The business of the subsidiaries of Vega International included the transport of commercial vehicles from the manufacturer to customer. International provided fuel cards to its subsidiaries which drivers used to purchase fuel, with International charging the subsidiaries on a monthly basis for the cost of the fuel plus a 2% surcharge.
In finding that International was not purchasing fuel and on-supplying the fuel to its subsidiaries, and instead was supplying credit to its subsidiaries (in this reference, its Polish subsidiary), the Court stated (at paras. 36, 44, 48):
Vega International does not dispose of the fuel in respect of the purchase of which it seeks reimbursement of VAT as if it were the owner. That fuel is purchased by Vega Poland directly from the suppliers and at its sole discretion. Accordingly, Vega Poland decides on, in particular, the fuel purchasing arrangements in so far as it may choose, from among the service stations of the suppliers indicated by Vega International, which service station to refuel at and may freely decide on the quality, quantity and type of fuel, as well as when to purchase and how to use it … .
[T]he expression ‘the granting and the negotiation of credit’ used in [the VAT] provision ... must be interpreted broadly, so that its scope cannot be limited only to loans and credit granted by banking and financial institutions … .
[B]y applying that surcharge of 2% to Vega Poland, Vega International receives a payment for the service provided to its Polish subsidiary. Vega International thus provides a financial service to Vega Poland by financing in advance the purchase of fuel and therefore acts, for that purpose, in the same way as an ordinary financial or credit institution.