Mobilcom seeks VAT back

German 3G licensee Mobilcom is taking the Berlin government to court, in an effort to reclaim the EUR1.16 billion VAT it claims it paid on its concession. The company argues that the German finance minister should have issued invoices for the 3G licence sales that drew attention to the VAT when Mobilcom purchased the licence in 2000. Mobilcom will seek to prove that VAT was included in the EUR8.4 billion it paid for its licence, a move which would enable it to offset those charges against future VAT bills. Other German operators are believed to considering whether to follow Mobilcom’s lead.