The German Federal Ministry of Finance has published its long-awaited letter on the conditions for VAT exemption of intra-community supplies, which were tightened as of 01.01.2020. The Ministry has a very strict view regarding recapitulative statements. These must not only be submitted correctly and completely, but also on time. Corrections of any errors must also be made in due time and also in the appropriate period. Regarding the use of VAT ID numbers, the Ministry is much more liberal. There are no heavy demands placed on the proof of use and retroactive use is also possible. However, one thing seems to be inevitable: It must always be checked whether the customer's VAT ID number is valid at the time of delivery. Digital tools such as the KMLZ VAT-ID Verifier can offer support in this regard.