VATcodexEU VAT case law · Court of Justice and General Court

Article 311 Directive 2006/112/EC

Special arrangements for second-hand goods, works of art, collectors' items and antiques

Title XII · Special schemes › Chapter 4 · Special arrangements for second-hand goods, works of art, collectors' items and antiques › Section 1 · Definitions

Open in the compendium10 cases ↓

Text of Article 311

1.For the purposes of this Chapter, and without prejudice to other Community provisions, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)‘second-hand goods’ means movable tangible property that is suitable for further use as it is or after repair, other than works of art, collectors' items or antiques and other than precious metals or precious stones as defined by the Member States;

(2)‘works of art’ means the objects listed in Annex IX, Part A;

(3)‘collectors' items’ means the objects listed in Annex IX, Part B;

(4)‘antiques’ means the objects listed in Annex IX, Part C;

(5)‘taxable dealer’ means any taxable person who, in the course of his economic activity and with a view to resale, purchases, or applies for the purposes of his business, or imports, second-hand goods, works of art, collectors' items or antiques, whether that taxable person is acting for himself or on behalf of another person pursuant to a contract under which commission is payable on purchase or sale;

(6)‘organiser of a sale by public auction’ means any taxable person who, in the course of his economic activity, offers goods for sale by public auction with a view to handing them over to the highest bidder;

(7)‘principal of an organiser of a sale by public auction’ means any person who transmits goods to an organiser of a sale by public auction pursuant to a contract under which commission is payable on a sale.

2.Member States need not regard as works of art the objects listed in points (5), (6) or (7) of Annex IX, Part A.

3.The contract under which commission is payable on a sale, referred to in point (7) of paragraph 1, must provide that the organiser of the sale is to put up the goods for public auction in his own name but on behalf of his principal and that he is to hand over the goods, in his own name but on behalf of his principal, to the highest bidder at the public auction.

Consolidated version on EUR-Lex (CELEX 02006L0112-20250414). © European Union. Only the Official Journal is authentic.

Case law on Article 311: 10 cases

Judgments, orders and Advocate General opinions of the Court of Justice and the General Court that cite Article 311 of Directive 2006/112/EC, most recent first.

  1. C-472/24 Žaidimų valiuta Opinion · 11 September 2025 · cites Article 311(1)(1), (1)(5)
  2. C-433/24 Galerie Karsten Greve Judgment · 1 August 2025 · France · cites Article 311(1), (1)(2), (1)(5)
  3. C-180/22 Mensing II Judgment · 13 July 2023 · Germany · cites Article 311(1)(5)
  4. C-365/22 État belge (VAT – Vehicles sold for parts) Judgment · 17 May 2023 · Belgium · cites Article 311(1), (1)(1)
  5. C-145/18 Regards Photographiques Judgment · 5 September 2019 · France · cites Article 311(1), (2)
  6. C-264/17 Mensing Judgment · 29 November 2018 · Germany · cites Article 311(1), (1)(2), (1)(5)
  7. C-154/17 E LATS Judgment · 11 July 2018 · Latvia · cites Article 311(1), (1)(1)
  8. C-471/15 Sjelle Autogenbrug Judgment · 18 January 2017 · Denmark · cites Article 311(1), (1)(1)
  9. C-160/11 Bawaria Motors Judgment · 19 July 2012 · Poland · cites Article 311(1)(1)
  10. C-203/10 Auto Nikolovi Judgment · 3 March 2011 · Bulgaria · cites Article 311(1)(1), (1)(5)

VAT Committee guidelines on Article 311: 1

Not binding. Positions agreed in the VAT Committee set up under Article 398 of Directive 2006/112/EC and published by the Commission.