales of Jet A1 for used aviation purposes. Customers who purchase Avgas should seek to obtain a refund from the Finnish tax authorities if they consider their use to be exempt.   

 

In Iceland:  

The into-plane supply of goods and services to an aircraft is exempt from Icelandic VAT (Iceland’s general VAT rate is 24%) where the aircraft is engaged in commercial international aviation and the next destination of the flight is outside Iceland. 

 

Delivery tickets must be retained and state the next destinations. 

 

All sales of oil for use on aircrafts are exempt from local environmental taxes.   

 

In Greenland:  

There is currently no VAT system in Greenland. 

 

All into-plane supplies of fuel products carry an environmental fee of 0.10 ore per litre.  

 

In Norway:  

The into-plane supply of Jet A1 and Avgas to an aircraft is exempt from Norwegian VAT (which is at present, 25%) where the aircraft is engaged in commercial international aviation and the next destination of the flight is outside Norway. 

 

An aircraft is deemed to engage in international aviation where greater than 50% of the airline’s flights are to destinations outside Norway. For this exemption, next flight destinations to Svalbard (Spitsbergen) and Jan Mayen are both considered flights outside of Norway. 

 

Evidence of exemption is a Customer Declaration together with an air operator certificate. 

 

The into-plane supply of Jet A1 and Avgas which do not satisfy the above conditions will be charged the standard rate of VAT.

 

Local environmental taxes (Mineral oil tax and Carbon dioxide tax) are exempt for Jet A1 & Avgas where delivered into-plane for overseas aviation purposes, Including Svalbard. All domestic into plane sales will be chargeable.    

 

In Sweden: 

All sales of Jet A1 & Avgas will be exempt from VAT. There is currently no burden of proof to exempt for VAT in Sweden. 

 

Local environmental taxes (Energy tax and Carbon dioxide tax) are exempt for Jet A1 where it is delivered directly into plane for commercial aviation purposes. This relates to domestic and international flights. 

 

Where customers use their fuel for private purposes, and/ or Avgas is delivered into plane, local environmental taxes will be charged. 

 

For more information on our locations in the Nordics please click here.