REMOBIS Refund Service CV, a Dutch tax recovery firm, and its Lithuanian counterpart, Edenred Finance UAB, have jointly established the European Tax Refund Providers Association (ERPA). The new initiative seeks to streamline tax refund procedures, increase transparency, and improve efficiency for transport companies across the continent.
While ERPA will support carriers from all European countries, the initiative will be particularly welcomed by firms in Central and Eastern Europe – including Poland – where companies often face especially burdensome VAT and excise tax recovery formalities.
Representing the wider industry
ERPA’s mission is to represent the collective interests of tax refund service providers at European level. With a focus on innovation, transparency, and efficiency, the association aims to deliver value both to international transport operators and to tax and customs authorities across Europe.
Benefits for road transport companies
For thousands of businesses engaged in cross-border transport, applying for VAT and excise tax refunds remains a complex and country-specific process. ERPA has been established to simplify and harmonise these procedures, cut down on unnecessary bureaucracy, and speed up the processing of claims.
For carriers, this could translate into easier access to reliable and efficient refund services, faster payment of funds, and a lower risk of administrative errors or delays.
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A network with real market influence
ERPA is not a niche initiative. Its founding and associate members – including Edenred Finance (Lithuania), REMOBIS Refund Service (Netherlands), Nikosax A/S (Denmark), Alfa Transport Service (Netherlands), and Tax Refund SRL (Romania) – collectively serve around 32,000 clients and process over 220,000 claims annually.
This broad client base gives ERPA both reach and influence in shaping the European tax refund landscape.
“ERPA is a bold step forward for the tax refund industry. By bringing together leading providers under one roof, we are setting new standards for innovation, efficiency, and trust in cross-border compliance,” says Pieter van Wel, President of ERPA
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Working with tax authorities
The association also intends to actively collaborate with European tax administrations to promote a clearer understanding of the role of refund service providers. ERPA will support efforts to improve the efficiency of settlement procedures, combat fraud, and enhance overall system transparency.
By facilitating access to sector-specific data and analytics, the association aims to help authorities detect irregularities more effectively while easing administrative workloads and fostering better communication between service providers and public institutions.
Who is behind ERPA?
The association was officially registered in the Netherlands on 25 July 2024 and brings together five established providers of tax refund services:
- REMOBIS Refund Service CV (Utrecht, Netherlands) – a leader in international transport tax refund services, operating since 2002.
- Alfa Transport Service VoF (Utrecht, Netherlands) – a sister company to REMOBIS, founded in 1989.
- Tax Refund SRL (Bucharest, Romania) – a subsidiary of REMOBIS, active since 2011.
- Edenred Finance UAB (Vilnius, Lithuania) – part of the Edenred Group, one of Europe’s largest tax refund service providers.
- Nikosax A/S (Denmark) – a subsidiary of Edenred Finance, specialising in VAT and excise tax refund services.
